New Girl

New Girl is received a whole lot better than a lot of other US TV shows due to the lack of a laugh track. You're not directed as to when you should find something funny, it is just an easy watch to enjoy throughout. The quality fluctuates across the series but overall it ticks all the boxes for a sitcom, and Winston will easily become your favourite character by the end.

Loved this show. Laugh out loud funny for a number of series and then at the end of s5 to the start of s6 it started to become a lot more cliche and lot less funny. I persevered and I'm glad I did just to see it through but it is almost like Liz Merriweather realised at the end of s6 that the show was just treading water with no real purpose so they bashed out s7 to put it all to bed. It comes off rushed and again a shade cliche. I just wished they had progressed the main themes a bit quicker or at least consistently to avoid this stagnation then rush rush rush end. Would still recommend it, some of the most loveable/hilarious characters and I did on occasion lose a manly tear. Also I much preferred the original titles.

From the first episode, I found New Girl to be my favourite new series. The premise of the show, a girl living with 3 guys and hilarity ensues, is not the most original, nor the most realistic. But I find the characters to be intriguing, so that I keep wanting to return to see what happens next.

After a few episodes, the characters become more relatable than in the pilot. Jess is totally awkward, and it seems half the time her head is in the clouds, and half the time she's the most down to earth character. Her extroverted nature becomes more manageable as the series develops, so don't let it put you off initially.

Nick is a 30-something drop out that still lives with a student mindset. He comes up with some creative ways to not spend money. He's portrayed as not living up to his potential, yet his manner draws you in, kind of like a helpless puppy that you find adorable and pitiful at the same time.

Other reviews are fairly down on Schmidt. Yes, initially, he reeks of douche bag. But he's an ex-fat-kid that now overcompensates for his lack of self esteem with douchey mannerisms. Given that, he's a fairly realistic character with a well developed history. His arrogance is always portrayed in a humorous way, and has become my favourite part of the show.

Winston had his 15 minutes of fame and now is dealing with just being a nobody in a big city again. Fair enough, token black guy.

There is a lot of awkward humour in this show - the kind of moments that make you cringe, yet you can't look away, and feel guilty about wanting to laugh. But every episode does make me laugh out loud. There's a touch of light drama, for those that just want a light hearted show that won't make you think too much.

Overall, I think this is a show about nothing. Every episode seems to be a bunch of intertwining events that happen, like in most sitcoms, but this reminds me most of Seinfeld (the ultimate show about nothing), in that there is no ultimate destination that the storyline needs to arrive at - no huge expectations or conclusions being hung on the season finale. It's just humorous interactions, some fairly plain and everyday events, and some totally wacky events. Just a bright, light hearted show, to be enjoyed for what it is.

I can't give this show enough love. It's GENIUS! The chemistry between characters is amazing! And the character development is outstanding. In the beginning we get a more serious Winston, but as the show progresses, we see a more goofy Winston, which works. The writers really took their time to improve on each character. The only reason I didn't give it 10 stars is because of how annoying Jess gets after Season 3. I'm not sure if it was purposefully done, but some of the episodes of her acting entitled and "catty" are hard to watch. Other than that, it's the perfect show. Perfect blend of comedy and drama. I just finished watching it all the way through for my 3rd time and immediately started watching for a 4th time. It's my comfort show. I watch it at night before going to sleep and most nights fall asleep to it as background noise. Highly recommend, especially for those who were fans of How I Met Your Mother. I guarantee you will fall in love with it.

Contrary to my expectations, this is not the Zooey Deschanel show. Because that is what I thought it would be when my friend told me about it. I mean, the premise of this show is that she - Zooey Deschanel - plays a bubbly, quirky-but-cute girl who moves into an all-guys apartment. Now, that's the same character she plays in every film and every series she's ever been in. It's also the same persona she uses when she sings in her band, or gives interviews, or (I imagine) blogs about baking Dr. Seuss-themed cupcakes for a company of lumberjacks.

Don't get me wrong - it works. For me. On so many levels. But the problem is that she is just so aware of it. She's a dazzling indie girl with a brain and a body, and my god does she know it. So a show completely focusing on that would be unbearable.

But surprisingly, this show isn't about that at all. It isn't even really about her character that much. Most of the comedy comes from the male characters, who are played by non-famous and extremely talented actors, and who find themselves in situations which as funny as they are fresh and relatable.

So, to reiterate, this is not a show about Zooey Deschanel. This is a show about life as a twenty-something in the twenty-first century. It's Friends except not set or made in the nineties. It's great and it makes me laugh a lot. And I highly recommend it.