Let’s wrap this up right at the top, this is certainly the best New Girl of all season and it could even be among the best of all time. “Background Check” taps into what makes the show the best episode when a group of friends are forced into tight confines. The all-important bottle episode, a way New Girl has mastered. The show does not need to work on the chemistry of its core cast, which is so important for the bottle episode, as it is on full display here. Put these items together with Cleo King’s (Deadwood, Pineapple Express) winning guest turn as Sergeant Tess “The Fish” Dorado and you have the makings of an insanely funny 22 minutes of television.
Framing the episode around a background check on Winston’s house visits by superiors is a smart move as it allows Lamorne Morris to play the honest man for a change, something the show has sorely lacked. Sure, Morris is among the show’s most talented actors in the comedy department, but the show’s outright refusal to make it the main focus of recent episodes is downright criminal. This time Winnie shined. The background check gives the episode weight and emotional crux as all viewers know it was necessary for Winston to get the win. When Jess reveals that she unknowingly bought an ottoman with a bag full (I mean full) of meth, things got out of hand quickly.
Soon, his mission is to find a way to get rid of the drugs before the Sergeant finds them while also getting Winston to perform as best he can. Of course, this is also an try to herd cats. Schmidt and Coach rework the story of how Winston worked with The Boys and Girls Club. Thus the formation of the B-Plot where Coach leaves the apartment and tries to pick up a 10 year old boy he wants to play Duquan. Wayans does what he can with the flimsy plot he is given but makes up for it easily during his tag with Duquan (I mean Juan) and their shared love of outlet shopping. Nick on the other hand is left with the one person he should not be, Sergeant Dorado, while he himself has to cover his overactive sweat glands with a kimono.
The breakneck pace with which the show operates during these episodes allows it to jump from one gag to the next, forcing the audience to pay attention in an effort not to miss the night’s gag. For what it is worth, the whole scene in which Nick unpacks a deep childhood moment on Fish is the joke of the night. What speed also provides is the ability for emotional beats to resonate more deeply. Schmidt and Cece’s mutual understanding that their fake kiss was at least a little bit real is one of these moments. The other, and much more important, is the conversation Jess and Winston have in the bathroom. This scene together with Winston’s approval by Dorado, who calls him one of the academy’s best cadets, allows Winston to break free from the group. Ever since he left the radio station, the question has been whether Winston will have the ability to make his own choices and make those choices make him happier. The agreement gives Winston satisfaction in front of his roommates and Cece, makes them pleased with him and provides Winston the win he needs.
Point a
