What better way to emphasize just how much things have changed for Jess and her loft-mates than by bringing Coach back? Damon Wayans Jr.’s character Coach was featured in the pilot episode of New Girl, but when ABC decided to renew Happy Endings, Wayans returned to that show, leaving a vacancy in the New Girl loft that was filled by Lamorne Morris’s Winston Bishop. But tomorrow night, Wayans returns as a guest star, and as a bonus, we’ll also see the super-talented Taye Diggs dropping by to charm Jess. Apparently, all it takes to do that is “rubber baby buggy bumper.”
Here’s the episode description for tomorrow night’s “Coach”:
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5 (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT)COACH IS BACKDamon Wayans, Jr. (“Happy Endings”) Reprises His Role as Coach and Taye Diggs (“Private Practice”) Guest-StarsA newly single Coach (guest star Damon Wayans, Jr.) returns to the loft, wanting to pick up exactly where he left off. Meanwhile, Jess (Zooey Deschanel) and Cece (Hannah Simone) have a girls’ night out, during which they meet a handsome stranger (guest star Taye Diggs) in the all-new “Coach” episode of NEW GIRL.
Alas, a description doesn’t quite encapsulate what works so well about any given episode of New Girl, however this featurette hints at some of the humor that’s in store as Coach makes his grand return:
So it looks like part of the focus of the episode will involve Schmidt and Nick trying to inch their way out of a late night of strip-club hopping, while another running joke involves Coach not being able to remember who Jess is. Considering she moved in like five minutes before he moved out, that’s not entirely hard to imagine. In fact, it seems like a joke well worth mining.
As I mentioned earlier, it isn’t just Wayans we have to look forward to. Taye Diggs is also set to guest star in the “Coach” episode. TVline has a video that gives us a better look at how Diggs’ dreamy character fits into the picture. We’ll give you a hint, he’s not there to collect the rent. (Excuse my dated attempt at a Rent joke). Apparently, Diggs’ character Artie is a coffee shop owner who brings a bit of trouble into Jess and Cece’s night. What kind of trouble, you ask? Actor Hannah Simone reveals that Diggs’s character will strip down in the episode, and end up in bed with one of the characters in the series. Of course, he doesn’t say who. That’s for us to find out when we tune in to New Girl tomorrow night at 9:00 p.m. ET on Fox.
