I Heart New Girl
I didn’t believe in New Girl. And I was wrong. So wrong.
Unfairly, I assumed that the show was purely a showcase for Zooey Deschanel’s whimsical cuteness. So I didn’t watch it at all during the season, despite my trust Entertainment Weekly lauding the show’s creativity and humor. But I wanted something lighthearted to watch about a month ago, and a friend recommended the show.
I watched a few episodes on Hulu and was immediately hooked, so I signed up for Hulu Plus just to watch the full season. Which took about 5 days.
The show shouldn’t be called New Girl. The name makes sense for one episode (when Zooey is the new roommate in an apartment with three guys), and then she’s no longer the new girl. I mention this because what makes the show work isn’t Zooey alone–it’s that the other three roommates are fully fleshed out with storylines and character arcs of their own.
The show is also laugh-out-loud funny at times–I’d say a couple times each episode. For example, the moment when I knew I was hooked on the show was when one character exclaims, “No, I don’t wash the towel – the towel washes me! Who washes a towel? …you wash your towel? What am I gonna do – wash the shower next? Wash a bar of soap?”
At that point I was like: Yes. These writers get me.
It also doesn’t hurt that Zooey has great legs and almost exclusively wears skirts. Also, her intentional quirkiness is challenged outright early on in the season, which I thought was bold and clever.
I’d highly recommend the show. It’s rare for me to do that for new sitcoms. Also, in case you want to see if you share my sense of humor, here are the other sitcoms (or half-hour comedies) I currently watch:
- How I Met Your Mother
- Modern Family
- The League
- Girls
- It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
- Louie
- Community
- The Office
- Parks and Recreation
- 30 Rock
- Happy Endings
Do you like New Girl? Do you have any sitcoms that you’d highly recommend? Now is a good time to recommend them so people can catch up during the summer.
Okay fine, I’ll give it a whirl. Your first sentence perfectly articulates my skepticism. But given your list of excellent shows, I’ll try it!
In other news, did you try to watch Whitney because it was on NBC only to find yourself vomiting in your mouth? Thoughts?
Emma–You’ll have to let me know what you think, especially since you shared the same concern I had.
I watched approximately 63 seconds of Whitney before deciding that I never wanted to watch it again. Which probably isn’t a fair sample size, but it was enough for me. One that I have considered getting into is Up All Night. I’ve seen a few random episodes and enjoyed it, but it isn’t on the same level as the other NBC comedies. Have you seen it?
I tried to be fair and watched 1/2 of 2 different episodes of Whitney. I think NBC has spoiled me on not having the laugh track, but I also just wanted to die.
I watched Up All Night once and I liked it in theory but I had a hard time buying it. I love Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph and I even like Christina Applegate, I just had a hard time getting into it. I liked the premise and ideas, but they didn’t seem like real parents to me, but like actors playing parents. To be fair, I want to give it another shot. More to come…
Emma–That’s awesome. I’m impressed you gave it that much of a chance.
Well said about Arnett and Applegate seeming like actors playing parents instead of real parents. They do seem to genuinely like each other, though, which I’m a fan of (opposed to couples in sitcoms that just bicker the entire time).
You watch Girls? Wow, I never would have guessed that! What was your take on it? I enjoyed watching it, but at the same time almost questioned why I was watching it. I’m all for flawed, three-dimensional characters, but at times I felt that the “girls” didn’t have a lot of redeeming qualities. There was a lot of self-centered, immature behavior that I had trouble getting past (yes, I know they are supposed to be in their early 20′s, but still). By the end of the season, I started loving the Shoshanna scenes because she was just was just like a breath of fresh–albeit very hyper–air away from the rest of the strangeness. I’m hoping next season might show a shift away from that.
That’s not to say that it was a bad show. There were several hilarious scenes, like anything with Ray.
I loved “The Crackcident.” When Marnie told Elijah that his singing voice sounded like a bag of dying babies and he slapped her, I probably replayed that scene 5 times to watch it again and laugh hysterically. Or when Jessa insults those two guys by saying their mother was poor and they were probably born on a dirt floor. I was like, “Who says that?!?!” And then there was Shoshanna running down the street and attacking Ray, her crack spirit guide. Too funny.
I want to have a friend named Tako. With a K, of course. You can totally tell when someone thinks it’s spelled with a C. After I meet Tako, I’m going to waterbirth my truth.
And what was the deal with Jessa marrying that awful guy? I know she wants to consider herself a free spirit, but there’s a difference between being a free spirit and marrying a psycho at the spur of the moment.
Sorry to ramble, I just haven’t really run into anyone else that watches it, so I’m lacking in discussion!
Wow, you have a lot to say about Girls! Does anyone else watch the show? I see what you’re saying. I think I watch it because it makes me laugh, and the humor is often quite different than other shows. It’s bold. For example, the sex talk between the main character and her boyfriend is the funniest dirty talk I’ve ever heard.
I would say that there are numerous times that I think “Who says that?!” to something they say on the show. But I like that.
Just as I like that you wrote, “I’m going to waterbirth my truth.”
Also, most of it feels very real to me. Sex in the City felt like a New York fantasy, even down to the way it’s filmed. Girls feels much more gritty and real (even though one of the characters works in an art gallery. How many art gallery employees are in New York?!)
Oh, and the soundtrack is awesome.
As for Jessa marrying the awful guy, it does seem really weird. I’m curious where they’ll take us in season 2.
Love HIMYM. Also watch Girls. Lena Dunham can write and it’s one of the few shows where I can’t predict what’s going to happen. Great list Jamey!
Not only can she write, but she’s a bold actress. I’m surprised she’s so willing to get naked on TV!