Nick and Jess run off to Mexico to give their relationship a chance to grow without the everyday problems of Schmidt and Winston. Meanwhile, Winston finds out he is color blind, and Schmidt makes a commitment to both Cece and Elizabeth.
Jess turns to Nick for advice on how to fit in with a clique of "mean girl" teachers at her new school. Meanwhile, an office party is anything but fun for Schmidt, and Winston plots revenge on Daisy, whom he suspects is cheating on him.
Thinking Schmidt has chosen to be with Cece, Jess and Nick invite him to go on a double date with them. Nick is caught between loyalty to his friend and loyalty to his girlfriend when he finds out a shocking secret. Meanwhile, Winston promises to get the foursome a table at an ultra-exclusive restaurant that doesn't take reservations.
After being dumped by Cece and Elizabeth, an unhappy Schmidt tries to break up Jess and Nick. Winston tries to hook his cat up with another before he has to be neutered.
Jess throws a Halloween Party, but Cece won't attend if Schmidt is there. In an effort to change Schmidt's sullen behavior, Jess, Nick and Winston resort to pretending to be his childhood idol, Michael Keaton.
Coach tells Nick to give him a day to help change Nick's life with diet and exercise. Jess takes action when menus for the same Chinese restaurant keep getting delivered to the loft.
Jess is tasked with keeping a frantic Schmidt occupied as Coach and Cece go out on a date. Meanwhile, Nick and Winston meet a frisky bus driver as they search for a missing Ferguson.
After Coach accuses him of going soft since he started dating Jess, Nick arranges a camping trip for the gang on Thanksgiving. Winston and Cece bond over their hatred of camping.
Jess pretends to be a fan of the Pistons in an attempt to befriend Coach, to Nick's dismay, who is a Bulls fan. Meanwhile, Schmidt is assigned to mentor an elderly colleague at work and Winston discovers a new career path.
Nick struggles to throw Jess the perfect birthday party. Schmidt works overtime to help out Cece in her new job as bartender. Winston and Coach engage in a bake-off.
When Nick has an awkward run-in with his ex-girlfriend Caroline, Jess tries to convince him that exes can still be friends. Chaos ensues when Schmidt, Winston and Coach bring their dates to Schmidt's loft.
Jess tries to prevent Nick from meeting her irresponsible sister after bailing her out of jail. Schmidt asks Nick to attend a Bar Mitzvah with him. Winston and Bertie have dinner with Coach and Cece.
When Abby announces that she is staying in the loft permanently, Nick is left to baby-sit her while Jess looks for a place for Abby to live. Winston is nervous about looking at the results of his LAPD entrance exam.
Jealous of Schmidt and Abby's relationship, Jess moves into Nick's bedroom; however the living arrangement does not make either one of them happy. Meanwhile, Winston struggles to get into better shape for the LAPD obstacle course.
Jess hires, then has to immediately fire Coach as her school's new volleyball coach. Meanwhile, Schmidt gets sued, and Cece catches the eye of a much younger man.
Jess and Nick face some truths about their relationship, Schmidt, Winston and Coach scramble to make a better second impression on their hot new neighbors, and Cece panics after she drunk-texts Buster.
The morning after their break-up, Jess and Nick try to keep it a secret from the rest of the gang. Meanwhile, Winston passes his police academy entrance exam, and demands that the gang throw him a "Honey Roast".
Jess and Nick convince the others to go on a cruise with them, but the Grand Romantic package proves too hard to handle for the recent exes, and Schmidt, Winston, Coach and Cece have to repair their fractured friendship.