The Joys of Watching the Fun-hearted Show ‘New Girl’

I don’t know how many people have heard of the TV series New Girl let alone watched it. It has 7 seasons, running from 2011 to 2018, and sadly was just removed from Disney Plus so I have to find another place to watch it again.

It’s starts off with a group of 3 male friends who need a new housemate. In the first episode, Jess, a quirky and optimistic teacher, has just broken up with her long-term boyfriend who she’s found out has cheated on her. She had been living with him so, desperate for a fresh start, she moves out and into a loft apartment with three single men: Nick, a cynical bartender; Schmidt, an arrogant but unconfident ad executive; and Coach, a passionate personal trainer.

At first, the guys avoid having a woman in their space, but Jess's lively personality and interesting feelings about life slowly make them change their minds. They try to help her get back on her feet and rejoin the dating world which leads to some hilarious and awkward experiences.

The characters' quirky personalities, their struggles, and their successes resonate a lot with me. I find myself laughing out loud at their antics, when Nick tries to fix something and ends up making it worse, or when Schmidt creates a complicated system of rules for the loft. Sometimes I feel uncomfortable during their awkward situations, like Jess's dating disasters, and I feel their joy and sadness as they experience important moments in their lives.

One of my favorite parts is a drinking game they often play called True American. This strange, made-up game with its difficult rules and ever-changing challenges perfectly shows the group's special bond and how easily they can find fun in the most unexpected places. It has also inspired me to make my own version of the game with my 5 nephews and nieces. I have never let anyone in my family know where the game came from so they all think I completely made it up. However, we play for candy instead of beer, of course.

The characters are all on a journey, and I can relate to their experiences of trying to get through life as an adult and find their places in the world. They aren’t perfect, they make mistakes, many in fact, but they always learn and grow from their experiences.

"New Girl" is a show I can turn on for comfort, laughter, and inspiration. Often, if I come down with the flu or find myself in a long waiting line, I turn it on and get lost in their world, gladly leaving mine behind. When the characters get angry and shout at each other over their issues, I feel some connection with my own stresses and communication issues with friends and family.

In the past year or so, some of the cast have started a podcast and have been giving commentary on their memories of the episodes. It’s nice to get a little behind-the-scenes info on what the show was like before it became a hit.

Laura