Our take
The show's first Christmas episode is uneven but has a lovely ending: a gang of friends standing in a dark street at 2am, bellowing until the lights come back on. The office party gives the supporting cast the best material, with Schmidt suffering as a shirtless Santa and Winston discovering a knack for children, while the break-up between Jess and Paul is handled a little abruptly. Watch it for the closing scene, set to a gentle festive song.
What happens
Jess is in full festive mode. She gives each of her roommates a pair of roller skates and Cece a fake moustache, but she is stumped over what to buy her boyfriend Paul and settles on a stuffed, anatomically correct heart. Paul gives her tickets to Vienna for a music festival, then tells her he loves her, and all she can say is thank you. The gang goes to Schmidt's office holiday party, where his boss Kim has him play a shirtless Sexy Santa. Cece arrives with her new boyfriend Kyle, yet she and Schmidt share a couple of sweet moments. Winston finds Elvin, the young son of Schmidt's other boss Gina, hiding under a desk, gets on brilliantly with him and ends the night with an offer to be his nanny. Jess asks Nick for advice about Paul, but Nick cannot keep a secret and lets Paul know she does not love him back, and the three of them get locked out on the balcony. The romance ends there. To make it up to her, Nick misses his flight home to Chicago and takes everyone to the most festive street in town at 2am, where they shout until the residents switch their Christmas lights back on.
Can the kids watch it?
Rated 12 on the UK DVD for moderate sex references, so best for 12 and over.
Cast and crew
Starring
- Zooey Deschanel as Jess
- Jake Johnson as Nick
- Max Greenfield as Schmidt
- Lamorne Morris as Winston
- Hannah Simone as Cece
Guest stars
- Justin Long as Paul Genzlinger
- Michaela Watkins as Gina
- Gillian Vigman as Kim
- Stephen Amell as Kyle
Writer
- Donick Cary
Director
- Jason Winer