New Girl: Why The Finale Needed That Time Jump, According To The Show's Creator

While "New Girl" character Jessica Day's (Zooey Deschanel) roommates Nick Miller (Jake Johnson) and Winston Schmidt (Max Greenfield) initially had a lukewarm reception toward her, it did not take long before they were charmed by the teacher. This is especially true of Nick, who she weds in Season 7. Fans were able to see the couple's child during the final moments of the 2018 series finale ("Engram Pattersky"). The scene featured Nick and Jess' son, Winston's many children, and Schmidt's daughter and son excitedly participating in a presumably child-friendly version of True American. 

During a 2021 Variety interview, alongside Morris, Johnson, Deschanel, Greenfield, and Greenfield's on-screen wife, Hannah Simone, Elizabeth "Liz" Meriwether, the series creator, detailed the genesis of the time jump featuring Nick and Jess' offspring. She stated she believed the moment was pitched by the sitcom's other showrunners, Dave Finkel and Brett Baer. The writer suggested she was surprised by the sweet scene, as she usually was the one who pitched poignant moments. Meriwether also shared she believed the flash-forward gave fans a sense of closure regarding the loft's residents. 

"The flash-forward was just like — 'cause you just want to know. I mean, it was really hard — it was even hard for me to, like, let them go a little bit. And I was definitely ready after seven years, you know, to, like, move on, but like, I felt like it was very hard to kind of not know what happened in their lives. And so I think we just really wanted to show, like, that everyone was happy and okay just because I think you really do fall in love with these characters," Meriwether explained.

In the Variety interview, Elizabeth Meriwether acknowledged fans' interest in a "New Girl" revival and suggested that she will not revisit the series for a few more years. "Not enough time has passed yet, right ... I think we need a little more water under the bridge is what I'll say, but yeah. I mean, when it feels right, when the universe says it's time, like, I will be there with my little tippy-tap computer, writing stuff," stated the "No Strings Attached" writer.

During the same interview, Zooey Deschanel pitched an idea for a "New Girl" movie that involved Jess, Nick, and their friends spending time in Hawaii. However, only Hannah Simone seemed interested in the revival idea. Lamorne Morris also joked he would be willing to join the project if he was offered a decent amount of money. 

Deschanel expressed interest in heading to apartment 4D once more in an interview with E! News in June 2023. "I'm down," said the "500 Days of Summer" star. The actress also theorized the sitcom's resurgence in popularity was due to fans seeking comfort after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. "I think there was just something about, like, seeing these friends that was comforting to people," Deschanel stated.