The episode also pokes fun at magical realism tropes in sitcoms, staging a run-in with “Black Santa,” which prompts Schmidt to hilariously respond that it’ll be his last “Christian Christmas.”Įven as Season 4 struggled to find its footing as it navigated Nick and Jess post-breakup, “New Girl” successfully rekindled the spark between Cece (Simone) and Schmidt, effortlessly letting the pair’s relationship blossom and develop on a strong foundation of friendship. What can only be described as “hot chocolate in television” format, this holiday episode sees the gang stop by multiple Christmas parties, sowing nothing but chaos (and somehow merriment) in their wake: Nick and Angie (Olivia Munn) attempt to have sex in a sleigh, Jess keeps running into glass doors trying to avoid Sam (David Walton) and his attempts to win her back and Winston (Morris) can’t hear anything with a cranberry stuck in his ear. “New Girl,” true to its rom-com roots, is partial to grand gestures, and “Santa” is chock-full of them. And, in a refreshing and rare dynamic that highlights Nasim Pedrad’s comic chops, the episode pairs Nick and Aly together after spending a day inadvertently helping Nick through his communication problems, she earnestly delivers, “I feel like a single mom in a mop commercial.” “San Diego” also sets up larger arcs later on, with Jess’ father (Rob Reiner) ultimately approving of Nick for his daughter. As the two debate over who should take ownership of the name, the A story closes the chapter on Nick (Johnson) and Reagan (Megan Fox), making way for a superb, electric finale (later on this list). Image Credit: Screenshot Courtesy of NetflixĪfter six whole seasons, viewers are finally clued into an uncomfortable, outlandish truth - Schmidt’s (Greenfield) first name is Winston. And for when you inevitably come across Loft 4D’s doorstep, make sure to pay a visit to its 25 best episodes, ranked by Variety for your (re)watching convenience. So, whether you’re viewing “New Girl” for the first or 100th time, don’t be surprised to find yourself - as Meriwether felt when closing out the series in 2018 - unwilling to let these characters go. It’s this deep tenderness that led the show to renewed popularity on Netflix amid the height of the pandemic. While the series has been likened to a 21st century era “Friends,” it can be easy to see influences from such shows as “Seinfeld,” especially if you consider Nick’s deep cynicism and the group’s elaborate propensity for childish mischief.īut despite how riotous and cheerily incomprehensible the series can get, “New Girl’s” through line - above all else - is a rich empathy that never fails to instruct without moralizing, unburden without shaming and care without conditioning. With its unique mixture of running quirks - take its fictional non-sequitur drinking game True American or the fact that every episode references bears in some capacity - “New Girl” holds its own alongside earlier sitcom heavyweights. What started as a starring vehicle for titular new girl Zooey Deschanel transformed into a formidable ensemble piece thanks to the writing panache of creator Liz Meriwether and her team, as well as the bursting comedic talents of Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, Hannah Simone and Lamorne Morris. Even amid its well-documented fumbles and lesser-favored plotlines, “New Girl” dedicated itself to stitching its pieces back together, relying on a finely crafted thread of self-awareness and evolution. In fact, the Emmy-nominated series remained steadfast in its commitment to audiences and characters alike. But its commercial, and later critical, success didn’t stop the screwball comedy from growing and finding ingenious, if lovably preposterous, ways to bestow nuance onto its characters. When “New Girl” first premiered on Fox in 2011, it became an instant hit, reaching more than 10 million viewers with its pilot episode alone.
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