Ep 21. First Date

Jess (Zooey Deschanel) is finally ready to go on a first date with her crush, Russell (Dermot Mulroney), but things quickly become complicated. Russell invites Jess to go to his ex-wife's wedding as his date, and Jess is torn between wanting to spend more time with Russell and feeling uncomfortable about attending such a major event with someone she just met.

Meanwhile, Nick (Jake Johnson) tries to impress his new boss by throwing a party at the loft, but everything falls apart when Schmidt (Max Greenfield) gets drunk and ruins everything. Winston (Lamorne Morris) takes on the role of bartender for the night, but things escalate when he starts mixing his own specialty drinks.

As the night goes on, tensions rise between Jess and Russell as they navigate their complicated situation. Jess finds herself questioning whether she's really ready to be in a serious relationship, and Russell struggles with his own emotions about his ex-wife.

Throughout the episode, the characters' relationships and personalities are explored in depth, with each one facing their own challenges and coming to important realizations. The themes of love, trust, and growth are present throughout, as the characters learn more about themselves and each other over the course of the evening.

By the end of the episode, Jess and Russell's relationship has undergone some major changes, and the other characters have learned important lessons about themselves and their relationships with others. The episode ends on a cliffhanger, leaving viewers excited to see what happens next in the characters' lives.