“What Should We Do With Winston?” seemed to be running theme of New Girl’s second season. The finale, titled “Elaine’s Big Day,” seems to have found the answer: give Winston an air-horn, a CD of “Cotton-Eyed Joe,” and a badger that may or may not be rabid, and set him loose in the ducts, and the audience will be in for a 24-minute laugh-packed episode.

“Elaine’s Big Day” is one of the best, if not the best, episodes of the series, and that’s due in part to the fact that most of the episode is devoted to interactions between the roommates. We got to see Schmidt, Winston, and later Nick join together to sabotage Cece’s wedding, while Jess tries to head them off at every turn. Even the guest cast hit their marks, including Taylor Swift, words I never thought I would say.

I think “Elaine’s Big Day” was less of a season finale so much that it was a prologue for the third season. Schmidt is now locked in a love triangle between his college/current girlfriend Elizabeth, who knew him back in his “Big Guy” days, and Cece, his model ex with whom he can communicate with just one look, who was just left at the alter for Taylor Swift (let’s have her write a song about that one!) Meanwhile, after a tear-filled plea to “uncall it” and possibly one of the best kisses on television this year, Nick and Jess drove off into the night, delaying any further label on their relationship until season three kicks off. And Winston? Last we saw him, he was asking the bartender to call an ambulance because he was bleeding out due to a badger bite. Let’s hope that’s not his arc for next season.

4.5/5