New Girl
(2011–2018)
Following Jess Day as she mistakenly moves into an apartment with three men whom she believed to be women,
New Girl
is the perfect comforting show for the cold weather. With an outstanding cast who share a palpable chemistry, every season brings a new element to enjoy. Max Greenfield, who portrays Schmidt in the show, has impeccable comedic timing, somehow being a masculine womanizer while also being feminine, having a multi-step skincare routine and mispronouncing commonly used words. The other two roommates Jess moves in with, Nick (Jake Johnson) and Winston (Lamorne Morris), never fail to land a joke. From Winston’s relatable kinship with his cat, Furgeson, to Nick’s charming (albeit concerning) lack of common sense, it is impossible to not love the unlikely bonds formed by these characters. From the pilot, it is clear that
New Girl
cannot miss. (Available on Netflix)
Arrested Development
(2003–2019)
Arrested Development
tells the story of, as stated in the show’s theme song, “a wealthy family who lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together.” The son in question, Michael (Jason Bateman), has enough charisma and charm to make up for the rest of his family’s lack thereof. Despite how much the audience is supposed to hate the Bluth family, it is easy to find joy in their storylines. The original series ran for three seasons from 2003–2006 and never missed a beat. Though neglected in its time, the series soon became a cult classic, prompting a Netflix original reboot in 2013 which unfortunately does not rival the original run. Despite the failure of the first reboot, Netflix created another reboot in 2019, which relies heavily on callbacks from the original series to stay afloat. Though the final two seasons are disappointing, the first three seasons should not be missed. (Available on Netflix or Hulu)
How I Met Your Mother
(2005–2014)
Using a frame story,
How I Met Your Mother
follows Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) as he recounts the story to his children of, you guessed it, how he met their mother. Though it would be annoying to be one of his children listening to this story, it’s everything an audience could want in a sitcom. From major bits that last the entire show’s run (“Major Bits”, cue salute) to musical numbers that showcase the cast’s talent (Jason Segel and Neil Patrick Harris). Though the mother is not met until the final season, every storyline connects back to her and is wrapped up neatly in a bow by the final episode. (Available on Hulu)
Community
(2009–2015)
Beloved in its time and to this day, there’s a reason for
Community
’s popularity.
Community
follows a group of unlikely friends who find themselves attending their local community college for various reasons, from job loss to boredom to divorce. Though it boasts many great qualities, the most notable feature of the show is the relationship between the characters Abed (Danny Pudi) and Troy (Donald Glover). Show creator Dan Harmon even let the two improvise often, leading to notable end-credit moments between the two, like “Troy and Abed In The Morning” and their classic Spanish 101 rap. The actors have incredible chemistry and timing, with Abed often bringing a meta element to the show and Troy bringing him back down to Earth. With a
Community
movie in the works, be sure to watch the show to prepare. (Available on Netflix and Hulu)
