2 of fall TV’s newest offerings are both female-centric comedies, but they could not be any more different.
Zooey Deschanel plays Jess Day in New Girl, and the show is created to showcase her fun, quirky personality. The lovely actress, best known for her role as Summer in “(500) Days of Summer”, has to move out after catching her boyfriend cheating on her, with three new housemates. You have the token black guy (Coach), the douche (Schmidt, who may also progress to be the gay dude, who knows), and the inevitable love interest (Nick). It’s a relatively slow-paced show with a simple premise, but with plot twists you’d expect from the eccentric Jess and her awkward cast. Sometimes, Jess is even too eccentric (she cries over “Dirty Dancing” every time and has a “feelings stick”!) – the producers are obviously capitalizing on Deschanel’s ability to be absolutely weird, but still charming.
Far from being charming is Two Broke Girls, with the titular characters being Max Black (Kat Dennings of “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist”, also one of the Zetas in “The House Bunny”) and Caroline Channing (newcomer Beth Behrs). Max is a snappy diner waitress whose comebacks drip of sarcasm, wit, and the occasional green allusions, while Caroline is a now-broke heiress. The two of them together try to make money via a cupcake business (and their earnings are accounted after every episode), and with this odd pairing comes priceless adventures. Although so far Dennings, she with the brilliant comedic timing, has been carrying the show, Behr – who manages to make her dumb blonde character still sympathetic and lovable – might be a pleasant surprise.
Both shows are funny and have their respective heart-warming moments, albeit with very defined audiences. New Girl may either be weird or quirky, and would be more suited the Deschanel fans, as her always-cute vintage outfits are reason enough to tune in. (Justin Long would also have a recurring role as Jess’ boyfriend Paul, and these two quasi-awkward actors really shine together.) Two Broke Girls, on the other hand, plays out like the fun semi-adult sitcom it is, but it’s definitely not for the purists with its frequent raunchy jokes. Not to say that New Girl is completely safe for work (it isn’t), but Two Broke Girls is not afraid of not being classy and will hit you with some of the best worst one-liners you’ve heard in a long time.
Two Broke Girls airs every Wednesday, 8 pm on ETC Match Airing, and New Girl follows right after.
