Who's That Girl? A 'New Girl' Podcast

This podcast covers New Girl Season 2, Episode 21, First Date, which originally aired on April 4, 2013 and was directed by Lynn Shelton and written by J. J. Philbin & Berkley Johnson.

Here’s a quick recap of the episode:

The loft mates are back in LA and Nick and Jess attempt going on their first date, where they run into the only person they’ve both ever loved -- Jess’s ex, Russell. Meanwhile Winston and Schmidt continue to bond as they think of ways to sabotage Nick and Jess’s date. 

We discuss Pop Culture References such as:

• When Winston was thinking of the worst thing that ever happened to him on a date, he thought of when a man serenaded him and his date by singing the following songs:
  • “Father Figure” by Sir George Michael
  • “Dude Looks like a Lady” by Aerosmith

Additional Pop Culture References such as:

• Mrs. Doubtfire - When the man is singing “Dude Looks Like a Lady” to Winston and his date he references the movie Mrs. Doubtfire. Mrs. Doubtfire is about an actor who disguises himself as a female housekeeper to spend time with his children held in custody by his former wife.

We also cover the scene where Nick asks Schmidt for help as our “Schmidtism” this episode. In our “Not in the 2020s” section, we discuss how Nick was turned on by Jess’s helplessness and how Schmidt and Winston were being selfish and unsupportive of Nick and Jess. We also explore the careers of Chelsey Crisp (Brandy), Ron Funches (Street Musician), and Brian Stack (cop), the Guest Stars we feature in this episode.

Also in this episode were the following guest stars who we do not discuss in the podcast: Steve Agee (Outside Dave - Previously discussed in S2E17), Dermot Mulroney (Russell - Previously discussed in S1E17), Ralph Ahn (Tran - Previously discussed in S2E7), Joe Zazzu (Marc), Leonardo Biasiucci (Bartender), and Loren Burgos (Winston’s date).

In this podcast, we also dive deeper into jaywalking and share how this episode contained a shot that was named #3 of all time most painfully distracting product placement by In Your Face Advertising magazine. We also share this article (which contains spoilers) where we learned that it was during this episode that they were adding a 25th episode to the season and how the motorcycle falling over was an accident as Brian Stack did not really know how to ride a motorcycle.

While not discussed in the podcast, we noted other references in this episode including:

• Pledge of Allegiance - When Jess is talking to Cece about Nick touching her chest, Cece describes it as the Pledge of Allegiance. The Pledge of Allegiance was written in August 1892 by Francis Bellamy and is an expression of allegiance to the United States of America and its flag.

This episode got an 8/10 Rating from Kritika whose favorite character was Nick and Kelly rated this episode a 7.5/10 and her favorite character was Winston!

Thanks for listening and stay tuned for Episode 22!

Music: "Hotshot” by scottholmesmusic.com

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

Website: https://smallscreenchatter.com/

This podcast covers New Girl Season 2, Episode 20, Chicago, which originally aired on March 26, 2013 and was written by Luvh Rakhe and directed by Jake Kasdan. 

Here’s a quick recap of the episode:

When Nick finds out his dad died of a heart attack, the whole loft goes to his funeral that Nick has to plan. Jess tries to help and support him while drawing the line at writing Walt’s eulogy. Meanwhile, Winston helps Schmidt get over his fear of death and open caskets.

We discuss Pop Culture References such as:

• Elvis - Jess impersonated Elvis at Nick’s Dad’s funeral and sang two of Elvis’ songs.
  • “In the Ghetto”
  • “Burning Love”

Additional Pop Culture References such as:

• Trail Blazers - When sharing about Portland, Jess mentioned she was “from the land of books” and simply, “Trailblazers”. The Portland Trail Blazers are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division.
• Wrigley Ticket Stub - As they’re leaving Chicago and saying goodbye to Bonnie, Winston mentions he took a Wrigley Ticket Stub to remember Walt by. A Wrigley Ticket Stub comes from Wrigley Field, which is a baseball park located on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home of the Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two Major League Baseball franchises. As of 2021, Wrigley field is the second oldest baseball stadium in the United States.

We cover Schmidt’s breakdown over the middle-class button system and death as our “Schmidtism” this episode. For “Not in the 2020s” we discuss how Nick’s mother asks Jess if “she is a Spanish” and refers to Schmidt as “Fat Schmidt”. In our “Yes in the 2020s” we talk about how everyone in the loft came to the funeral with Nick, Jess putting on the Elvis costume, and Schmidt’s “eulogy” to Winston. We also explore the careers of Margo Martindale (Bonnie), Bill Burr (Bobby), and Nick Kroll (Jamie), the guest stars of this episode.

Also in this episode were the following guest stars who we do not discuss in the podcast: Eric Edelstein (Elvis), Ellen Albertini Dow (Aunt Ruthie), Lila Lucchetti (Deann), Emily R. Wilson (Carol), and Kai Caster (Cousin).

We also discuss how Dennis Farina, who plays Walt, passed away 3 months after this episode aired and how this was Ellen Albertini Dow’s last television appearance before she passed in 2015 at the age of 101. We also share this article (which contains spoilers) where we learned that they knew this episode was always going to be part of Season 2 but that this was supposed to be earlier in the season and would be the first kiss for Nick and Jess. This episode also had an initial cut of 43 minutes and a lot of the improv with Nick Kroll, Bill Burr, and Jake Johnson had to be cut to make the episode time. On the podcast, we also mention the following articles where Mac Davis did an interview about his song “In the Ghetto” and Zooey Deschanel’s time on Conan where she talked about how she prepared for the Elvis impersonation.

While not discussed in the podcast, we noted other references in this episode including:

• Pop vs Soda - When the loft enters Nick’s house, Bobby and Jamie are fighting over whether a fizzy carbonated beverage would be called pop or soda. Across the United States, there are regional differences in what soft drinks are called with Soda being used in the Northeast, most of Florida, and California while Pop is used for most of the Midwest and West. In the South, the term “coke” is often used to represent all fizzy drinks.
• Logan - When Bobby is threatening Schmidt, he says he’ll keep him out of the whole city because he works TSA at Logan. The Boston Logan International Airport is located in East Boston and was opened in 1923. It is the largest airport in New England and is the 16th busiest airport in the United States.

This episode got an 8/10 rating from Kritika and a 7/10 from Kelly and we both had the same favorite character: Jess!

Thanks for listening and stay tuned for Episode 21!

Music: "Hotshot” by scottholmesmusic.com

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

Website: https://smallscreenchatter.com/

This podcast covers New Girl Season 2, Episode 19, Quick Hardening Caulk, which originally aired on March 19, 2013 and was directed by Lorene Scafaria. The teleplay was written by Ryan Koh and the story was by Brett Baer & Dave Finkel.

Here’s a quick recap of the episode:

Schmidt is not dealing with Cece’s engagement well and decides he needs a lionfish. Meanwhile, Jess is impressed with Nick’s decisions to be more responsible and finds herself wanting to have sex with him. 

We discuss Pop Culture References such as:

• California Lionfish - Schmidt saw a Lionfish at the aquarium and it reminded him of Cece. Later in the episode he tries to get one from the ocean.

Additional Pop Culture References such as:

• The Hobbit - When Schmidt was trying to convince Winston he wasn’t upset about Cece, he mentioned that The Hobbit was bad as a reason he was upset. The Hobbit, or There and Back Again is a children's fantasy novel by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The first of three movie adaptations came out in 2012.
• Bond Villain - When Schmidt was sharing with the loft that he got an aquarium, Jess asked, “When did you become a Bond villain that couldn't afford not to live with roommates?” The James Bond series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. The books were adapted into films starting in 1962 and had over six actors play the role of James Bond over time. There is always a prominent villain in each of the books and films.
• Russell Crowe - Nick mentioned he felt like “Russell Crowe in every movie he’s ever been in” when he was pulling the chain at the store. Russell Ira Crowe is an actor, director, musician, and singer. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the epic historical 2000 film Gladiator, for which he won an Academy Award, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award, Empire Award, and London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Leading Actor.
• Judy Garland - When Jess was trying to pursue Nick while on pain meds, she spoke in her old-timey voice and said she was Judy Garland. Judy Garland was an American actress, singer, vaudevillian, and dancer. With a career spanning 45 years, she attained international stardom as an actress in both musical and dramatic roles and was the first woman to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

We cover both the scenes where Schmidt tries to get the lionfish from the aquarium and when he tries to stand up for Nick after seeing his black eye as our “Schmidtisms” this episode. For “Not in the 2020s” we discuss how the men in the bar said that they would buy Jess nachos if she had sex with them and how Jess was telling Nick to “kiss her like a man”, gendering the ask rather than telling him to be more assertive. In our “Yes in the 2020s” we celebrate Nick’s regard for consent and not giving in to Jess’s advances while she was on pain meds. We also give brief looks into Odette Annable (Shane), Sean Taylor (Random Guy #1), and Casey Adams (Random Guy #2), the Guest Stars we feature in this episode.

Also in this episode were the following guest stars who we do not discuss in the podcast: Christopher Gehrman (Aquarium Docent), Peter Navy Tuiasosopo (Big Bob), Darlene Kardon (Elderly Woman), Jeff Bowser (Drunk Dude), and Vicky Dalli (Hot Bar Girl).

We also discuss how this is Peter Tuiasosopo’s second New Girl appearance but his first as Big Bob. In the podcast, we share this article (which contains spoilers) where we learned that this episode was more influenced by Cheers than any other in the season and how the showrunners wanted to explore Winston’s dynamic further this season.

While not discussed in the podcast, we noted other references in this episode including:

• Pacific Sea Centre (Audubon Aquarium of the Americas) - In the episode the aquarium that Winston takes Schmidt to is titled the Pacific Sea Centre but the aquarium pictured is actually the New Orleans Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. Opened in 1990, the aquarium is run by the Audubon Nature Institute and has over 10,000 animals representing 530 species with Caribbean, Amazon and Gulf of Mexico exhibits.

This episode got an 8.5/10 rating from Kritika whose favorite character was Winston and Kelly rated this episode a 9/10 and her favorite character was Schmidt!

Thanks for listening and stay tuned for Episode 20!

Music: "Hotshot” by scottholmesmusic.com

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

Website: https://smallscreenchatter.com/

This podcast covers New Girl Season 2, Episode 18, Tinfinity, which originally aired on February 26, 2013 and was directed by Max Winkler and written by Kim Rosenstock and Josh Malmuth.

Here’s a quick recap of the episode:

Schmidt and Nick are celebrating living together for 10 years, their tin anniversary. Meanwhile, Jess is trying to move on from thinking about Nick and his mouth and Cece is moving forward with Shivrang.

We discuss Pop Culture References such as:

• Bert & Ernie - When told by Winston they are like Bert and Ernie, Nick exclaimed he’s got dibs on Bert while Schmidt called dibs on Ernie at the same time.
• "Save Me" by Queen - When the toast sequence was initiated incorrectly during Shivrang’s proposal, the song “Save Me” by the band Queen played.

Additional Pop Culture References such as:

• San Francisco Football [49ers] - The fictional Jax McTavish played safety for San Francisco. The National Football League team based in San Francisco is the 49ers. The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers won five Super Bowl championships between 1981 and 1994. Four of those came in the 1980s and were led by Hall of Famers Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Steve Young, Charles Haley, Fred Dean and coaches Bill Walsh and George Seifert.
• Omar Epps - The guys wondered why Winston was with Jax and thought it must be because Jax thought he’s Omar Epps. Omar Hashim Epps is an American actor, rapper, and producer known for his film roles including Juice, Higher Learning, The Wood, In Too Deep, and Love & Basketball as well as his television work including the role of Dr. Dennis Gant on the series ER, J. Martin Bellamy in Resurrection, and Dr. Eric Foreman on the medical drama series House from 2004 to 2012.
• Homeland - Winston asked Jax if he had watched Homeland. Homeland is a TV show about a bipolar CIA operative who becomes convinced a prisoner of war has been turned by al-Qaeda and is planning to carry out a terrorist attack on American soil. We talked about the protagonist, Abu Nazir, on our podcast for S2E15 - Cooler.
• Tom Cruise + Iceman [Top Gun] - When Nick and Schmidt were sharing that they’re equals, they mentioned both are Iceman, neither is Tom Cruise. This is a reference to the movie Top Gun, where students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class. The actor, Tom Cruise, played the main character Maverick while Iceman is played by Val Kilmer and was known for being cocky and good at “picking up” women.

We also cover the moment when Schmidt assigns Nick his party chores as our “Schmidtism”. For our “Not in the 2020s” we discuss how Jess dismissed a man at the bar because he said he was bisexual and Nick calling Schmidt a “nancy boy” for spitting out his alcohol. We also talk about how Jax addresses the expectations set on him and opening up was a “Yes in the 2020s”. We also give a quick look into Steve Howey (Jax) and Satya Bhabha (Shivrang), the Guest Stars we feature in this episode.

Also in this episode were the following guest stars who we do not discuss in the podcast: Nelson Franklin (Robby - Previously discussed in S2E1), Matthew J Cates (Salesman), Josh Margolin (Sanders), Jimmy Bellinger (Lighting Guy), Stuart Allan (Kid), Michael Vlamis (Hipster Jerkwad), Chris Dotson (Tech Guy), Joshua Leary (Stuart), Elaine Loh (Random Partygoer), and Corinne Donnelly (Party Guest).

We also discuss this article (which contains spoilers) where we learned that this episode took almost a month to film (compared to the usual 5 days) due to rain and how Elizabeth Meriweather found episodes where Jess was the b-plot to be weaker episodes. We also chat about the different anniversary themes for each year.

This episode got a 7/10 Rating from Kritika whose favorite character was Schmidt and Kelly rated this episode a 7.5/10 and her favorite character was Nick!

Thanks for listening and stay tuned for Episode 19!

Music: "Hotshot” by scottholmesmusic.com

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

Website: https://smallscreenchatter.com/

This podcast covers New Girl Season 2, Episode 17, Parking Spot, which originally aired on February 19, 2013 and was written by Rebecca Addelman and directed by Fred Goss. 

Here’s a quick recap of the episode:

Schmidt finds a parking spot in the apartment building and he, Nick, and Jess fight over who deserves it. Winston also meets up with Daisy to have sex but dramatically does not have a condom. 

We discuss Pop Culture References such as:

• Memory (from Cats) - Jess mentioned she was going to distract the cats on her car by throwing fish sticks at them and singing the song Memory from the Broadway musical Cats. 
• Scott Caan - Schmidt stated the quote, “Destiny might be a lady, but victory has a penis,” which he attributed to Scott Caan. This is not a quote he is known to have said.

We also cover the moment where Schmidt finds out that Nick and Jess were together as our “Schmidtism”. For our “Not in the 2020s” we cover the no nail oath and how Daisy expected Winston to have a condom and didn’t take any ownership. Our “Yes in the 2020s” include the way Winston wanting to sleep with Daisy was something he could be open about and not have any shame around. We also discuss Steve Agee (Outside Dave) and E.J. Callahan (Old Man Driver), the Guest Stars we feature in this episode.

Also in this episode were the following guest stars who we do not discuss in the podcast: Brenda Song (Daisy), Satya Bhabha (Shivrang), Kevin Linehan (Male Cashier), and Happy Mahaney (Condom Guy).

We also discuss this article (which contains spoilers) where we learned how this episode was rewritten from the beginning to the end and how this might be one of Elizabeth Merriweather’s favorite episodes from Season 2.

While not discussed in the podcast, we noted other references in this episode including:

• Constitution of America - When Jess suggests sharing the parking spot, Schmidt counters by referencing the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law delineating the 3 branches of government. It was created in 1787 and has been in effect since 1789 with 27 amendments since.
• United Nations - As Schmidt is berating Jess he mentions that competition and sex is why the United Nations were formed. The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization that was established after World War II to maintain peace and security.
• Barack Obama - As Nick is listing the other dumb things he’s done like kissing Jess, he mentions how he had been mispronouncing Barack Obama’s name. Barack Obama was the 44th President of the United States of America, elected in 2008. He was the President in office at the time of this episode’s airing.
• Purple Nurple - After Jess convinces Nick to give her the parking spot, she twists his nipples and yells out “Purple Nurple”. This is a slang term referring to the act of pinching a person’s nipple between the thumb and forefinger.
• BlackBerry - When Schmidt is reading the no nail oath, he pulls out his BlackBerry phone. The first BlackBerry phone came out in 1999 and was the first to allow its users to have email on their phone. While in 2021 there are still some BlackBerry branded phones, the company announced that they would stop making phones of their own in 2016.

This episode got a 7/10 Rating from both Kritika and Kelly; Kritika’s favorite character was Nick and Kelly’s favorite was Schmidt.

Thanks for listening and stay tuned for Episode 18!

Music: "Hotshot” by scottholmesmusic.com

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

Website: https://smallscreenchatter.com/

This podcast covers New Girl Season 2, Episode 16, Table 34, which originally aired on February 5, 2013 and was written by David Iserson and directed by Tristram Shapeero. 

Here’s a quick recap of the episode:

After Jess and Nick kissed in the last episode, both of them are feeling awkward and we get to watch them deal with the aftermath. Meanwhile, Cece goes to an Indian singles event for those looking to get married and Schmidt goes as well to win her over.

We discuss Pop Culture References such as:

• Gone With the Wind / Scarlet O’Hara - When Jess was describing the kiss with Nick to Cece she said it was as if she was like Scarlet O’Hara in one of her curtain dresses; Scarlet O’Hara was a character from Gone With the Wind.

Additional Pop Culture References such as:

• Big - When Schmidt gets dressed up to go to the marriage convention, Winston says that he looks like the fortune teller from the movie Big. Big is a 1988 American movie starring Tom Hanks about a teenage boy who, after he wished he was older by a fortune teller arcade game, woke up the next day to be in the body of an adult.
• The Love Guru - When Schmidt shows up at the marriage convention, Cece says that he looks like a character from the movie The Love Guru. This is a 2008 American comedy movie starring and written by Mike Meyers about an American who was raised by gurus and who tries to break into the self-help industry.
• Lil Wayne - Cece justifies that she has more accomplishments by mentioning that she was in Lil Wayne’s last music video. Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, record executive, and entrepreneur who began his career at age 12.
• During speed dating, Schmidt calls the man Cece is talking to M. Night Shyamalan and tells him that he has a twist ending: “to shut up”. The man then responds by calling him Ben Affleck and telling Schmidt that he’s not desperate.
  • M. Night Shyamalan / Twist Ending - Manoj Nelliyattu "M. Night" Shyamalan is an Indian American filmmaker and actor. He is known for making original films with contemporary supernatural plots and twist endings.
  • Ben Affleck - Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter.
• Kal Penn - In his speech to highlight Cece, Schmidt mentions that Kal Penn is a genius. Kalpen Suresh Modi, known as Kal Penn, is an American actor and former White House  Principal Associate Director in the Office of Public Engagement during the Barack Obama administration.
• Taylor Swift - Jess wanted to listen to Taylor Swift alone after Sam broke up with her at the convention. Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter, who is often inspired by her personal experiences, in her song writing. She is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with over 200 million records sold worldwide and she has won 11 Grammy Awards.
• Magic Carpet - In the final scene, Schmidt says to Cece that they’re “taking a ride on the magic carpet”. A magic carpet, also called a flying carpet, is a legendary carpet typically used as a form of transportation in fantasy fiction and can quickly or instantaneously carry its users to their destination.
• Moonwalk / Shamone - When Nick is moonwalking away from Jess, he says “Shamone”. The moonwalk is a dance move where one is gliding backwards while leaning forward which became popular during Michael Jacksons’ performance of “Billie Jean”. “Shamone” is a common phrase in Michael Jackson’s songs as a way of saying “come on” as a tribute to soul singer Mavis Staples.

We also cover how Schmidt learned some Hindi phrases as our “Schmidtism” this episode. For our “not in the 2020s” we discuss how Schmidt and the show reduce Cece to a sex object rather than her own person and Anu’s treatment of Winston. However, Winston’s response and Schmidt putting aside his selfishness for Cece (before he messes this up) are some of our “yes in the 2020s” moments. We also explore the careers of Kristian Kordula (Male Model) and Lara Shah (Indian Single), the guest stars we feature in this episode.

Also in this episode were the following guest stars who we do not discuss in the podcast: David Walton (Sam - discussed on S2E3), Meera Simhan (Anu), Andy Gala (Rajiv), Prince Shah (Indian Man), Upasana Beharee (Indian Woman), Swati Panat (Indian Woman), Eric Newham (Freddy), Akash Saini (Indian Man), Lavrenti Lopes (Indian Guy), Kody Kavitha (Indian Single), and M. Hasna M. (Sri Lankan Single - also in S2E15).

We also read this interview with the New Girl showrunners where they discussed how this episode had to be rewritten after the kiss in Cooler (the last episode) and how the idea of the marriage convention came from Hannah Simone. The interview also shares how Kobe Bryant showed up to watch the filming of this episode and some of his favorite jokes.

This episode got a 7.5/10 Rating from Kritika whose favorite character was Cece and Kelly rated this episode a 9/10 and her favorite character was Nick!

Thanks for listening and stay tuned for Episode 17!

Music: "Hotshot” by scottholmesmusic.com

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

Website: https://smallscreenchatter.com/

This podcast covers New Girl Season 2, Episode 15, Cooler, which originally aired on January 29, 2013 and was written by Rebecca Addelman and directed by Max Winkler. 

Here’s a quick recap of the episode:

The guys determine they’re all ready to have sex again and have a night out togther. However, Jess gets paranoid while she’s home alone, and makes the guys come home early. She tries to show them she’s not a “cooler” so they play their second on-screen game of True American, which leads to an exciting predicament for Jess and Nick shippers… 

We discuss Pop Culture References such as:

• Abu Nazir (Homeland) - During the game of True American, Schmidt calls out “Abu Nazir” who is a fictional character from the TV Show Homeland.
• Inspector Gadget - When trying to get Nick to kiss Jess, they encourage him to inspect her tonsils like Inspector Gadget.

Additional Pop Culture References such as:

• Band of Brothers - When they guys see Holly at the bar, they confirm they’re like the group from Band of Brothers. Band of Brothers is a dramatized account of "Easy Company", assigned to the United States Army's 101st Airborne Division during World War II.
• Gang related / Crips - Jess heard the sounds at the door and was worried it was gang related. She was also concerned about her blue curtains and whispered “Crips” when on the phone with Nick. The Crips are a gang based in the coastal regions of southern California whose members traditionally wear blue clothing.
• “I am not a crook” - During the True American game the loft calls out “I am not a crook”. Amid charges for the Watergate scandal, President Richard Nixon infamously said, "I am not a crook" during a press conference in Orlando, Florida.

We also cover Schmidt’s dismissal of Shivrang’s “English” accent as our “Schmidtism” this episode as well as give Schmidt’s dancing an honorary Schmidtism. In our “not in the 2020s” section we talk about how Schmidt makes light of Nick being sad. We also discuss how Cece “lying” for Schmidt so he can move on is a “yes in the 2020s” moment as well as how comfortable Sam was in his relationship with Jess. We also explore the careers of Brooklyn Decker (Holly), Sal Stowers (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Girl), and Andree Vermeulen (Beth), the guest stars of this episode.

Also in this episode were the following guest stars who we do not discuss in the podcast: David Walton (Sam - discussed on S2E3), M. Hasna M. (a movie-goer), Jocelyn Osorio (Andrea), Katie Wee (Palm Reading Girl), Brenda Song (Daisy), and Satya Bhabha (Shivrang).

Additionally in the podcast we discuss how the beer that the loft is drinking is Heisler beer and mention a few other shows that also use this fake beer brand. We had also previously included links to find “instructions” on how to play True American on S1E20’s show notes which can be found here.

While not discussed in the podcast, we noted other references in this episode including:

• London Fog - Schmidt refers to Nick as London Fog, telling him he’s “hot to trot”. London Fog is an American coat manufacturer known for making trench coats, raincoats, jackets, and parkas. London Fog was also a nightclub in the 1960 in Los Angeles and is a hot tea-based drink including Earl Grey tea, milk, and vanilla syrup.
• 401(k) - When Nick is trying to convince Holly that Schmidt is happy he mentions that he has a 401(k) which is an employer-sponsored pension plan where employees can deposit into their retirement funds directly from their paycheck and is sometimes matched by their employers. There are two main kinds including an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and tax exempt or EET.
• Throughout the game of True American, there were many historical and political references such as:
  • Clinton - Bill Clinton was a former US president who was impeached after lying to a grand jury about his affair with Monica Lewinsky, who was at the time a White House intern.
  • Joe Biden - Joseph Biden Jr. was born in 1942 and was elected the 46th President of the United States in 2021. Prior to his time as President he was also the Vice President of the United States and the Delaware Senator for 36 years, being sworn in just after he turned 30.
  • Howard Dean Scream - Howard Dean is a retired American politician who was the Governor of Vermont from 1991 to 2003 and is also a physician, author, and lobbyist. When he was a Presidential Candidate in 2004, he lost the Iowa Caucus to John Kerry and while reassuring his supporters listed out the states he would win and screamed “Yeah!” which became popularly known after it was broadcasted over 600 times in the next 4 days.
  • Hawley-Smoot Tariff - This is a United States tariff in 1930 that was passed to help American farmers by raising taxes on imports by up to 20%. The stock market did not react favorably to its passage and the timing coincides with the start of the Great Depression as the tariff raised prices that led to other countries having retaliatory tariffs on US goods as well.
  • Mulligan - This is a golf term that means the second attempt after the first one didn’t work. The earliest known use of the term is from 1931 in a daily newspaper in Detroit and most believe that the term came from a golfer with the last name Mulligan.
  • Iron Curtain - This is the political and military barrier that the Soviet Union created after World War II to keep itself from the Western and non communist countries. Although it had been used sparingly since the 19th century, Winston Churchill, the British prime minister, used the term in a speech in 1946 which solidified the usage of the term.
  • “Amber Waves of Grain” - This is a lyric from an American patriotic song called “America the Beautiful”  which refers to fields in the plains area where wheat (which is golden in color) is grown. The song was written by Katharine Lee Bates in 1893 and was set to music and officially titled “America the Beautiful” in 1910.
  • Mason-Dixon Line - This was a line separating the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia which also was seen as the border between the North and the South during the American Civil War. It originated when Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon surveyed the land in the 1760s to solve a border dispute which had been going on for almost a century.
  • Gettysburg - This was a battle during the American Civil War fought in July 1863 which is described as the war’s turning point and involved the largest number of casualties in one battle in the entire war. It is also the location where President Lincoln gave his famous speech, the Gettysburg Address.
  • Bull Run - This battle was the first major battle of the American Civil War in July 1861. This battle caused both sides to realize that this war was going to be much longer and bloodier than anticipated and highlighted many of the problems that were typical during the first year of the American Civil War.

This episode got a 10/10 Rating from both Kritika and Kelly and we both had the same favorite character: Nick!

Thanks for listening and stay tuned for Episode 16!

Music: "Hotshot” by scottholmesmusic.com

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

Website: https://smallscreenchatter.com/

This podcast covers New Girl Season 2, Episode 14, Pepperwood, which originally aired on January 22, 2013 and was written by Nick Adams and directed by Lynn Shelton. 

Here’s a quick recap of the episode:

Nick is worried for Jess after he reads a student’s story while Winston finds out about his “Pogo” which prompts Schmidt and the rest of the loftmates to obsessively want to know what their pogo is as well.

We discuss Pop Culture References such as:

• “I’m So Excited” - Jess’ cell phone ringtone throughout the episode is the song “I’m So Excited” by The Pointer Sisters.
• Audrey Hepburn - Jess thinks Schmidt looks like Audrey Hepburn after he removed part of his eyebrows.

Additional Pop Culture References such as:

• (Chicago) Bears - Once, Winston’s penis accidentally changed the channel while the loft was watching the Bears game. The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago in the National Football League (NFL). The Bears have won nine NFL Championships, including one Super Bowl, and have also recorded more victories than any other NFL franchise.
• The Cranberries - When Jess was trying to convince Edgar she wasn’t scared, she imitated singing in the style of Dolores O’Riordan from the band The Cranberries. The Cranberries were an Irish rock band formed in Limerick, Ireland and ranked as one of the best-selling alternative acts of the 1990s. Dolores O'Riordan had one of the most recognizable voices in rock and was known for her signature yodel.

Instead of a single “Schmidtism” we share our favorite one-liners like how obsessed Schmidt is with his pogo and give an honorary mention to him dancing like a sea snake. For our “not in the 2020s” we discuss how Cece’s personality is reduced to just her looks and for our “yes in the 2020s” we note how we like the loft’s pogo for Nick is their concern for him. We also explore how Nick protecting Jess is partially in the not and the yes in the 2020s. We also give a brief look into Nate Corddry (Edgar), the guest star we feature in this episode.

Also in this episode were the following guest stars who we do not discuss in the podcast: Marcelo Tubert (Martin), Matthew McCray (Benjamin), Yimmy Yim (Susie), and Marcia Ann Burrs (Old Woman / Edgars mom/partner).

Additionally in the podcast, we discuss how while there isn’t a book about a detective that solves zombie murders, there is a detective show and comic about a zombie solving murders: iZombie. We also mention how Julius Peppers is a defensive end for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL who played for the Chicago Bears from 2010 - 2013 which is likely the inspiration for Julius Pepperwood. Additionally, we mention how the student’s name Edgar is a reference to Edgar Allan Poe.

While not discussed in the podcast, we noted other references in this episode including:

• Jalopy - The loft said that Winston farts a little as he runs and they say he sounds like a jalopy. A jalopy is also known as a decrepit car that is often old and damaged and is in a barely functional state. Other slang terms used to describe such cars are terms like beater, clunker, hooptie, and banger.
• Palatino - When Nick is trying to avoid reading Edgar’s story, he mocks the font and says that [Edgar] should have at least used Palatino. This is an old-style serif font that was designed by Hermann Zapf and released in 1949. It was named after an Italian calligrapher and is based on the humanist types of the Italian Renaissance. While most Renaissance typefaces have delicate proportions, Palatino has larger proportions that increase legibility. It was a font intended for use for headings and advertisements to be able to be read at a distance or printed at small sizes.
• Google - Nick tries to investigate Edgar after reading his story and begins by “google[ing] his name”. While this is a reference to Google, due to the popularity of the search engine, this proper noun has also become a transitive verb indicating the act of searching for something on the internet using Google. The first recorded usage was by the co-founder Larry Page in 1998 and the word was added to the Oxford English Dictionary and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary in 2006.
• Shish kebab [Shish-kabobed] - When Winston is apologizing to Schmidt, Schmidt mentions that Winston “basically shish-kabobed her”. A shish kebab is a meal in which there are skewers with grilled cubes of meat popular in Mediterranean cuisines. In English, the word kebab stands for shish kebab but outside of North America, there is a need to be more specific. The dish is traditionally made with lamb but can be made with various meats, poultry or fish.

This episode got an 8/10 Rating from Kritika and a 7.5/10 from Kelly and we both had the same favorite character: Nick!

Thanks for listening and stay tuned for Episode 15!

Music: "Hotshot” by scottholmesmusic.com

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

Website: https://smallscreenchatter.com/

This podcast covers New Girl Season 2, Episode 13, A Father’s Love, which originally aired on January 15, 2013 and was directed by Jake Kasdan and written by Berkley Johnson and Josh Malmuth.

Here’s a quick recap of the episode:

Nick is surprised when his father shows up for an unexpected visit and Jess finds out that he’s a con man when hilarity ensues at a horse race track. Meanwhile, Schmidt runs into Robby and both try to win Cece back. 

We discuss Pop Culture References such as:

• Kalinka - When Nick and his dad were being confronted by the Russian horse dealers, the Russians started singing the Russian folk tune, Kalinka.
• Sugar Ray [Leonard] / Sugar Ray [Robinson] - The con Nick did as a kid was called the Sugar Ray, where he would pretend to be a diabetic kid.

Additional Pop Culture References such as:

• Chicago Bulls (“Chica Go Bills”) - The hats Walt tried to get Nick and Winston to sell as kids didn’t say “Chicago Bulls”, but instead said “Chica Go Bills”. The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division.
• The Music Man - Professor Harold Hill from The Music Man used the scheme of "Fake trombones for a fake band" like Jess references when she learns that Walt is a con man. The Music Man is a 1962 American musical film based on Meredith Willson's 1957 Broadway musical of the same name. The premise is that Harold Hill poses as a boys' band leader to con naïve Iowa townsfolk.
• Uncle Buck - When Jess is trying to sell the horse, she exclaims, “Damn it, Uncle Buck! This horse will never race again.” Uncle Buck is a 1989 American comedy film written and directed by John Hughes and starred John Candy as Uncle Buck, a bachelor and all-around-slob who babysits his brother's rebellious teenage daughter and her younger brother and sister.
• When Schmidt is bummed he never got Cece to wear a sari for sexual reasons, he spoofed a few movie scenarios in his head:
  • Monsoon Wedding - Monsoon Wedding is a 2001 Indian comedy-drama film that depicts romantic entanglements during a traditional Punjabi Hindu wedding in Delhi. Although it is set entirely in New Delhi, the film was an international co-production between companies in India, the United States, Italy, France, and Germany.
  • Slumdog Millionaire - Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British drama film that is a loose adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author Vikas Swarup, telling the story of 18-year-old Jamal Malik from the Juhu slums of Mumbai reflecting on his life after being accused of cheating on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?".
  • The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a 2011 British comedy-drama film based on the novel These Foolish Things by Deborah Moggach, and features a group of British pensioners moving to a retirement hotel in India, run by a young and eager man.
• Hilary Swank - Jess says Nick seems like Hilary Swank mixed with a wet dog when he was nervous about lying. Hilary Ann Swank is an American actress and film producer. She began acting in 1992 and came to international recognition in the early 2000s for her performances as Brandon Teena, a trans man, in Kimberly Peirce's Boys Don't Cry, and as Maggie Fitzgerald, an aspiring boxer, in Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby.
• When Schmidt and Robby were brainstorming a plan to get Cece back they referenced:
  • Ocean's Twelve / Brad Pitt - Ocean's Twelve is an American heist comedy film and is the second installment of the Ocean's franchise. William Bradley [Brad] Pitt is an American actor and film producer who received multiple accolades including: two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award for his acting, and another Academy Award, another Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award as a producer.
  • Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a 1969 American Western film based loosely on fact, telling the story of Wild West outlaws Robert LeRoy Parker, known as Butch Cassidy, and his partner Harry Longabaugh, the "Sundance Kid" who are two con men on the run. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was selected by the American Film Institute as the 7th-greatest Western of all time in 2008.

We also cover Robby and Schmidt’s conversation about elephants as our “Schmidtism” this episode. For our “not in the 2020s” we discuss Schmidt and Robby crashing Cece’s house, how they exclaimed ‘white guy power’, and their lack of sensitivity for others’ cultures. Our “yes in the 2020s” covers Schmidt and Robby’s friendship. We also give a brief look into Dennis Farina (Walt), Stone Eisenmann (Young Nick), and Jordan Fuller (Young Winston), the guest stars of this episode.

Also in this episode were the following guest stars who we do not discuss in the podcast: Nelson Franklin (Robby - Previously discussed in S2E1), Pasha D. Lychnikoff (Buyer #1), Ivo Nandi (Buyer #2), Nick Vallelonga (Owner), Cris D'Annunzio (Dusty), Mona Sishodia (Pavun’s aunt), Juliocesar Chavez (Kid), Sunit Gupta (Pavun’s Father), Thushari Jayasekera (Pavun’s cousin), and Andy Kimbel (Race Fan).

We also discuss how the character Pavun Shetty is played by himself and he was a producer on New Girl, how Nick’s room has a picture of Jimmy Croche in it, and how the glass of orange juice that Schmidt knocks over while stalking Cece is upright when he talks to Robby later.

While not discussed in the podcast, we noted other references in this episode including:

• (Vice President) Joe Biden - In this episode, Nick mentions that one of the people he’d want to be unpredictable is Vice President Joe Biden. Joseph Biden Jr. was born in 1942 and served as the 47th Vice President of the United States from 2009 to 2017 under President Barack Obama. He was also elected the 46th President of the United States in 2021. Prior to his time as a Vice President he was also the Delaware Senator for 36 years, being sworn in just after he turned 30.
• Sari - When Cece is meeting with Pavun’s family, she’s wearing a sari which makes Schmidt upset. A sari is an article of clothing, traditionally from the Indian subcontinent that is wrapped around the waist with one end around the shoulder. There are many styles of wearing the sari and most are worn with a blouse and an under-skirt called a petticoat.
• Throughout the episode Schmidt and Robby circled through multiple ideas on how to get Cece back including the following:
  • Trojan horse - This is a reference to the wooden horse used by the Greeks to enter Troy and win the Trojan War by sneaking inside and destroying the city. Since, it has metaphorically been used to mean any trick that invites the target to invite their enemy into a secure location that they are in.
  • Buying a Star - Although there are a number of registries that allow you to buy and name a star which results in a certificate with the star’s name, no astronomer or observatory will refer to the star by the name you purchased as this is more of a novelty gift.
  • United States Navy Ball - The “Naval Officers' Ball” that Robby mentioned is an annual celebratory ball recognizing the birthday of the United States Navy, which was signed into order on October 13, 1775. During the Ball, there is also a keynote speech, dinner and desserts, a cake cutting ceremony, official toasts from high level officers, and even musical performances.

This episode got a 7.5/10 Rating from Kritika whose favorite character was Nick and Kelly rated this episode a 7.5/10 and her favorite character was Jess!

Thanks for listening and stay tuned for Episode 14!

Music: "Hotshot” by scottholmesmusic.com

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

Website: https://smallscreenchatter.com/

This podcast covers New Girl Season 2, Episode 12, Cabin, which originally aired on January 8, 2013 and was written by J.J. Philbin and directed by Alec Berg. 

Here’s a quick recap of the episode:

Jess persuades Nick and Angie to join her and Sam at his boss’s cabin for a weekend away while Schmidt tries to help Winston get back to his “roots” as a Black man.

We discuss Pop Culture References such as:

• Absinthe - Absinthe is the alcoholic beverage Jess, Sam, Nick, and Angie all drink while they’re at the cabin.
• The Smurfs - Schmidt tells Winston he has the body of a Smurf when confirming he was in better shape than Winston.

Additional Pop Culture References such as:

• Jackie O - Jess says Nick looks like Jackie O when he shows up at the cabin with large sunglasses. Jackie O is a nickname reference for Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who was an American socialite, book editor, writer, and photographer who became First Lady of the United States as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. As first lady, her popularity was due to her dedication to the historic preservation of the White House and devotion to protecting her children. During her lifetime, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was regarded as an international fashion icon as was specifically known for her large round sunglasses.
• Pixar - Schmidt says Winston was like Pixar when talking to other Black people at the bar. Pixar Animation Studios, commonly known as Pixar, is an American computer animation studio known for its critically and commercially successful feature films that typically center around uplifting, life lesson stories.

We cover Schmidt and Winston going to find crack as our “Schmidtism” this episode. For our “not in the 2020s” we discussed the way Schmidt approached trying to be “the Black friend [Winston] never had” and our “yes in the 2020s” included Schmidt wanting to create an open environment to have a frank discussion about race and how Nick shared his true feelings about his relationship with Angie. We also give a quick look into Javier Calderon (Robert), the Guest Star we feature in this episode.

Also in this episode were the following guest stars who we do not discuss in the podcast: David Walton (Sam - discussed on S2E3) and Olivia Munn (Angie - discussed on S2E10).

Additionally in the podcast, we discussed the term “jimmies” (which Schmidt used in this episode) and its etymology as well as how Jake Johnson later acted in Drinking Buddies where the couples go to a cabin and do swap partners. We also mentioned how the cabin used in this episode was also used in an episode of The Office in Season 8.

While not discussed in the podcast, we noted other references in this episode including:

• Chanting USA - In this episode, Nick begins chanting “USA'' when he and Angie show up at their free cabin for the weekend. This is a popular chant in the United States to express U.S. pride and support national sports teams. The first documented usage of this chant was in a steel plant in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
• Jazz - When Schmidt is comparing the contributions of Winston and his ancestors to the United States, he mentions jazz. Jazz is a musical genre originated in African-American communities in New Orleans, Louisiana with roots in blues and ragtime music as well as West African cultural musical expressions and African-American music traditions.

This episode got an 8/10 rating from Kritika whose favorite character was Schmidt and Kelly rated this episode an 8.5/10 and her favorite character was Jess!

Thanks for listening and stay tuned for Episode 13!

Music: "Hotshot” by scottholmesmusic.com

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

Website: https://smallscreenchatter.com/