Rich boy punk. 1x17+1x18 Fancyman

The temptations of being a grown-up

Sensing the wistfulness of adulthood and the smell of leather and a massive wooden desk may not only keep you afloat for the first time in ages. Reaching both new and long forgotten summits lets you notice the self-imposed blinders and shackles that start pulling down your ankles.

Welcome to the NMCU

New Girl accomplished something that took Marvel 22 films over 10 years to pull off. Following a decent first introduction of Nick Miller over 16 entries, Fancyman finally gave our universe’s Robert Downey Junior two incredible episodes for fleshing out the full character arc. Furthermore, setting up a roadmap including role models, competitors and potential love interests.

In short, a journey of epic proportions we are fortunate enough to witness on the small screen. The Nick Miller Cinematic Universe. Yeah, I just came up with it, and I swear it feels so darn good in my chest that I’m making it the hook of this blog.

The Nick Miller Cinematic Universe formerly known as The Pepperwood Chronicles

And the best of it, guys, we still have plenty of episodes to go. If you feel as twitchy as I do, just make some burpees, get the adrenaline just a slightly bit out of our bodies and let’s make a deep dive — and I mean a really deep dive — into our first double-episode review of the NMCU. (see what I did there?)

Preface — Setting the stage

What have we learned about Nick Miller so far? He has a big heart, doesn’t want or like you to take care of him, can’t take care of himself, and is in a really weird way my role model. But after all, it’s not about me, but the man himself. We already spent some time with Nick, and I think we all agree that he is definitely the heart of New Girl. Let me know if you think different. And simultaneously come up with your own character-driven blog about one of the other guys and girls ;)

Stage 1 — Taking off

I don’t want to be tied to some corporate system

Ok Nick, you can fix things yourself, you don’t like to call the plumber or the janitor, and we have all learned why.

I’m from Europe and not really into the whole credit score topic of the US — but I understood that yours is embarrassingly low. So no comment on that. Having no phone is on another level, though. Even for you. How did it come that far? Well it actually doesn’t matter as we’re going to explore the manhood of Jesse’s soon-to-be sugar daddy (no judgements here, by the way).

Examining a foreign man cave

A kitchen island. Be a man and let your counter attach to itself.

Following his natural tendencies to hide his life misery and insecurities by rejecting and discrediting the interior, it doesn’t take Nick all too long to discover the beauty in the detail, as he falls in love with it as well as with the whole big picture.

When I put my hand on the desk I feel sexual proficient for the first time in my life.

Is it possible to be sexually attracted to an object?

Yes it is, Russel replies and thereby taking the mantle of Nick’s role man. He even keeps the cardigan, and carefully folds it before rescuing Jesse not to drown in the koi pond.

Stage 2 — Staying afloat

Nick needs a break

There was a lot to uncover and discover for Nick, and a lot of it hasn’t even started to trickle into his consciousness. That’s why he gets sent into his more familiar realm allowing him to reconnect with his old buddy Dirk. Nick might not sense it now, but he just got a spoon of grown-man’s life. A fancy man. The desire for growing up has not yet sprouted yet but seeded.

The smartest guy I know

Seeing an old friend who still refuse to grow up and still living in the same student party life environment may bring some relaxation for Nick. After all, it’s a tempting life style for Nick as it reminds him of the old days. It also helps Dirk is the smartest guy he knows. But there is an ugly truth to be soon revealed.

- Thought exercise

What are your reference points in life?

Transitioning to adult life obviously comes with growing pains, but at least for me the most intense development was in the discovery of my reference points. They can be friends, family members, idols and lifestyles that you have seen, followed or rejected. These shape your life and your decisions and always bring you back to compare yourself to them (and probably make your life miserable).

It’s in the discovery of these reference points where true potential for development can be found. Sometimes you need to rethink and reposition them, as the old ones will only hold you back. So where do you relate to in life? Is it time to let go off some? What happens if you let go off too many or all of them?

What happens if you let go

Well, you may start to float in space, ascending and descending, surrounded by foggy air and over dozens of clouds — without any reference. But is it bad? It doesn’t need to be. It’s definitely hard as I know from experience. But it gives you an open and honest chance to dock to other havens, reference points, role models, ways of thinking and most importantly, new friends and different kind of people. A fresh start, giving yourself a chance to let go and connect.

Sure, you can still choose to come back to where you have been, and it doesn’t need to be a black or white decision to leave everything behind to start anew. You simply can’t let go off everything that you experienced, the people you met, the experiences you gained. Obviously it would be a huge waste of lessons learned anyway, right? But you can actively pursue other things, and conciously decide where to put your energy.

We’re now prepared and ready to go back to Nick and the party.

Being Skylar’s fancy man

I’m a bar tender. I’m thirty years old, I don’t have health insurance.

*note to myself* I didn’t know it’s that easy to impress younger girls. I just happened to have on of the three noble qualities to be an even poorer poor man’s Nick Miller, but still. Maybe I should rethink my Tinder age settings. *note to myself*

It’s working for our man. Yeah! Well deserved, back in his hoodie and still rocking the world.

20 year old girls, they think I am awesome. [..] and they have never felt pain. I’m Skylar’s fancy man, can you believe it?

Stage 3 — Crashing down the mountain

Going full circle

We’ve seen Nick’s standard altitude, him reaching both new and familiar heights and now it’s time to watch him descend into the lowlands of throwing up next to the road. It’s in this moment that we get the Miller wisdom of this double-episode ..

.. aka the perfect ending

Could I have walked into the mountains? When does a hill become a mountain? It just happened.. I’m so cold.

I’m glad Nick took Fancyman’s second phone. He probably needs to sleep a day or two and recover from all the dramatic and traumatic experiences of the last few hours. Oh Nick. One thing is for sure — we’ve all already embarked on this journey of epic proportions. All aboard the Miller train. Choo Choo.