Do you have any pets? 1x01 — Pilot

All my worries about centring this blog around Nick Miller immediately vanished after witnessing the man himself carrying the pilot on his shoulders, like no other unathletic twenty-something in a hoodie ever could. Proofing to no only being the heart and soul of the episode, but also grateful inspirer for my humble writing endeavour.

Do you have any pets?

I salute you, Mr. Miller. While the kiddos around you only bother to fool around, you ask the question that truly matters and we as audience want to get answered. Are you able to take care of us or do we need to look after you? While Jess definitely checks the latter, it sends our main man into the first heartfelt downward spiral of many yet to come.

It’s in the drunk moments of desperately calling his ex, and his loveable yet awkward inability to decide whether to vote for or against Jess moving in, that we get our first glimpse of the sleeping giant with the big heart that Nick is yet to become. Furthermore, that he himself may already sense deeply in his chest but childishly refuses to embrace at this stage of his life.

Don’t get met wrong — Nick can hardly take care of himself and is the last person to ask a question about responsibility. Am I right? It’s only when we see him bartending that his calm, comfortable and responsible demeanour gets further emphasized by the green shirt he’s wearing — and rocking, by the way.

For me personally, I realized why I connect to this character and his fight with the alligator within so much. I can rely on the tension between sensing your own maturity and care, that probably go unnoticed by most people, and the naive good-heartedness and childishness on the other side, that ask for further growth and unfortunately even more growing pains.

Why else would you ask a stranger about having any pets, if you weren’t aware that you may already start to deeply care for this person in case she is moving in? Don’t forget — I am simply asking this question and definitely not foreshadowing the obvious roller-coaster of feelings we are going to witness between Nick and Jess in the next one hundred and forty six episodes and blog posts. Just think about it.

Miller Wisdom of this episode

Talking about the pro’s and con’s of living with a woman.

Pro — they smell nice.

Con — Every once in a while, the mood changes and you’re not sure why..

Pro — They’re really good at folding.