Attention to “New Girl” lovers near and far, I regret to inform you that this title is no mere clickbait. The dearly beloved FOX series, “New Girl,” was announced to be leaving Netflix on April 17, 2023. The series will be available for streaming on Hulu and Peacock instead, but this shift feels quite drastic for “New Girl” fans like myself who do not have either of these streaming services. For the next three weeks, “New Girl” fans across the country will binge-watch the show to soak in the last moments they may have with Jess, Nick, Schmidt, Winston, Cece and Coach.
I started watching “New Girl” in seventh grade, and have been watching it on a continuous loop ever since. I’m not even joking. For many people–myself included–this show has been a constant source of laughs and happiness throughout the ups and downs of the real world. It quickly became my favorite show, and has remained as such for the past seven years. Therefore, I feel extremely qualified to present to you my master list of the five most binge-worthy “New Girl” episodes to watch before it is taken from Netflix for good.
- “Background Check,” Season 4 Episode 6
This episode easily takes the cake for the most laughs in the series. A Sargeant visits apartment 4D to conduct a background check on Winston to see if he is fit to become a police officer. Things become more complicated when Jess reveals that she has been hiding a secret … in the form of a huge bag of meth in her closet. The roommates try to cover this up so that Winston’s chances of becoming a cop aren’t ruined, but chaos ensues. Between Nick’s inability to keep a secret, Coach recruiting a stranger to help with their charade and the supposed “meth” turning out to be aquarium rocks, this episode is comedy-central for any viewers.
- “Quick Hardening Caulk,” Season 2, Episode 19
This is definitely one of my favorite episodes of “New Girl” by far. Tensions between Nick and Jess are higher than ever, which always makes me want to scream at my TV for them to just get together already. Schmidt is dealing with his feelings of being in love with Cece but not being able to have her, and he projects these emotions onto a lionfish. After seeing a lionfish in an aquarium, he becomes captivated and insists that he must have it. This episode hilariously follows Jess and Nick’s budding romance and Schmidt’s ridiculous and metaphoric quest to obtain a lionfish.
- “Prince,” Season 3 Episode 14
In this iconic episode, Jess and Cece find themselves invited to a party hosted by Prince. The two best friends are ecstatic, while Nick, Schmidt, Winston and Coach try to sneak into the party. Nick lets it slip that he loves Jess, and the moment is painfully awkward when she freezes and says nothing back. But who better to help Jess with this dilemma than Prince himself? Prince makes an appearance and helps Jess navigate her feelings, all while the guys are conducting ridiculous charades to get themselves into the party. Between Nick and Jess’s love story and Prince’s iconic cameo, this episode is a must-watch.
- “Landing Gear,” Season 5 Episode 22
This episode is a mix of everything “New Girl” does so well. Humor, romance, bittersweet emotions and even greater love for the characters are on full display. Schmidt is freaking out when he is trapped on an airplane on the day of his wedding. Chaos ensues as the roommates try to delay the wedding and Schmidt tries to get off the plane. This hilarious but painful dilemma comes to an end as Schmidt finally gets back to the apartment to see Cece standing in her wedding dress at the end of a makeshift aisle. The beautiful couple spontaneously gets married in the Loft, where it all started. As a Cece and Schmidt shipper, this one had me feeling all the feels.
- “Spiderhunt,” Season 4 Episode 17
This is a classic, funny and lighthearted episode, exactly what “New Girl” does best. Schmidt becomes petrified when there is a spider in the apartment, which is revealed to be one of his biggest fears. The gang splits into teams, each designated a role of “jar man” or “smusher.” These pairings also serve as an excuse for Jess to try to find out why Cece has been acting so weird recently, to which Winston reveals that she still has feelings for Schmidt. This episode is full of laughs and iconic lines.
Clearly, I am not ready to say goodbye to “New Girl” just yet, and neither is my good friend Erin Resnick ‘25, who says: “as Netflix loses ‘New Girl,’ I lose my will to live.” Honestly, so true Erin. For the next three weeks, Erin and I will be reliving our favorite moments from the series while we still can! And if anyone wants to share their Hulu or Peacock log-in with me before April 17, shoot me an email.
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