Entertainment
Hulu Just Added a 95% RT Sitcom That’s Worth Rediscovering Now
There is a wide variety of sitcoms available on streaming, but nothing is quite like New Girl. Starring Zooey Deschanel, the series began in 2011, but 15 years later, it is just as incredible as it was when it originally aired. The concept is simple: Jess (Deschanel) moves into a new apartment with Nick (Jake Johnson), Schmidt (Max Greenfield), and Winston (Lamorne Morris). However, it’s that simplicity that’s key, as it easily sustained the sitcom for seven seasons.
Many shows become stale as they go on, but the Fox series avoided that fate with many memorable episodes in the later seasons, particularly New Girl‘s ending. Its relatable story and lovable characters truly make the show a classic, placing this series in rare company. Even while many comedies age poorly, New Girl remains as hilarious as ever.
‘New Girl’s Characters Get Better Each Season
New Girl begins by creating an unlikely group of friends as Jess moves into apartment 4D. Contrasting personalities provide many conflicts and keep the story moving, offering moments for each resident to take center stage. From Nick and Schmitt’s argument about showing affection that leads to Nick’s cookie-related breakdown to Winston’s reaction to Jess believing she’s hiding meth during his police background check, the conflicts among them are unpredictable and endless, but never cross the line into toxic friendships.
Not only are Jess, Nick, Schmidt, and Winston a unique blend of personalities, but the strong friendships that develop among them are unbeatable. Nick and Schmidt are one of the best TV duos, but Winston and Jess are never left out, nor is Coach (Damon Wayans Jr.) when he lives with them, or even Cece (Hannah Simone). In fact, Winston and Cece become an unlikely duo of their own, providing “Classic Winston-and-Cece mess arounds” throughout the series. Because each friendship offers a distinct dynamic, different combinations keep the story fresh even as the series goes on.
Another way the series prevents itself from getting repetitive is by letting the characters evolve. Schmidt goes from a womanizer in need of the “douchebag jar” to a loving husband and father. Nick slowly gets his life together, chasing his passion by publishing his novel. Even if the concepts are repetitive, like Jess and Nick’s on-and-off relationship, the characters’ growth makes each iteration different, which keeps the audience engaged.
‘New Girl’ Deserves Its Continued Success 8 Years After It Ended
The series may have wrapped up in 2018, but it remains popular to this day, finding considerable success on streaming. Max Greenfield acknowledged the show’s popularity, saying, “It’s the perfect binge show.” Now that the show is easily accessible, new fans seem to be latching onto it all the time, proving that the show has aged well.
New Girl remains so funny because it is relatable, even years after its run. The characters are not only quirky, but they face problems that most adults have experienced both in their personal and professional lives. They struggle to find the right careers, and Winston, in particular, tries many things before he realizes his passion. Jess has storylines about asking for a promotion and starting a job in a drastically different environment. In their personal lives, each character has failed relationships, which provide a myriad of romantic problems people can easily see themselves in. More broadly, the characters are constantly learning to deal with conflict and communicate with difficult people, which often includes each other. New Girl deserves every bit of attention it has received, both during and after its seven-season run.
- Release Date
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2011 – 2018
- Network
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FOX
- Showrunner
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Elizabeth Meriwether
- Directors
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Trent O’Donnell, Jay Chandrasekhar, Max Winkler, Fred Goss, Jesse Peretz, Steve Welch, Lynn Shelton, Josh Greenbaum, Russ T. Alsobrook, Bill Purple, Christine Gernon, Lorene Scafaria, Michael Schultz, Peyton Reed, Tristram Shapeero, Eric Appel, Alec Berg, Jason Winer, Michael Spiller, Steve Pink, Alex Hardcastle, Andrew Fleming, Craig Zisk, Daniel Attias
- Writers
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Berkley Johnson, Kim Rosenstock, Rob Rosell, Matt Fusfeld, Alex Cuthbertson, David Feeney, Nina Pedrad, Rebecca Addelman, Kay Cannon, Sarah Tapscott, Joe Wengert, Ethan Sandler, Adrian Wenner, David Iserson, Nick Adams, David Walpert, Lamar Woods, Veronica McCarthy, David Quandt, Joni Lefkowitz, Lamorne Morris, Rachel Axler, Christian Magalhaes, Robert Snow