Update: Damon Wayans Jr. Becomes "New Girl" Series Regular

[JamesG]

"New Girl" Exclusive: Damon Wayans Jr. Poised to Rejoin Cast for Major Season 3 Stint
by Michael Ausiello
7/10/13


"Happy Endings‘" Damon Wayans Jr. is thisclose to hooking up with the Girl that got away.

TVLine has learned exclusively that Wayans is nearing a deal to reprise his "New Girl" role of Coach for a significant Season 3 arc.



You’ll recall Wayans appeared in the pilot, but was forced to drop out when "Happy Endings" scored a surprise Season 2 renewal; Lamorne Morris’s Winston was brought in to fill the void.

"Endings‘" official (and extremely unfortunate) demise paved the way for Wayans’ likely return. (Fox declined to comment for this story.)



"New Girl" kicks off its third season on Tuesday, Sept. 17.

http://tvline.com/2013/07/10/new-gir...returns-coach/

[JamesG]

Damon Wayans Jr. Returning to "New Girl"
Jul 15, 2013
by Liz Raftery


Damon Wayans Jr. has booked his first post-"Happy Endings" role, and it's a familiar one.

Wayans will be reprising his role as Coach on Fox's "New Girl", TVGuide.com has learned. The actor appeared in the pilot, but had to drop out of the series when ABC picked up "Happy Endings" for a second season.

He was replaced by Lamorne Morris' character, Winston.


Wayans will appear in at least four episodes of the Fox comedy's third season.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Damon-Wa...l-1067867.aspx

[JamesG]

Exclusive First Look: Damon Wayans Jr. Returns to "New Girl"
Oct 22, 2013
by Natalie Abrams


Coach is back!

Damon Wayans Jr. returns to "New Girl" in the Nov. 5 episode and TVGuide.com has the exclusive first look. In the episode, a newly single Coach returns to the loft wanting to pick up exactly where he left off when he moved out.





"He moved to Santa Monica and we didn't really know the circumstances of why he moved to Santa Monica, so he comes back in the picture at a time when the roommates are at odds with each other," executive producer Liz Meriwether tells TVGuide.com.

"He walks into a heated situation. But then the guys are all fighting for his friendship because obviously he's the coolest one of all of them."



But not everyone will be happy with Coach's return.

"We're playing with Winston [Lamorne Morris] being really insecure about it," Meriwether says. "He's really intimidated by Coach and having to stand up for himself."

http://www.tvguide.com/News/New-Girl...r-1072376.aspx

[cleverfun3000]

. . .and so began his decent into OBLIVION, never to be heard from again. . .

[TMC]

http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-wat...-for-this-spit

Damon Wayans Jr. was outshined by another guest star, Taye Diggs. PLUS: Turns out Coach is one-dimensional.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#X1QXqIx9PYooHJPa.99

[JamesG]

"New Girl" Scoop: Damon Wayans Jr. Commits to Whole Season
by James Hibberd
Nov 6, 2013


Damon Wayans Jr. is going to keep coaching Fox’s "New Girl" gang. The comic-actor will continue his role of “Coach” as a special guest star for the rest of the season.

Wayans was originally cast in the Fox comedy series’ pilot, but could not continue on the show due to his role on ABC’s "Happy Endings". Once "Happy Endings" was axed, "New Girl" brought him back for a recurring guest arc for four episodes, which just started last night.

Ratings were up 11 percent from the show’s last original episode a couple weeks ago. Now he’s made a deal to continue in his current role for the rest of season three.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/11/06/ne...mon-wayans-jr/

[TMC]

http://entertainment.time.com/2013/1...riend-pattern/

"Brooklyn Nine Nine" has two Latina and two black male cast members. And now "New Girl" will have two black males on its cast, which upends a trend of some sitcoms to have a token minority cast member. PLUS: 5 things Wayans should do on "New Girl," like sing.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#TrSIuBwePgQi7mwb.99

[TMC]

http://www.bustle.com/articles/15399...e-abby-in-asap

Damon Wayans Jr's character seems like a stand-in, and the writers seem to have no idea how to use him.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#YTmkbEAWGAIgWZEp.99

[irehtman]

I was trying to mention back then that the sixth character to get added should have been a female character, who is more likely a Jess and Cece type, instead.

[JamesG]

"New Girl" Scoop: Damon Wayans Jr. Promoted to Series Regular for Season 4
May 5, 2014
by Natalie Abrams


Coach is sticking around! Damon Wayans, Jr. has been promoted to series regular for "New Girl's" fourth season, TVGuide.com has learned.

The actor first appeared in the pilot for the Fox comedy, but could not continue on the series because of his commitment to the now-canceled "Happy Endings".

Coach then moved out of the loft and was replaced by Lamorne Morris' Winston.





Wayans was initially only signed on to return for a four-episode arc earlier this season before the show made him a special guest star for the remainder of Season 3, at which point Coach moved back into the loft.

On Tuesday's season finale (9/8c, Fox), look for the deathly-afraid-of-boats Coach to struggle with joining Nick (Jake Johnson), Jess (Zooey Deschanel) and the gang on a cruise.

"New Girl" was renewed for a fourth season back in March.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/New-Girl...4-1081233.aspx

[irehtman]

So it has been revealed that FOX was under a bad full recession this season, so in order to continue, they have to appraise more on men and older people in a hurry.