The BEST episodes of New Girl season 1

Every episode of New Girl season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of New Girl season 1!

Jessica Day is an offbeat and adorable girl in her late 20s who, after a bad breakup, moves in with three single guys. Goofy, positive, vulnerable and honest to a fault, Jess has faith in people, even when she shouldn't. Although she's dorky and awkward, she's comfortable in her own skin. More prone to friendships with women, she's not used to hanging with the boys--especially at home.

Last Updated: 3/15/2024Network: FOXStatus: Ended
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See Ya
star
7.82
3862 votes

#1 - See Ya

Season 1 - Episode 24 - Aired 5/8/2012

When one of the roommates decides to move out of the loft, the gang makes an unexpected trip to the desert where Winston faces his fear of the dark, Cece and Schmidt’s relationship reaches a turning point and Jess and Nick square off with a coyote.

Directors: Michael Spiller
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Tomatoes
star
7.77
3879 votes

#2 - Tomatoes

Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 4/24/2012

Jess fears she and Russell don't share a fiery passion. Cece is not willing to admit her true feelings for Schmidt. Nick channels all of his energy into a new vegetable garden.

Directors: Michael Spiller
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Secrets
star
7.74
4059 votes

#3 - Secrets

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 4/3/2012

While training for a marathon, Jess discovers that Cece has been keeping a secret from her. Nick reluctantly asks for Schmidt's help as he tries to juggle dating two women at once.

Directors: David Wain
Writer: Josh Malmuth
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Landlord
star
7.71
4566 votes

#4 - The Landlord

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/7/2012

Jess makes it her mission to get the loft's cantankerous landlord to like her. Schmidt tries to decipher what he thinks are mixed signals from his boss.

Directors: Peyton Reed
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Fancyman Part 2
star
7.70
4109 votes

#5 - Fancyman Part 2

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/27/2012

Jess' sophisticated date with Russell doesn't go as planned. Nick's friend visits to help him get over his break-up. Schmidt and Cece try to keep their relationship secret.

Directors: Matt Shakman
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Jess and Julia
star
7.70
4474 votes

#6 - Jess and Julia

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/31/2012

Nick panics when Julia doesn't want to put a label on their relationship. Jess enlists Julia to help her get out of a traffic ticket.

Directors: Jake Kasdan
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Cece Crashes
star
7.68
4835 votes

#7 - Cece Crashes

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/8/2011

Cece crashes at the loft after a bad breakup, and convinces Jess that Nick may like her more than just a friend and roommate.

Directors: John Hamburg
Writer: Rachel Axler
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Backslide
star
7.66
3942 votes

#8 - Backslide

Season 1 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/1/2012

When Jess and Nick run into their exes Paul and Caroline, the gang fears they both may "backslide" into romantic relationships. Meanwhile, Schmidt desperately tries not to get aroused as he deals with a delicate medical issue, Winston suffers the consequences of a wild night out with his boss and Cece brings Schmidt to a nursing home to meet her grandmother.

Directors: Nanette Burstein
Writer: David Quandt
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Fancyman Part 1
star
7.63
4245 votes

#9 - Fancyman Part 1

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/20/2012

A student's wealthy father asks Jess out on a date. Nick tries to buy a new cell phone. Winston and Schmidt get competitive during a game of trivia.

Directors: Peyton Reed
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Kids
star
7.63
3806 votes

#10 - Kids

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/17/2012

Jess babysits Russell's pre-teen daughter for the weekend. Schmidt and Cece panic when they think she's pregnant.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Naked
star
7.62
5033 votes

#11 - Naked

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/1/2011

Jess accidentally sees Nick naked, shattering his self-confidence. Winston becomes overly obsessed with learning new pop culture references.

Directors: Jake Kasdan
Writer: J.J. Philbin
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Valentine's Day
star
7.62
4738 votes

#12 - Valentine's Day

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/14/2012

Jess convinces Schmidt to be her wingman on her first Valentine's day without a date. Nick spends more time with Julie's Assistant than Julie, ruining his special day plans.

Directors: Tucker Gates
Writer: Lesley Wake
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The 23rd
star
7.61
4684 votes

#13 - The 23rd

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/13/2011

The roommates attend Schmidt's holiday office party. Jess frets when she receives an expensive gift from Paul.

Directors: Jason Winer
Writer: Donick Cary
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Normal
star
7.60
3934 votes

#14 - Normal

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/10/2012

Jess nervously invites Russell to spend the weekend at the loft. Winston gets a job at a sports radio station.

Directors: Jesse Peretz
Writer: Luvh Rakhe
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Pilot
star
7.60
6403 votes

#15 - Pilot

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/20/2011

After leaving her long-time boyfriend, Jess moves into an apartment with three men, and tries to re-enter the dating world.

Directors: Jake Kasdan
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Bad in Bed
star
7.56
4788 votes

#16 - Bad in Bed

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/6/2011

When Jess decides to take her relationship with Paul to the next level, she consults with the guys. Schmidt competes with his office female counterpart.

Directors: Jesse Peretz
Writer: Josh Malmuth
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Story of the 50
star
7.52
4704 votes

#17 - The Story of the 50

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/17/2012

When Schmidt's plans for his 29th birthday fall apart, Jess takes charge. Nick begrudgingly has his first date with a beautiful lawyer at Schmidt's party.

Directors: Troy Miller
Writer: Luvh Rakhe
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Thanksgiving
star
7.51
4778 votes

#18 - Thanksgiving

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/15/2011

Jess hosts Thanksgiving dinner at the loft, which naturally goes horribly awry.

Directors: Miguel Arteta
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Bully
star
7.49
4151 votes

#19 - Bully

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/21/2012

When Jess tries to stop a bully at school, she finds herself the target of the bad seed student. The woman Schmidt has been seeing wants to keep their relationship secret.

Directors: Daniel Attias
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Wedding
star
7.49
5127 votes

#20 - Wedding

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/4/2011

Nick is fearful that he'll run into his ex-girlfriend at a wedding, so he asks Jess to be his date. Winston gets competitive as an usher.

Directors: Jason Winer
Writer: Donick Cary
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Control
star
7.48
4451 votes

#21 - Control

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/13/2012

After Jess realizes that Schmidt is unfairly doing all of the housework, she pushes him to "go on strike." Nick scrambles when he must pay up to Winston after losing a poker game.

Directors: Jesse Peretz
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Injured
star
7.45
4303 votes

#22 - Injured

Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/6/2012

The gang rallies together and Nick evaluates his life when his seemingly innocuous back injury may prove to be more serious than thought.

Directors: Lynn Shelton
Watch Now:Apple TV
Kryptonite
star
7.31
5424 votes

#23 - Kryptonite

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/27/2011

Nick and Schmidt convince Jess to get her stuff out of her ex-boyfriend's apartment. Jess meets new roommate Winston, who has returned from playing basketball abroad.

Directors: Jake Kasdan
Watch Now:Apple TV
Bells
star
7.29
4792 votes

#24 - Bells

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/29/2011

Jess gets jealous when Winston joins her troubled-youth handbell quartet. Nick and Schmidt each have their own idea of how to fix their broken toilet.

Directors: Peyton Reed
Writer: Luvh Rakhe
Watch Now:Apple TV