In "What About Fred?" Jess is longing for a meaningful romance and proves she will stop at almost nothing to have one, even if it means dating Fred (Taran Killiam). Fred is a horse loving, model train enthusiast, pizza dough fanatic man-boy who still lives at home with his much cooler, more interesting parents.
Jess enjoys spending time with Fred's parents so much that she she convinces herself it's a grand idea to tell them she actually can't stand their son because of how boring he truly is. She even takes it as far as to compare him to saltine crumbs. Much to Jess' surprise Fred's parents Flip and Nancy not only agree with her but offer her several propositions to stay with their son and think of her as the daughter they never had. If she continues to date Fred she will get to go on family picnics, stay at their home in Vermont, go painting together, which seems altogether easier then breaking it off and having to go on numerous first dates again and continue to look for a new relationship.
While Jess continues to attempt giving Fred a try she drags poor Winston along with her to which he also falls in love with Nancy and Flip and agrees that Jess should in fact continue to date Fred just for his parents.
But will Nick and Schmidt talk some sense into these two?? Well they're too busy owning a bar. Schmidt convinces Nick that some serious changes need to come about if this bar is going to be successful, meaning Nick is going to have to step up and be a boss. His first boss-like rules include new uniforms, measuring out the alcohol and a one napkin policy per customer.
Nick's (really Schmidt's) new ridiculous rules prove you can't go from friend to boss overnight and his entire staff walks out on him mid-shift led by no one other then CeCe to which Schmidt applauds her as a person because well that's his fiance.
The dynamic duo attempt to work the bar alone to which no surprise they fail. There areangry customers everywhere, dirty glasses stacked up, wrong drinks being given out and just a very very confused Nick Miller running a bar. Being the forgiving, understanding and kind guy he is he realizes how crazy his new rules (Schmidt's new rules) are and goes to get his staff back.
The highlight of this episode is hands down watching Nick mature throughout the episode but yet keeping his quirky, odd, yet charming personality traits. There continues to be no situation that he can't just moonwalk away from. There isn't a word in the English language that he could yell and it not be funny. He really tries to listen and learn from Schmidt as a co-owner of the bar but always believes in himself at the same time.