It's taken a pandemic to come to the realization that New Girl's greatest legacy is Jake Johnson’s Nick Miller

Mel Magazine

"If any fictional character is having a good time right now, it’s Nick Miller," says Joseph Longo. "The hot curmudgeon played by Jake Johnson on Fox’s sitcom New Girl hates socializing, loves rewatching old films and doesn’t frequently shower. He’s perfectly suited for a never-ending quarantine." Longo adds: "In a 2020 lens, New Girl still holds up, while many of its more critically acclaimed contemporaries have all lost their good boy status. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was accused of cultural appropriation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a happy cop fantasy and Modern Family ended its run this year as a regressively stereotypical show. Nearly a decade after New Girl debuted, (Zooey) Deschanel has receded from starring roles and now dates a Property Brother, while Max Greenfield and Johnson became breakout stars. Johnson is a growing movie star, while Lamorne Morris, Max Greenfield and Hannah Simone (who played Jess’ best friend, Cece) continue their success on TV sitcoms."