Zooey Deschanel's New Girl character Jessica Day is so funny that many memes have been created in her honor. A very relatable person, she just wants to drink wine and eat junk food and cry while watching a movie. Is that too much to ask?
When she moves into the loft with a bunch of male roommates, she's healing from a tough heartbreak and feeling lost. But loyal fans of the sitcom know that even though Jess is a beloved character, she has a lot of faults that can't be brushed aside. Let's take a look at all of the issues with Jess on New Girl.
Starts As A Very Weird Character Then Gets Boring
Jess starts off as a very funny character on New Girl, as she has a lot of quirks that make her stand out from any potential roommate that the guys could have. But as the seasons pass, her character is toned done quite a lot, and she actually becomes boring.
This is confusing, as there doesn't see to be a good reason for it, especially since fans were into Jess — and New Girl itself — from day one.
Quirky Dialogue
Watching New Girl is a lot of fun as the dialogue is fresh, clever, and quick. But when fans step back and examine some of the things that Jess says, it kind of feels like the writers are trying too hard to give her quirky quips all the time.
When Jess speaks, it's not always easy to relate to, as the things that she says are just a little too clever. She doesn't talk the way that people really do.
Boy Crazy To A Fault
Sometimes it's funny when a character is totally boy crazy, as they can say some hilarious lines as a result.
But Jess is so boy crazy that she ignores the bad relationships she's in, and that gets old after a while. It feels like a problem with her character instead of something that is funny. She even dates her cousin Robby (Nelson Franklin) without meaning to, which is more awkward than hilarious.
Jess And Nick's Romance Isn't Well-Crafted
Jess and Nick are a popular couple on New Girl and everyone wanted them to end up together.
Jess dates a lot of people, which doesn't make sense since she and Nick should have a lot more screentime as an actual couple. They are both exactly the same in terms of being afraid to share their feelings or get too serious, and in the end, their romance just isn't that well-crafted.
Doesn't Prioritize Her Career
Jess may be fashionable, but she doesn't exactly make her career a priority. Her character doesn't seem well-developed because at the beginning of the show, she's a teacher, and by the end, she has taken on a super random job that isn't in that field. It's hard to even recall what she was doing.
Jess should be more motivated about making something happen in her work life. It would make her a more well-rounded character.
Jess Should Inspire Nick To Change For The Better
Another problem with Jess is that she doesn't inspire Nick to change himself for the better. Nick has a lot of problems, from not having enough money to not being very ambitious.
The fact that Jess just lets Nick be and isn't bothered by his lifestyle is definitely a character flaw. It's not believable that she wouldn't want him to become someone she could actually commit to.
Passive Character
Over and over again, Jess is the observer instead of someone who can be bold and actually make something happen. This is especially questionable near the end of the show when she and Nick still aren't engaged and then when it seems like the wedding will never really happen.
Jess is always a passive character, and it would have been better if she had changed her ways over the seasons instead of staying the same.
Her Main Character Trait Of Being "Adorkable" Is Odd
Jess doesn't really have that many character traits that stand out from the rest of the other characters on New Girl. She's "adorkable" and that's her thing... but what does that even mean?
The writers lean too hard into the idea that Jess is so adorable and yet a nerd. The thing is, she's not really that dorky. She likes mainstream movies and seems to fit in with the guys in the loft just fine.
Never Grows Up
While Jess says a lot of funny lines over the show's seven seasons, she never grows up. She and Nick have that in common, and it's awkward to watch.
Schmidt (Max Greenfield) and Cece (Hannah Simone) commit to one another and even have a daughter, Ruth, by the seventh season, making Jess stand out even more. It's difficult to root for Jess when so many episodes go by and she won't think about the future.
She Totally Disappears For Many Episodes
With the introduction of Reagan (Megan Fox), Jess actually disappears, which was a decision that the writers made so Zooey Deschanel could have a maternity leave.
But why did this need to happen? Couldn't Jess have stayed on the show somehow? She could have been traveling for work and appeared in some video chats with the gang. This just seemed like a poor character choice, and it's another reason why Jess got worse on this sitcom.