New Girl: Farewell to the Adorkable Era 

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“Today’s young adults aren’t dealing with the immediate aftermath of a recession”. Yeah these writers did not see 2020 coming. Here we go again

Jess didn't leave a more stable life for personal growth--she caught her boyfriend cheating on her and appropriately left his ass.

New Girl had Prince in it...enough said

For me, New Girl represents the importance of developing emotional relationships and emotional intelligence, authentic connections with other people OVER professional development or the traditional view of 'growing' up.

New Girl definitely feels to me like a beginning of an era rather than an end. And it doesn’t feel like they are clinging to childish ways, instead, it brings up an acceptance that just because you’re an “adult” doesn’t mean you have to have your shit together and be all serious. You can still be weird, colorful, moody, awkward, goofy, dumb, cute, and dorky. It crushes the looming presence of an expectation that has been pushed on us our entire lives. It gives me hope for my future, with a sense of knowing that, even if I’m not perfect when I’m older, I’ll still be okay, and I can still be happy.

the word "adorkable" makes me want to die

"I'm a bartender who's 30 years old. I don't have health insurance" 😂😂 This was me post-college

I think a Schmidt character study would make for a great video essay; specifically how he exhibits a different type of masculinity than what is typically seen in media. The charismatic, sex-driven side of him is paired in equal measure with his more effeminate preferences, e.g. his sensitivity, honest emotions, love of "the finer things" like quality shower products and haute cuisine, and of course his open and brotherly affection towards Nick. I feel like in a way, Jess and Schmidt are something of kindred spirits, in that he too embraces this part of himself without ever a second thought, and forcefully rejects the more toxic, outmoded notions of manhood. I believe the show directly addressed this in season 2, episode 8

New Girl is hugely underrated. It has one of the best sitcom-casts of all time.

Jess is a realistic take on how the "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" would actually be in real life, as supposed to how a lot of films write the character. While Summer is a male love-interest's depiction of the MPDG - unattainable, cool and quirky in acceptable ways, Jess is how that would play out in real life - someone who is genuinely weird and sometimes "too much" and not always accepted. The message of New Girl shows us that, even if she is not the perfect MPDG we see in films, there is ultimately a lot to gain from that "imperfect" yet unapologetic way of living, and that you do not need to tone your quirks down to be just as desirable to the people who end up really caring about us.

In defense of Zooey Deschanel, her persona manages to both deconstruct and reconstruct the manic pixie girl trope. You can't really fault her character for resembling the trope when that's kind of the point of reconstruction. I think it's important to remember that just because we perceive someone as inauthentic doesn't mean they are.

The video calls out lens-less glasses like they are something Jess wears as part of her quirkiness. This really bugged me for some reason. I would think a channel that talks about movies and TV would have noticed that lens-less glasses is something regularly done in movies and TV, likely to avoid awkward reflections and glare from stage and camera lights. Her glasses sometimes do have lenses and the show has mentioned Jess' need for contacts and glasses. Pay close attention and pretty much every character with glasses in anything is missing the lenses in at least a few scenes. Similarly you can tell that most cups carried by characters are empty by the way the actor holds and moves and drinks with them, doesn't mean the characters are carrying around empty cups just to have something to do with their hands.

I was glad Jess's character quickly settled into a less adorkable and more just dorky character because the mega-cutesy "can't say penis" thing was annoying. After that the critiques of her character feel off because she is usually "the responsible one" in terms of day to day life adulting and arguably the least childish character. Naively optimistic about other people, yes, but juxtaposed with a never-to-be-opened box of decades-old collection notices, aspirations to be a living Axe commercial, and ... Winston, the show doesn't present a, "adorkable manic pixie dream girl" as much as a group of strange cartoonishly immature people. Also all of them are great physical comedians.

Personal development NEVER has to end in life. At any given point - you should change, adapt, and better yourself. That is what makes life exciting and worth living. The goal of bettering yourself doesn't stop in your 30s or ever, as long as you keep changing!

11:23 "Today's young people aren't dealing with the immediate aftermath of a recession" *Coronavirus has entered the chat.*

It’s not that before generations “grew up” or “emotionally matured” quicker... they just pretended and it obviously catches up to them.

Kind of tangential, but I will never make sense of the criticism of 500 Days of Summer. It's explicitly a film about how waiting for a manic pixie dream girl to make your life perfect is a naive, adolescent, idiotic fantasy that you have to grow out of if you're going to become an emotionally mature, fully functional adult who is capable of actually forming a connection with someone. It's not just a deconstruction of the trope. It's the equivalent of pouring kerosene on it and lighting it ablaze.

I remember watching the first episodes of this show and being surprised for how adorable and funny it was. But everything said in the video makes so much sense. Now is even better for me because it was always there, but I couldn't explained.

"Extended adolescence can't last forever." Challenge accepted!

Great show, but I still hate that they pushed the idea that growing up means getting married and/or having kids. There are many who grow up, but do not have or even want either one of those. There are many different ways to grow up, and the media should began to embrace this.

I miss the adorkable era and indie vibes of the early 2010s in general in music TV and stuff im almost leaving my 20s and entering my thirties and i can identify to some forms of that show. I enjoyed it!

I think jess and 500 days of summer character are very different

I always wondered if she actually had lenses in her glasses lmao

Jess's "adorkableness" never bothered me, in fact I missed it when they toned it down later on. I thought it was really fun and a good contrast to the guys

Honestly, there's no genuine similarity between Jess and Summer in any introspective manner. When first meeting Summer, she could almost be considered a nihilist, compared to the naive and literally singing Jess. While, they both are "quirky" in some respects, the way in which they express it is very different and is based on widely different meanings. They are practically polar opposites in character.

Ouch. As a millennial entering my thirties soon and still in the extended adolescence phase of shit in certain key ways... I don't want my era to end before I get out it. I want to escape this type of uncertain existence before it becomes hideously unfashionable again. Oh well. The clock was already ticking, but it feels like it's ticking a little faster now.

Oh my gosh the fact that you guys did it break down with one of my favorite TV series is just phenomenal and so accurate. The fact that young people my age can relate to these character so easily and feel OK with figuring out who they are before taking steps to become an adult. Instead of going from one milestone to another without really taking time for yourself to reflected like you guys pointed out in Mad Men’s Betty Draper video.I definitely agree that this show has become is this generations type of FRIENDS, whether it ages well, I guess we’ll have to find out. Great job ladies as always. Keep it up! 💕☺️

*It really bums me out that I will never know the infinite joy of what it feels like to carry a child inside of me* -Coach - 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Sure has hell gonna miss this show. One of the best comedies around next to HIMYM, Scrubs and Friends.

Agree, that the 'adorkable' schtick and the dislike people push onto Jess because of it is a marketing/season 1 issue. She evolved and someone else mentioned in the comments that she's arguably the most responsible and focused person on the show. (Like Schmidt is kind of hyper-focused/responsible, but it's not necessarily for healthy reasons in some episodes - although, I loved seeing him as a dad, such a natural fit for the character. This is tangent, but I would watch the crap out of a spinoff about Schmidt/Cece/Ruth.) Getting back, the more you describe Jess in the video, the more I'm realizing I've tried to emulate her in my life watching from ages 20-23. The character's ability to be earnest, open, and responsible while still being incredibly funny and cute, is just something I find that I really admire. It's a shame that marketing/perception often boiled that down to simple "adorkable". My only critique of this video - Zooey and co. are kind of a stretch for the categorization as "millenials". I did look up their ages, and I guess most of them are right at the cutoff point. But you know, I'm a millenial and there's over a decade between us, so I guess it just feels weird hearing the gang being put in the same group. There's also something to be said for True American - like staying home and drinking vs. going out to a coffee shop everyday feels very much like a 1998 vs. 2016 type thing

Lenseless glasses are pretty much the norm in TV shows because they won't glare with all the studio lights. In the show it's made abundantly clear that Jess has terrible vision and needs glasses/contacts to see.

I don't like the notion that it's inevitable that people will get their shit together, or that someone's lot in life is because of "maturing slowly"

I'm gonna miss Nick Miller so MUCH! 😭😭😭😭😭😭

I love this channel and this video. My only issue is that this video is defining adulthood by being married and having kids. It's not just a personal opinion, but rather a fact that maturity and marriage and family building aren't necessarily connected. In fact all studies show the younger you are when you are married the more likely you are to divorce. Having children younger ages you sooner and shortens your life expectancy. Not to mention the idea as a whole is heteronormative and capitalistic therefore not inclusive so can't generally be applied.

@11:23 "Today's young people aren't dealing with the immediate aftermath of recession" Well this phrase is a bit ironic now.

i always saw new girl as the friends of my generation, and always preferred it over friends. After watching episodes for an extended period of time, I found myself to feel genuinely happier with the joy it brought to my life. I'm so sad that it's over

Finally, "I'm not like other girls" gets old pretty quick. I brush my teeth when I take a shower, but I don't think that gives me personality. I'm just lazy.

When the series first came out I was an antisocial kid starting high school. I rewatched the series last summer and freaked it when I realized how much I could relate to it

Narrator: this generation isn't growing up immediately after a recession Coronavirus: Hold my beer, we can make that happen

Maybe because I'm a millennial that born in 92' I relate to New Girl more than How I met your mother, and far more than Friends

Me, watching this is March 2020, while being in quarantine, knowing full well that another recession is beginning.

I felt like “New Girl” could’ve went longer then it did and this makes me sad😔I honestly felt like I lost my friends when it ended🥺😢

“Today’s young people aren’t dealing with the immediate aftermath of a recession.” Oh no, this is much worse

god no wonder i initially watched it for escapism and left with the cripling fear of Growing Up. it’s a coming of age.

If only other shows would end when they are no longer relevant (Big Bang Theory)

Please, please do gossip girl, possible topic, the message it sends out to young women about gender roles as all the lead characters “end up” in relationships that were in some way abusive. Love your Channel thanks.

2:43 I never knew that John Krasinski (from "The Office) was on "New Girl"!

I can't explain with words how much I love New Girl

"todays young people aren't dealing with the immediate aftermath of the recession" *laughs in 2020*

I’m now approaching the age Jess was when the show started (I think) and I can honestly say that New Girl was the perfect in-your-twenties-but-don’t-know-how-to-grow-up show. It was there when I needed it to be. Now that I’m nearing 30, it does feel like it’s time to say goodbye.

I don´t know. the characters of New Girls seem pretty realistic to me.

Post-recession America? Not sure we're quite there yet.

Schmitd will always have a special place in my heart

I hate the way that people use the word "Trope" now. The term was created to offer a neutral alternative to the negative word "cliché" but it got usurped by things like "Tropes vs Women" to be negative again. Every story has tropes. Real life even has tropes. They're not something to be avoided. That very concept is absurd.

Who's that girl? Who's that girl?

this show means so much to me and it made my day when i got notified for this video THANKS. A LOT!

Loved this. Thanks for doing this little analysis. Was a fan of the show from start to finish.

There isn’t a RU-vid channel that breaks things down as well as this channel does. Please keep it going 👏🏽

I want to just become an adult now... and finally be able to support you guys on patreon because these little videos are gems! Thank you for these!

11:25 "Young people today are not dealing with the immediate aftermath of a recession" 2020: recession, pandemic, gender reveal parties

I've been binging your videos all week and they're so good! Please keep up the amazing work!

I really love both Screen Prism and Pop Culture Detective. You both provide such interesting outlooks and speak in such soothing voices and talk about things that really ought to be discussed. I love it :)

I loved New Girl. I’m really going to miss it😔

Phoebe and joey character studies please.

I don't think millennials need more time than their parents to mature; I think we're just more honest about not being ready. Our parents were expected to marry, pop out babies, and take on boring jobs to support it all whether they were ready for it or not. Millennials be like "uhhhhh. No thanks. Sounds miserable. I'm gonna figure myself out."

I liked the other characters, but Winston was the character that made me LOL more than any other. Well....Coach did too, but he doesn't really count because he was in-&-out of the show a lot. Good job, ladies. 😊❤️

Wow, this channel is always producing quality content. Keep up the great work.

The male banter on New Girl is really great. All of the guys are really relatable and funny in their own ways

This is such a great video and really pinpoints something I'd never realised about New Girl that makes me feel like I can appreciate it more.

You guys do a fantastic job of decoding TV and film. For filmmakers such as myself it's like going back to film school in the best possible ways. Always learning. Keep it up!

You girls are the best. I love this channel so much

Love your channel thank you for all you do

"todays young people aren't dealing with the immediate aftermath of a recession" Oh, how I wish that was still true

I just LOVE your videos

you're video essays are soo goodddd!!!

This show looks great, gotta get around to it this summer.

This was a perfect video thank you

New Girl is one of those shows I've never seen but would probably binge watch the entire series on Netflix if it was put on. In 2011 there were polls about what show would be the most culturally significant and fondly remembered by future generations. In those type of polls most people said The Big Bang Theory, I said The Middle (because it was still fresh back then) but I guess we've all been punked because it was New Girl.

This was actually an incredibly thoughtful and thorough analysis of new girl. I didn't even realize as I was watching the show, but those are TOTALLY the reasons why the show was so relatable to me, and why it'll always have a place in my heart. Still my favorite show of all time.

I've never watched this show, but I think now I will. Thank you, ScreenPrism!

Thanks for this! I loved this show. I think that, as with Friends, the extended and close ties between these people also serves as a temporary surrogate and healing period for family structures that might've hindered development. As with every individual, you inherit both strengths and weaknesses from your family dynamic. With New Girl, we can see sometimes the isolated nuclear family has broken apart; or the father figure has abandoned the household; or the family are immigrants with different social norms that children find hard to live up to, given their first generation experience, etc. The friendship, even though seemingly adolescent, is a useful bridge to help the individuals in the group face fears, challenge themselves and eventually grow up. It's a sweet show and overabundance of emotions (even though melodramatic in nature) is what I think made it special.

500 Days of Summer was a deconstruction of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl and critics that don't understand why are too dense

I'm gonna miss this show in my life. So damn much. I can just always laugh when I watch it. Just like it is with friends for me. Still can't believe it's over

I completely agree I remember on my graduation in Madison square garden a guy literally told me you picked a hell of year to graduate

thank you such lovely video :) big fan

Never saw the show in this light, thanks for giving me a new perspective.

I used to love this show. I really need to catch up on it. I appreciate you guys doing videos focusing on female characters and shows. It’s a nice change of pace.

I followed it since it first came out. I was in love with it since Day One. Ive been binge watching it all week.

Love this web series of The Take! Love the narrator! Especially the one about Cinderella! Whoever wrote that critique is the kindest soul in the world! Love you!

Amazing analysis! Thank you for giving a deeper meaning to this show and helping me understand my 20 somethingness.

y’all never miss

I actually love this show so much Iv watched a huge chunk of it and whenever off school would marathon it although I haven't been able to keep up to date on i still love it And Cece OMG Cece OMG

I love something like this. Light hearted, touching and interesting. I want something I could watch with friends and family and alone as well, something I could enjoy when I'm bored, I'm happy, I'm sad, something I could watch while eating and not have to worry about missing some important plot point...

Well done once again!

I feel like they over interpreted this show a lot and made it try to sound like a smarter show than it is. If these people can be considered to have prolonged adolescence, than so can Friends, so it's not generation specific and the shows not really a comment on the post recession generation. On an emotionally mature level, the characters in Friends are just as underdeveloped as these ones. Shit, Seinfeld's characters where more emotionally immature. There hasn't been a sitcom that doesn't revolve around awkward dealings with the opposite sex. It's not specific to this show. How did any of them take longer to come into their own in their professional live? Jess works as a kindergarten teacher. Schmidt works at a marketing firm. Cee Cee's a professional model. and Winston is an ex-ball player, who didn't make it pro and now has to adjust with the culture shock of not only moving back to the US, but of entering the corporate world for the first time, which is an entirely different type of struggle. Sure, their professional lives improved as the show progressed, but that happens with every generation that gets got a job. The only character who needed a little more time to develop was Nick. I think you guys really missed the mark here.

i love this show, and this good bye was one of the hardest!

So excited for a future analysis of Insecure. It's such a good show and really highlights problems people have with relationships that just don't go away once you hit a certain age, plus the fact that throughout the development and changes of our two protagonists, Molly's career goals are never questioned. It's refreshing to see in a major network show.

I assumed the glasses with no lenses was a just a TV thing, to avoid glare/reflections.

I love New Girl

THIS SHOW WAS SO GOOD! BEST DEPICTION OF TV FRIENDSHIP