Still reeling from a recent breakup, a perky elementary school teacher moves into a Los Angeles loft with three bachelors, all with their own quirks and struggles. It sounds like a weird fanfiction plot, but there is something about New Girl, which originally aired from 2011 to 2018, that sets it apart from other sitcoms.
I had watched the first few seasons of the show in high school, but I stopped after my favorite couple broke up in the third season. However, at my friends’ insistence (combined with the fact I kept getting confused by out-of-context clips on TikTok), I decided to spend my first week back in Boston—while I was quarantining waiting for my first two negative tests back for BU—watching the final few seasons of New Girl.
Let me tell you, it was so worth it. Here’s why.
- The Best Characters
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The biggest thing that sets New Girl apart from other popular sitcoms is that all of the characters are likeable. Personally, I can relate to Jess’s constant singing, Nick’s fear of confrontation, and Schmidt’s love for organization. Sure, all of the characters have their moments of doing things that didn’t make sense, but at the end of the day, they are all each other’s chosen family and really show how much they mean to each other in the sweetest ways.
- The Kindest Relationships
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Another huge reason I loved binging New Girl, especially the final few seasons, were the relationships. The countless relationships progress slowly throughout the seasons. The main plot of the show focuses more on the character’s daily antics rather than relationships, but when present, the relationships are natural and expected as each couple moves ahead in their lives together over the course of 7 seasons.
- Realistic Guest Stars and Family
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In real life, people mention their parents every once in a while and see them a significant number of times a year. Most shows, however, have guest stars (whether they be parents, siblings, or significant others) appear for a few episodes before ever mentioning the characters and then they never appear again. But guest stars on New Girl come and go like friends do in real life. Characters randomly popup to check in a few seasons after they were originally introduced, which really ties together loose ends. This set-up brings realistic excitement to the show and it helps connect the many plotlines of the 7 season series.
- The Happiest Ending
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I am a sucker for a happy ending and New Girl did not disappoint. The final and seventh season of New Girl was the perfect conclusion for the 30-something year old characters. Over the course of the show, characters I had originally felt neutral about blossomed into mature adults. Seeing everyone be happy with where they were in life while also seeing that they would still remain in touch, even if they weren’t always together like before, was the best possible ending for the show.
So, if you’re stuck in quarantine or isolation, procrastinating your Econ homework (like I am right now), or just looking for a new show to binge, I highly recommend New Girl’s quirky charm.
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