New Girl: Why Cece Is Actually The Show’s Main Character

Jessica ‘Jess’ Day is deemed the titular New Girl, but fans think that Cece may actually be the real main character in the popular Fox sitcom.

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Was Cece from New Girl really the ‘New Girl’ the show’s talking about? It has to be addressed that Cece became much more pivotal than a secondary character on that show, and it’s not just because she was the only other female character or because of her iconic friendship with Jess. The model-turned-bartender-turned-millennial-mum had a story arc so engaging and realistic that audiences simply deemed Cece more interesting than Jess.

Cece’s romance with Schmidt was taut with tension and grounded, tough conversations that kept the millennial fans hooked because their dynamic came across as so organic. So, is Cece really the show’s main character instead of her BFF Jess?

10 Has A More Endearing, Grounding Arc

Neither Jess nor Cece were really the girls-next-door; Cece was introduced as a model and Jess was the kooky, somewhat whimsical protagonist who was at times pretty hard to relate to. But as the show progressed, specifically Season 3 onwards, Cece’s arc had reached a point where it had a lot more to say than Jess’ story. She dumps her fiance at the altar and soon after is cheated on by Schmidt, she suffers some setback in her modelling career and takes up bartending. There’s a lot more emotional movement in her trajectory, especially because she was never pitched as someone who was aspiring for perfection or a fairy tale, and it made her more engaging.

9 Cece And Schmidt Had Way More Edge Than Jess and Nick’s Romance

Jess and Nick’s romance fell back on the same tried-and-tested sitcom trope that Ross and Rachel from Friends and Robin and Ted from How I Met Your Mother and so many other sitcoms used. The friends-turned-lovers-turned-friends-turned-soulmates thing is a bit too done-and-dusted for American TV; since Nick and Jess had very little visible personal growth, their personal dynamic, be it as friends or lovers, had only a very slight evolution.

There were simply too many will-they-won’t-they moments; looking back if someone compares Jess and Nick’s romance with Schmidt and Cece’s quirky, rocky but solid relationship it’s obvious that Cece and Nick’s story had much more development and tension, hence positioning it as the primary love story in the show

8 An Acute Exploration Of Professional Crises

Cece’s character was given more depth since the makers realized how much potential she had to connect with younger audiences. She was never an A-lister in her industry and mainly worked as a commercial model, and eventually struggled to book assignments. Season 3 onwards Nick offers her a gig as a bartender so she could make cash and though she was bad at the job, she worked hard to learn the ropes of bartending. This was definitely a more millennial-friendly arc, especially considering the relevance of gig culture and fans warmed up to it more than they did to Jess’ vice principal act.

7 Has Better Lines Than Jess

Fans have often commented on how Cece’s character was designed to be Jess’ ally and confidante; so she was punchier and had more clarity of thought. This also meant she had better, more empowering lines because her approach to dating was also more liberated than Jess’, since the latter was a bit old school.

Cece is no-nonsense when it comes to her personal relationships, she’s very clear as to when she wants commits and when she doesn’t, and is very transparent. This was a direct contrast to Jess who was a bit socially awkward and non-confrontational, and usually channeled her insecurities on her relationships.

6 A Better Partner Than Jess

This has been observed by fans unanimously that Cece is a much better romantic partner than Jess, or even the guys and it is really something that’s great for a main lead. The one big reason would be the huge personal growth she goes through during the course of the show; she hashed out some personal hang-ups and set her priorities straight. The way she handled her surprise pregnancy and how she came to terms with her feelings for Schmidt was hugely empowering because it was obvious that she was the decision-maker in their relationship, and was the braver one who could make the tough calls, be it vis-à-vis her motherhood or marriage.

5 Became More And More Relatable

Jess evolved to be someone a bit too “Boho-chic” which was definitely refreshing but since Cece stayed true to her character design, her personal arc came across as more grounded and relatable. Millennial audiences, especially loved watching someone with commitment issues finally figuring out how to be in a long-term relationship, since this is something that’s hugely relevant to this generation.

In Cece’s case there was no sweeping revelation or a trip to Europe that changed her perspective but she simply worked on herself and that made her narrative a really positive one.

4 Her Romantic Arc Was Designed For The New Era

The reason Cece’s love life was so interesting to watch is because it was so familiar, especially to people of color, who often struggle to connect with their roots and reluctantly give in to parental pressure when it comes to choosing a spouse. But even Cece’s other relationships, be it with Robbie or even with Schmidt, developed in a very organic way which was designed to be plausible; not to mention Cece and Schmidt’s romance had a really big element of unpredictability and yet kept the viewers on edge because it was so believable for the Tinder age. A lot of modern couples who start out as friends with benefits eventually embark on a serious relationship and New Girl was one of the first shows which explored it so closely.

3 Kept The Show Going Without The Main Lead

In Season 5, Jess is shown to be sequestered for jury duty, since Deschanel was on maternity leave at that time. At any other female-lead driven sitcom this would have been a major issue, but Cece’s arc was so popular by then that she kept the show going, with the help of the guys. Though Megan Fox’s character Reagan was introduced for some added drama, Cece definitely found her niche as the female lead and moved beyond a secondary character on a functional level since she could hold her own ground. As a result, when Jess finally resumed her role, Cece’s role was a lot better etched out.

2 The Co-Parenting Inspiration

Not all sitcom heroines have to opt for motherhood and Jess didn’t, which was a refreshing change of pace; Cece however does go on to have a daughter named Ruth and the way Cece and Schmidt almost co-parent baby Ruth with Jess definitely made Cece’s storyline really intriguing. It is important to note that since Jess’ personal life had very little development at this point except her re-ignited feelings for Nick, Cece’s trajectory as a modernist parent who believes in co-parenting her child with the help of her friends, only made her come across as an inspiration for new-age families since out-of-the-box living arrangements are getting a lot of attention in family sitcoms

1 Subverts The Toxic Pretty Girl Stereotype

Though Cece is a model for the first three seasons, her personal storyline was crafted specifically to do away with the shallow, ‘hot girl’ stereotype that so many shows have tried to use as a plot device. The fact that a woman who is deemed attractive by ‘traditional’ standards can be self-reliant, have platonic friendships with other sexes, can have a really poignant arc and can have the same struggles as any other wage-earning person, was something this show tried very hard to convey through Cece. It may sound too harsh, but most sitcoms tend to “slut-shame” their attractive best friends to make the protagonist come across as a traditionalist or a romantic, and Cece’s character definitely works in the other direction.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/new-girl-why-cece-is-actually-the-shows-main-character/