Jess reluctantly dates the wealthy father of one of her students. Meanwhile, Nick attempts to buy a new cell phone and Schmidt and Winston get ultra-competitive playing bar trivia.

Jess' sophisticated date with Russell doesn't go as planned. Meanwhile, Nick's college friend visits and brings out Nick's inner frat boy to help him get over his break-up with Julia. Also, Winston panics when Shelby goes on a "girls" vacation and Schmidt and Cece try to keep their relationship under the covers, but one of the friends finds out their secret.

A nervous Jess invites Russell to spend the weekend at the loft, and her fears are amplified when he gets along better with the guys than she hoped. Meanwhile, Winston begins work at a sports radio station, but quickly finds out his boss is more of a shock jock, and Nick tries to make an invention from his "Idea Notebook" into a reality.

Jess fears she and Russell don't share the fiery passion he exhibits with his ex-wife Ouli. Meanwhile, Cece is not yet willing to admit her true feelings for Schmidt, so she encourages him to go on a date with one of her Russian model roommates. Then, a down-in-the-dumps Nick channels all of his energy into a new vegetable garden.

Jess and Nick, who are caught between friendship and something more, try to break out of relationship-limbo by going on a First Date. Once Schmidt and Winston realize a full-on Jess/Nick romance might be happening, they swoop in to try to sabotage the date.

Jess and Nick come back from a book tour for "The Pepperwood Chronicles" across Europe.

Over a drunken power lunch, Jess and Cece decide to stand up to Russell and demand Jess be given more responsibility in her new job. Meanwhile, Nick struggles to come up with ideas for a new book and Schmidt is desperate to get Ruth to sleep.

Jess and Nick make two life-changing decisions and Winston and Aly's big day arrives.