Even if the title “New Girl” felt outdated halfway through the pilot (and it really did), it’s now an indisputable fact that it’s one of the smartest and funniest sitcoms of all time. Created by Liz Meriwether, the show follows cheerful teacher Jess Day as she moves into a loft full of guys she found on Craigslist after catching her boyfriend cheating. The explosive chemistry between Jess and her weird male roommates—Nick Miller (Jake Johnson), Schmidt (Max Greenfield), and Winston Bishop (Lamorne Morris)—is the true key to the series’ success.[Nick, Jess, Holly, Schmidt, and Daisy playing True American in the loft on New Girl]
Peak Seasons: The Height of Weirdness
- Season 2 (The Best Season): This is where New Girl becomes its funniest and freest self. The characters get weirder without ever losing their core. The history-based, completely incomprehensible drinking game True American reaches its absolute peak. Iconic moments include the “Cooler” episode where Jess and Nick kiss in the building’s elevator, and Cece’s wedding getting crashed by one of Taylor Swift’s exes.
- Season 1: Unlike some comedies (looking at you, 30 Rock), New Girl hits the ground running. We meet the guys as heartbroken Jess spends her days crying and drinking rosé, and then Nick, Schmidt, and Coach take her in. From the very beginning, the characters feel shockingly lived-in and fully formed.
- Season 3: The undisputed highlight is Prince guest-starring. In the post-Super Bowl episode simply titled “Prince,” the gang sneaks into the singer’s house party, Prince helps Jess and Nick say “I love you” for the first time, and then he performs. Also, Schmidt being torn between Cece and Elizabeth delivers the season’s dramatic high point.
Dips and Comebacks
- Season 4: The show stays strong with weddings, Cece and Nick eating weed brownies, and Jess returning as the young fiancée of her former high-school bully’s dad. Guest stars like Alan Ritchson and Zoe Lister-Jones shine—this is still one of the series’ golden eras.
- Season 5: Trouble begins when Zooey Deschanel’s pregnancy forces the writers to remove Jess from most episodes under the flimsy excuse of “jury duty.” Her temporary replacement is the cool, snarky Reagan (Megan Fox). Reagan is hilarious in her own right, but her presence unnecessarily delays the inevitable Nick-and-Jess endgame.
- Season 6: The season ends with Jess and Nick finally getting together—kissing in the elevator to Lorde’s “Green Light”—delivering an emotionally satisfying payoff. Unfortunately, the episode heavily tied to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign has aged like milk.
- Season 7 (The Weakest Season): Starting with a three-year time jump that feels unnecessary, the final season shows everyone married with kids. Still, even in its last moments the show delivers classic Winston absurdity like “Engram Pattersky,” and the reveal that Schmidt’s first name is actually Winston remains one of the best final punches in sitcom history.
Series Info“New Girl” – all seven seasons are currently streaming on Hulu.
