Over three years of watching, writing about and being frequently confounded by New Girl, I've come to realize that the show's only consistent trait is inconsistency.

Each time I've been ready to bury it as an irrelevant mess that's confused by its own characters, it pops back up, lively and funny and full of weird jokes about ham. It's basically the sitcomedic Dracula (if Dracula made jokes about ham).

Watch New Girl Season 3 Episode 22 Online

New Girl Season 3 Episode 22 further proved this rule, following on the heels of the schticky mess of New Girl Season 3 Episode 21, which had left me ready to finally write the show off.

But this half hour was quite possibly New Girl Season 3's crown jewel, a reminder of everything that can be great about this show.

Like the way it mixes and mashes razor-sharp New Girl quotes with smart physical gags and lovably dumb emotional lessons, blending up a comedy that (like Friends before it) captures a very exaggerated version of what it's like to be a young-ish person in a particular era, in a kinda timeless way.

New Girl has approached the issue of changing with age in the past, and milked some great jokes out of it then, too.

But this outing spun the awkwardness of a middle school dance into a commentary on the never-ending awkwardness of life so adeptly, I would almost say that it stands besides New Girl Season 2 gems like New Girl Season 2 Episode 14 in the pantheon of the show's greatest episodes.

I say "almost" because the only thing keeping it from total perfection was the dreadful ending rap sequence.

I understand it's an homage to the cheesy early '90s comedies from which the show often draws wry inspiration, but I'm not gonna lie to you guys: it made me physically uncomfortable.

Like "watching Curb Your Enthusiasm with your conservative grandparents"-level uncomfortable.

Oh, New Girl. We were so close. Didn't we almost have it all? And then you had to throw it all away by having Cece beatbox.

Have you made peace with New Girl's free-wheeling lack of consistency? Did you like that awkward rap anyway, because of Schmidt's pretty funny joke about teal? And most importantly:

Do you believe that middle schoolers would actually go along with watching their teacher and her friends rap?

I remember my first middle school dance as if it was yesterday.

I was so shy, and the music was so loud, and Winston Bishop was there, and Schmidt was rapping about teal--

Wait, what? That's not a memory of one of the most powerful and defining moments of my early adolescence, it was just New Girl Season 3 Episode 22?

Guys, I know we like to have fun around here, but this is freaking me out. You sit tight and watch New Girl online, while I figure out which of my other childhood memories are actually just episodes of New Girl.

Because now that you mention it, that precious memory of my trip to the aquarium did have a few commercial breaks in it...

Watch New Girl Season 3 Episode 22 Online

Expect plenty more gym clothing on New Girl Season 4.

Fox has confirmed that Damon Wayans Jr. has been promoted to series regular for the fall on this hit sitcom.

Listing as a recurring player for the past few months, Wayans reprised the role of Coach on New Girl Season 3 after he was available due to the cancelation of Happy Endings on ABC.

In March, Fox announced renewals for New Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Following and The Mindy Project.

New Girl airs its season finale tonight at 9/8c.

Neither overwhelmingly great nor underwhelming and weak, New Girl Season 3 Episode 23 was simply whelming:

A perfectly so-so, enjoyable-enough cap to a wildly uneven year.

Watch New Girl Season 3 Episode 23 Online

Where will the Loft Gang be heading next? Their futures, both individually and as a unit, seem shaky at best - unlike most season finales, this one didn't give any hints at the challenges that await the show's characters next season (unless they all become internet celebrities based on their cruise lock-in).

Rather than providing any sense of closure for the season, this half hour seemed to simply be heaving a sigh of relief for the show, and its exhausted plot, like a child on the last day of school.

Lacking any clear directives for the season ahead, the real purpose of the New Girl Season 3 finale seems to be to set up the still-remaining sexual and romantic tension between Nick and Jess - tension that flopped all over the place in this last quarter- season.

The drunken kiss on the cruise, even as it was followed by the gang's awkward plan for making things between the two less awkward, leaves the door open for ongoing steps towards a reunion.

So, yes...a show that I had originally praised for not Ross-and-Racheli-ing us, and simply letting the show's primary couple be happy together, is now Ross-and-Rachel-ing us.

Can you actually maintain a long-running romantic comedy sitcom about a kooky young couple who are simply in love? We'll have to find out from some other show (don't say Dharma and Greg, guys).

But still, Nick and Jess's fate is more encouraging than Schmidt and Cece's.

At this time a year ago, Cece was calling off her wedding for Schmidt, and now he's maturely backing off because he thinks she might have a real future with her 20-year-old Australian paramour?

That's not only inconsistent with the established character behavior of these two, it's simply boring to watch.

I've long thought that Schmidt and Cece - a more realistic couple than Nick and Jess ever were, one beset by numerous, possibly endless ACTUAL problems - are the most interesting couple in the New Girl-iverse.

And given the lack of focus given to the relationship this season, I do have to wonder if this is the end of the line for this messy, immature, and very realistic twosome.

Which would seem to point to the show's own Jess-like aversion to real conflict, and fixation on emotional tidiness.

Schmidt and Cece are a sloppy, disturbed emotional mess, the kind of mess that usually makes for the most compelling TV-watching.

But this season, there was no room for them, or their kind of sloppiness, on New Girl.

The show's emotional landscape is as crisp as one of Jess's outfits, with no room for the slouchy, wrinkly parts of relationships that make for the best comedy.

Will New Girl Season 4 restore the show to its former glory? Will next season's crop of New Girl quotes reach more consistent heights? Will the gang be forced to open up a diner together and/ or join forces to solve mysteries? Will Jess finally let one of her dresses get one, teeny, tiny wrinkle in it?

Folks, I've been watching this show long enough to say that the only thing I know about the future of New Girl, is that I have no idea about the future of New Girl.

(Except it's definitely a "no" on the wrinkle thing.)

How would you grade New Girl Season 3?

Following last night's New Girl Season 3 finale, you may not see Max Greenfield as Schmidt again for a few more months.

But you can flip to TV Land tonight and see the actor on Hot in Cleveland, as Greenfield previewed his appearance on the long-running sitcom back during an interview with TV Fanatic in October.

What role does he play? Which of the women does his character sleep with? Just how much does Greenfield adore Wendie Malick, Jane Leeves and Valerie Bertinelli?

Watch the star gush over the cast and explain the duplicitous motives of his grifter now:

Max Greenfield Talks Hot in Cleveland Appearance

What sort of shenanigans can you expect from Greenfield on the episode? Check out a pair of clips here: 

• Max Greenfield on Hot in Cleveland
• Hot in Cleveland Clip - Max Greenfield in a Cage

What a season we've had, right, guys?

The breaking up for no reason, the lying, the whole thing with Jess's sister...New Girl Season 3 represented a very real move away from the show's past focus on kooky hi-jinx, into more substantive and/ or depressing adult problems.

Well, if all those realistic problems this season had you down, you're in luck - because on New Girl Season 3 Episode 23, the gang get up to some capering on a cruise ship, in classic TGIF-style.

Of course, the Loft Gang still has more personal, professional, and real estate problems than any character on any TGIF show ever did.

Will they forget about them on the high seas? Almost definitely not.

But watch New Girl online to make sure (and to check out Jess's adorable outfits in this episode, which are all from the Zooey Deschanel/ Tommy Hilfiger collection -- ooh la la!).

(Wait, do I have to say "ahoy" or something instead of "ooh la la"  because the episode is set on a boat? Is there an arm of maritime law that covers this?)

Watch New Girl Season 3 Episode 23 Online

FOX has come out with a fall schedule that takes fans into Gotham... shifts Bones around once again... and delays the final season of Glee until midseason.

Also of note: Brooklyn Nine-Nine and new sitcom Mulaney will make it so animation is no longer the domination of Sunday nights.

Scroll down for the new schedule, with all times Eastern and new shows in CAPS:

Fox Fall Shows: What's New?

1. Gotham

Gotham tells the origin story of this famous city. It will follow detective Gordon and many familiar faces when they were young.

MONDAY
8 pm GOTHAM
9 pm Sleepy Hollow

TUESDAY
8 pm UTOPIA
9 pm New Girl
9:30 pm The Mindy Project

WEDNESDAY
8 pm Hell’s Kitchen
9 pm RED BAND SOCIETY

THURSDAY
8 pm Bones
9 pm GRACEPOINT

FRIDAY
8 pm Masterchef Junior
9 pm UTOPIA

SUNDAY
7:30 pm Bob’s Burgers
8 pm The Simpsons
8:30 pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine
9 pm Family Guy
9:30 pm MULANEY

NOTES:

• Midseason replacements include the Rainn Wilson-anchored Backstrom; animated comedy Bordertown; hip-hop drama Empire; action-adventure Hieroglyph; Will Forte sitcom The Last Man on Earth.
• American Idol, Glee and The Following will also debut in early 2015.
• Shows not returning include: Almost Human, Dads, Enlisted, Raising Hope, Rake, Surviving Jack and The X Factor.

It will soon be Utopia on Fox. A whole lot of Utopia.

The network has unveiled its fall premiere date calendar - and the 2014-2015 season will kick off with a special three night roll out that introduces viewers to this new reality show.

The schedule also includes the long-awaited, one-hour Family Guy/The Simpsons crossover event.

When will your favorite series return? Your most anticipated new show kick off? Find out now...

Fox Fall Shows: What's New?

1. Gotham

Gotham tells the origin story of this famous city. It will follow detective Gordon and many familiar faces when they were young.

Sunday, Sept. 7
8:00-10:00 PM UTOPIA (Series Premiere, Part One)

Tuesday, Sept. 9
8:00-9:00 PM UTOPIA (Series Premiere, Part Two / Time Period Premiere)

Wednesday, Sept. 10
8:00-10:00 PM HELL’S KITCHEN (Season 13 Premiere)

Friday, Sept. 12
8:00-9:00 PM UTOPIA (Series Premiere, Part Three / Time Period Premiere)

Tuesday, Sept. 16
8:00-9:00 PM UTOPIA (All-New)
9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL (Season Premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM THE MINDY PROJECT (Season Premiere)

Wednesday, Sept. 17
8:00-9:00 PM HELL’S KITCHEN (All-New / Time Period Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM RED BAND SOCIETY (Series Premiere)

Monday, Sept. 22
8:00-9:00 PM GOTHAM (Series Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM SLEEPY HOLLOW (Season Premiere)

Thursday, Sept. 25
8:00-9:00 PM BONES (Season Premiere)

Sunday, Sept. 28
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (Season Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM BROOKLYN NINE-NINE (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM FAMILY GUY (One-Hour “The Simpsons Guy” Season Premiere Crossover Event)

Thursday, Oct. 2
8:00-9:00 PM BONES (All-New)
9:00-10:00 PM GRACEPOINT (10-Part Mystery Event Series Premiere)

Sunday, Oct. 5                      
7:00-7:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (Encore)
7:30-8:00 PM BOB’S BURGERS (Season Premiere)
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (All-New)
8:30-9:00 PM BROOKLYN NINE-NINE (All-New)
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY (All-New)
9:30-10:00 PM MULANEY (Series Premiere)

Friday, Nov. 7
8:00-9:00 PM MASTERCHEF JUNIOR (Season Premiere)

Jessica Biel is making her return to television.

The former 7th Heaven star will guest star on the New Girl Season 4 premiere as competition for Jess. 

On the September 16 opener, Jess, Nick and company will attend the final wedding of the summer and make a wager to see which of them can get lucky with a guest.

Look for Jess to set her sights on an cute guy (who has not yet been cast)… only to end up vying for his affections with a gorgeous scientist portrayed by Mrs. Justin Timberlake.

Biel has not appeared on television since starring as Mary Camden on the aforementioned drama from 1996-2006.

NOTE: need to catch up prior to the September 16 premiere? You can always watch New Girl online.

Reid Scott is about to be one lucky man.

The Veep star will appear on the New Girl Season 4 premiere as Ted, a charming wedding guest at the nuptials that will serve as the backdrop for this sitcom's September opener.

And he'll be the object of affection for both Jess (Zooey Deschanel) and Kat (guest star Jessica Biel).

Any chance we can snag an invite to this wedding?

As previously announced, Biel is on board as a gorgeous scientist who winds up competing with Jess when the leading lady and the rest of the gang challenge each other to get lucky at the final wedding of the summer season.

New Girl Season 4 kicks off on September 16.

Kaitlin Olson is going from FXX to FOX.

The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star will recur on New Girl Season 4... as Jess' worst nightmare!

Look for Olson to appear as Ashley, Jess and Cece’s former high school nemesis who is now engaged to Jess’ father Bob (returning guest star Rob Reiner). Awkward!

Olson joins previously announced New Girl Season 4 guest stars Jessica Biel and Reid Scott (who will appear on the September 16 opener) and she will debut in Episode 3.

Need to catch up before then? You can always watch New Girl online.

Jessica Day is about to be very hot for teacher.

Entertainment Weekly reports that Julian Morris (Once Upon a Time, Pretty Little Liars) has landed a recurring role on New Girl Season 4.

He'll appear on multiple episodes as Ryan, a confident teacher who replaces Jess in the classroom after she makes the move to vice principal.

Look for Morris to debut in October and for Jess to take a keen romantic interest in his character.

"The complication is that she’s very much his boss,” executive producer Liz Meriwether says. “Jess is fighting her feelings for this teacher at work.”

New Girl returns with new episodes on September 16.

12 Characters That Make Us Want to Punch the TV

1. Laurel Lance

Consider us proud members of Team Felicity. Laurel is more often than not a (very pretty) thorn in Oliver's side.

Have you ever been in front of the TV and thought, "Another one?!" 

That's the nexus for this post. There has been a dramatic (and comedic) increase of Abbys over the past couple years. In this last season alone there were at least 13 Abby-themed characters on TV - not counting Downton!

What is an Abby? They're normally strong, feisty and - more often than your average bear - they're tasked with saving the world. Really.

The most popular shows are propagating Abbys and an upcoming spring series will deliver a proliferation of terrorizing (strong, yet not saving the world) Abbies to you if you let them. Confusing? Hell yeah! But who ever imagined a cornucopia of Abbies the likes of that we're experiencing now?

Flip through the photos and let us know if we've left out your favorite Abby or we've done them an injustice. It's your world!

13 TV Characters Named Abby

1. Abby Sciuto - NCIS

She's the most beloved character on television. Could her popularity have spawned the excitement over the name? There couldn't be a better Abby model. Life isn't always perfect, you know? But sometimes things would work out for the best if you just had faith."

Erinn Hayes is about to develop a crush on Coach.

According to TV Line, the Childrens Hospital star will appear on at least one episode of New Girl Season 4 as Ruth, the (kinda trashy) nurse at Jess’ middle school who engages in a fling with Coach.

Look for her to take issue with Jess as the Vice Principal, due to the "no fraternization” policy she must enforce as an administration member. 

This episode will also mark the debut of Julian Morris (Once Upon a Time) as a science teacher who may end up fraternizing himself with Ms. Jessica Day. Uh-oh!

New Girl Season 4 kicks off on September 16 with a wedding at which Jessica Biel and Reid Scott will act as guests.

13 TV Characters Named Abby

1. Abby Sciuto - NCIS

She's the most beloved character on television. Could her popularity have spawned the excitement over the name? There couldn't be a better Abby model. Life isn't always perfect, you know? But sometimes things would work out for the best if you just had faith."

Who's that girl? Who's that girl?

It's Jess... ica Biel!

As previously reported, the actress will guest star on New Girl Season 4 Episode 1, an opener titled "The Last Wedding" that will feature Jess Day going up against a wedding guest played by Jessica Biel, as both vie to go home with another wedding guest played by Reid Scott (Veep.)

Biel will play a gorgeous, genius, VERY self-confident scientist who will pose a challenge for Jess, as she's made a pact with her roommates to go home with someone after the last wedding of the summer.

Get your first look at Biel in this fun role here:

New Girl Season 4 kicks off on September 16.

Check out two more photos from the premiere below and go watch New Girl online if you need to catch up.

On New Girl Season 4 Episode 1, we join the group of friends as they go to their 11th wedding in a row. As the installment is titled “The Last Wedding,” we can guess they won’t be attending a 12th, right?

So, will chaos ensue?

Schmidt decides for everyone that they need to get laid, but of course he is still stuck on Cece. I really hope they don’t spend this season with Schmidt pining over Cece. We have already been there and done that and it is time to move on.

Watch New Girl Season 4 Episode 1 Online

Jess is encouraged by everyone to hit on the best man Ted (played by Reid Scott) but confident woman Kat (Jessica Biel) swoops in to try to win him too. Why must they always pit women against each other?

Thankfully, the writers make up for it by having both women come to their senses and neither one goes home with Ted. I can only hope that they put Jess in a confident relationship this season or have her embrace being single.

Cece shows up at the reception and we soon discover that she is now single. Yes, we can already see where this story is going. Unfortunately, Cece was more of a filler in this episode and didn't do much except set up a possible storyline for the future. The scene between her and Nick was a nice treat and I loved how he found out she was single.

Like Cece, Winston and Coach were poorly written for this episode. We found out that Winston is training in the police academy, so he is sore and basically doesn't want to do anything but rest.

Coach, on the other hand, has been sleeping his way through weddings and forgetting the women until they confront him in this episode. Nothing happened with these two and I can only hope the writers are planning something better for them in the future.

Arguably, the funniest plot was Schmidt and Nick hitting on the bridesmaids - but both guys were in for a surprise when the women want a foursome. Nick’s reactions were some of my favorites to watch (captured in our New Girl quotes section) and him running away each time actually got better and better somehow.

Who doesn't want to run away from uncomfortable situations? Of course the foursome didn't happen. Why? Because Schmidt realized Nick’s hands feel like hooves. I have to add that I love that they aren't making Jess and Nick uncomfortable around each other; the little heart to heart they had was adorable.

The episode ended on a more optimistic note for fans when the friends went home with each other and destroyed the previous wedding invitations. Focusing on the friendship between everyone is a step in the right direction since it’s the core of New Girl.

Overall, the episode was a nice season premiere and we should be optimistic about the upcoming antics. The shift that will include incorporating Coach and Winston more in the upcoming stories will certainly pay off.

So what did you think of the premiere? Are you excited about new possibilities?

If you miss the way things used to be, you can watch New Girl online via TV Fanatic!  

On New Girl season 4 episode 1, we are going to the final wedding of the season! 

Schmidt is determined to get everyone laid by the end of the night but things turn interesting for him and Nick.

Jess hits on the best man but is blocked by confidant woman Kat, who is a genius and watches 30 minutes of porn a night to stay up to date.

Meanwhile, Coach is getting his past indiscretions thrown right into his face when the women he previously slept with confront him in hilarious ways.

Poor Winston is sore from Police Academy training but offers some interesting advice to the friends (including a salt/pepper analogy that you won't forget).

Cece shows up at the wedding and we find out that she is single. Schmidt's response to this news is...interesting.  

Don't wait to see how this all unfolds! Watch New Girl online via TV Fanatic!

Watch New Girl Season 4 Episode 1 Online

Both the New Girl Season 4 premiere and The Mindy Project Season 3 premiere brought the sexy last night, with Jessica Biel showing off a nude photo on the former and Danny doing a striptease on the latter.

Unfortunately for Fox, they did not bring the ratings along with it.

New Girl returned to a mere 3.1 million viewers and a 1.6 rating among adults 18-49, down 45 percent from last year’s opener; while The Mindy Project Season 3 Episode 1 garnered 2.8 million viewers and a 1.3 rating, a drop of 32 percent.

These figures are on par with what the sitcoms were bringing in to close their previous seasons... but networks obviously expect a significant boost for premieres.

• Watch New Girl Season 4 Episode 1 Online
• Watch The Mindy Project Season 3 Episode 1 Online

Elsewhere on Tuesday night:

• Utopia (2.5 million, 1.0) didn't serve as a strong lead-in for these comedies.
• Big Brother (6.9 million, 2.3) was all-new on CBS, while America’s Got Talent (11.4 million, 2.5) topped the charts overall for NBC.

I've watched New Girl since the very beginning.

While it has frustrated me with the inconsistencies of the last couple seasons, I have stuck with it. After tonight's episode, I am just not sure if I can put on a fake smile anymore.

It's like that relationship that you're just not ready to give up on. You want to believe that maybe, just maybe, they will go back to the show that you once loved and laughed with. You want that quirky, season 1 comedy that it used to be.

New Girl Season 4 Episode 2 just left me confused about what this season is shaping up to be about and what is going to happen to the characters as well.

 

I understand that tonight's episode was supposed to be light hearted and fun but what -- are we just ignoring some of the bigger storylines?? Let's discover how Nick and Jess truly feel about the end of their relationship. It just feels that the writers just skirted over any type of resolution and have erased the first half of New Girl Season 3 from memory.

The saving grace of tonight's episode was definitely the pairing of Cece, Nick and Coach (partaking in some pot brownies) and Winston trying to fit in at the police academy. I do question, though, when a show starts doing "pot gags" have they run out of things to write about?

Jess going on a bunch of awkward dates thanks to the app, Dice, just seemed forced and I became uninterested in it. I usually enjoy seeing Schmidt and Jess paired together but this time is just was not that funny and it seemed really phoned in. It also seemed like the actors didn't put a lot of passion in this part of the story. 

I did have some hope when Jess finally got to have a date with Mr. Dreamy Eyes but was quickly disappointed when they made him an awkward date as well. 

The ending was awkward as well, you'd think that the writers would have gone with seeing the friends coming down from their high but they went with Jess's awkward date. While I get irritated with pot gags, it possibly could have saved the episode by adding in Schmidt encountering his strung out friends. 

It is just not encouraging to have what I call a "filler episode" so soon into the new season. 

New Girl, I just don't know what to do about you. I don't want to quit you but you just disappointed me tonight. I'm going to go get my Ben & Jerry's, curl up on my couch and watch New Girl Season 1 and think of how the way things used to be. 

What did you think of tonight's episode of New Girl? Do you think they have lost that spark they used to have? Did you want more closure on the Nick/Jess relationship?

Don't forget, if you want to remember the way things used to be, you can watch New Girl online via TV Fanatic!

Oh New Girl, you are toying with my emotions again!

You saw that I was ready to quit you with New Girl Season 4 Episode 2; I accepted the fact that we were both going in different directions and we needed to just part ways now, before it got too hard. Then you reeled me back in!

This week New Girl Season 4 Episode 3 came out of the gate with two solid stories that kept me laughing right up until that final, spongy end. It gave me an idea of what they want to accomplish this season.

Watch New Girl Season 4 Episode 3 Online

My only complaint about is the odd subplots. It seems as though the writers are really pushing two different stories within a 30-minute episode; I was left confused. There could have been some great scenes with Ashley, Jess's high school nemesis, and the guys. Come on -- a recovering sex addict and Schmidt? It's a story in itself!

The best scenes belong to the guys. Schmidt putting them in a focus group for sponges was inspiring. Putting the guys together is something that New Girl can consistently count on. Not only are they great with delivery, but the physical comedy is always spot on. Fingers crossed that next week Coach and Winston get a little bit more to do. 

That is not to say that Jess and Cece's plot was weak, but unfortunately this storyline has been done before. It was nice seeing Bob Day and the reaction to Ashley was spot on. Come on, we've all had that unfortunate run in with people we'd rather forget. The 'cumin' joke -- while juvenile -- was pretty funny. 

Congrats to the producers and writers for bringing back Schmidt's boss, Gina! Michaela Watkins is always a welcomed guest star on this and any other show. What can I say, I miss Trophy Wife and I need to get my Michaela fix somehow; this woman is hilarious!

Was I the only one a little confused by the ending? I wasn't sure if I was supposed to cringe or laugh; so I did both.  

New Girl, you seemed to have redeemed yourself. I'm still not completely happy, but tonight was a strong episode. It seemed like the actors were having fun, the writing was strong and the plots made sense. I'm going to feign ignorance and be optimistic for next week. 

What did you think of tonights episode of New Girl? How do you feel about the two very different storylines going on within the episode? What do you hope to see happen in the next episode?

Don't forget, you can always watch New Girl online via TV Fanatic if you've been left behind or need to catch up!

13 TV Characters Named Abby

1. Abby Sciuto - NCIS

She's the most beloved character on television. Could her popularity have spawned the excitement over the name? There couldn't be a better Abby model. Life isn't always perfect, you know? But sometimes things would work out for the best if you just had faith."