20 best sitcom squads we want to be friends with

2. New Girl

Members: Our tried and true loft gang consisted of Jess (Zooey Deschanel), Nick (Jake Johnson), Winston (Lamorne Morris), Schmidt (Max Greenfield), and Cece (Hannah Simone). In the pilot, Coach (Damon Wayans Jr.) lived in the loft, but he wouldn’t return until season 3 and as a series regular in season 4. Other members temporarily joined the crew across seven seasons, such as Reagan (Megan Fox) and various significant others, but our core group remained the same.

Memorable moments: You would think that New Girl’s most memorable moment would be the collision of two worlds in the pilot, when Jess moved in with the guys and sent two cultures into shock. But once they meshed into a dysfunctional little family, their adventures ran the gamut. They’ve battled exes, endured career changes, and survived rocky romances. They went on a cruise, made Schmidt believe he corresponded with Michael Keaton, and went to a party at Prince’s house. Above all else, this group knew how to throw down a mean game of True American.

Running gags: The most prevailing running gag on New Girl was the fictional, nonsensical, and oddly political drinking True American, which newcomers to the loft never fully understood until they were one beer in. Other gags have included the “douchebag jar” (where Schmidt must deposit money when he’s being a, well, douchebag), Jess singing her thoughts and feelings, the classic Winston and Cece mess-around, Nick’s silent friend Tran, Winston’s cat Furguson, and Nick’s never-ending inability to properly pronounce or identify certain words.

Key episodes: “Thanksgiving,” “Katie,” “Pepperwood,” “Cooler,” “Parking Spot,” “Prince,” “Big News,” “Landline,” “Heat Wave,” “A Chill Day In,” “Five Stars for Beezus,” “Mario.”