When it comes to iconic first kisses on TV, there’s one that comes to mind for so many people that if we conducted a poll, it’d surely land in the top three. New Girl features several hilarious hijinks and deeply romantic moments, but most fans will collectively agree that no kiss could ever top Nick and Jess’ first kiss.
New Girl Season 2, Episode 15, “Cooler,” primarily focuses on how Jess is Nick’s cooler, making it the perfect narrative point to shift their dynamic. We know there’s more between them; the characters feel something for each other, and it’s written on every page, without a doubt. However, the reason the kiss stands out is that, as impulsive and chaotic as Nick Miller generally is, he’s meticulous, thoughtful, and fully vulnerable when it comes to Jess. To her, right at this moment, the game of True American is just that—a game. But to him, his feelings for Jess are far more serious, even if he doesn’t let himself accept that truth yet.
So when Nick refuses to kiss Jess while they’re trapped and everyone’s yelling at them from the other side of the door, it’s because it’s something he’s thought about in a hundred different ways. Kissing her is something he fully wants to do, even though he won’t let himself, and he believes that she deserves better than him. No one in New Girl has imposter syndrome as intensely as Nick, so if you told him that this kiss is a sitcom staple, he’d awkwardly laugh in your face. But that’s precisely what makes it so hot and deeply vulnerable at the same time because, for once, Nick isn’t doubting himself. It wasn’t the woman’s inspector gadget coat giving him the confidence, but it was the undiluted, profound desire to simply kiss Jess like his world would end if he didn’t.
She’s someone who not only deserves a great first kiss, but she deserves to be thoroughly captivated by one. In Nick’s mind, she deserves to feel exactly what she does to him, and she deserves to see she isn’t someone who should be brushed aside. The way he sees it, you don’t just give Jess Day a peck on the lips and call it a day; you hold onto her like she’s a lifeline—like she’s everything he needs to steady himself.
Further, the best part of Nick and Jess’ first kiss is that he doesn’t just act on his desires but verbally clarifies what he meant when he said that he wouldn’t kiss her like that. Right now, he isn’t interested in hiding the truth or denying anything. He shows her (and everyone watching) that a good kiss should never be treated lightly, and this is especially the case when it comes to kissing the person you care about more than others.
Nick and Jess’ first kiss is also framed like an intimate choreography. The way he holds onto her forearm and pulls her close shows us that this time, he won’t let the moment pass him. He’ll hold on—even for a little while. The way his arms fully wrap around her when he realizes she’s kissing him back proves that he’s also paying attention to all her cues. And finally, it’s the way he goes back in after they’ve parted for softer tugs. And when he affirms that he meant something like this… it’s a lot.
Here, no one’s watching. It’s just the two of them. It’s real, it’s uncomplicated, and he’s choosing to do it without someone telling him to.
It’s perfect because he knows it’s a considerable risk to bear, but it’s also one he’s willing to take on. The fact that Nick allows himself a chance to be fully open and vulnerable for once makes this kiss so electric. It’s not just that he’s kissing her hard, but it’s all the emotions underneath that he’s banking on. It’s the feelings he’ll deny and the longings making every move and every tug on her lips electrically evocative. It’s why it takes even the viewer’s breath away because the characters are experiencing something monumental.
First Featured Image Credit: 20th Century Fox