‘New Girl’ gets Super boost in ratings

There's just something about that Purple sprite Prince and the Super Bowl. A few years ago, he was the halftime entertainment at rainy Super Bowl XLI, won by a rangy young quarterback named Peyton Manning.

Last night, Prince didn't show up until after the final whistle, as a very special guest on a very special episode of New Girl. And by very special, we mean the post-game airing drew 25.8 million viewers, which is, needless to say, a record for the Zoe Deschanel comedy.

The premise was that Jess and Cece got invited to a party at Prince's mansion, leaving the boys to have to sneak in. Jess got the full royal treatment. Prince had his chef whip her up pancakes; he gave her romantic advice; he dressed her; he even brought her up on stage to sing with him. And to many peoples' suprise, he was really funny.

Though viewership for the Super Bowl itself was down, New Girl did more with less, outdrawing Elementary which followed the Baltimore – San Francisco game last year on CBS. New Girl was also higher than the last half-hour sitcom to get the coveted post-game slot, The Office in 2009.

The coattails weren't as hospitable for Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the Andy Samberg sitcom which followed immediately after New Girl. The episode drew 14.8 million viewers, a series record, but a steep drop-off nonetheless.

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