Portrayed by: Jake Johnson
Show: New Girl
New Girl’s Nick Miller, like Parks and Recreation’s Ben Wyatt, feels like someone we’d all know—a real-life book boyfriend and, at times, a (delightful) human disaster. He’s imperfect, flawed, well-written, hilarious, and perhaps, most importantly, relatable.
There’s a real lack of writers on our screens, and when we do get depictions of them, they’re either stereotypical or so successful that only a select few could relate to them. Nick, however, is more akin to how we are in the real world—critical, self-deprecating, irritated, inspired, and often battling the worst parts of imposter syndrome. At the same time, how he goes from point A to point B allows him to feel more grounded. He’s also a proven excellent kisser (this is a fact; I will not hear any arguments).
Nick Miller Is a Mess (And That’s Okay)
One of the reasons many of us often go back to New Girl as a series is because the characters have very little together. They’re messy and complex, and almost everything they do is rooted in their desire to make something of themselves. They’re also living in LA, which is a whole other demon in and of itself. And Nick is a mess. No, truly. As someone who’s more like Schmidt, I would not do well living with a Nick Miller, but he’s delightful enough that I suppose he gets a pass. Because in truth, even though Nick often leaves things to the last minute and makes bonkers (and wrong) comments like “I don’t wash the towel, the towel washes me,” his complexities make him an excellent friend. Because he knows what internal chaos and heartache are like, he could extend that to his friends and be there for them in ways no one else could.
It’s riveting that even though he has very little together, he often sees everyone’s complexities best. Nick accepts their imperfections and welcomes all parts of those he cares for. Because really, even those of us who are more organized have messiness in our characteristics that we don’t embrace as much as Nick embraces his. The character then becomes a reminder of how raw and human our imperfections are compared to the more polished parts we express ourselves with.
He’s the only person who doesn’t see how incredible he is—the only person who doesn’t know he isn’t a detour but a choice. So much of this comes to life exceptionally at the end of Season 5 when he shows up for Schmidt’s wedding but also opens up to Jess about feeling like he isn’t enough for Reagan. She reminds him then that his worth is something they all see, and it allows Nick to finally take charge. There, he also gets the inspiration to ultimately start writing the novel he’s been struggling through, which is also something that feels so natural because sometimes, it’s leaving our comfort zone and trying to make it elsewhere where the words start pouring.
So much changes around Schmidt’s wedding because that’s also something that happens naturally for people when the person closest to them ties the knot. And one of the best parts of this arc is seeing how he stands up to Schmidt’s dad after all the years he’s had to pick up the pieces. Notably, this isn’t the only time Nick does something admirable for his friends, and in truth, it’s impossible to list all the small but monumental ways he shows up for people. Is he deeply selfish at times? Absolutely, and that’s human. But his heart is enormous, and when he shows up, things really do change for people. They need him as much as he needs them.
The Grump Next Door
Nick Miller is the best kind of grump—the one who combats all his pain by screaming and grumbling. Though he’s struggled, in the few scenes we get of Nick with his family, we see proof of how people have always relied on him and how he’s tried to consistently be there for them. He begrudgingly picks up all the pieces, gets confused, and fumbles, but at the end of the day, he knows what people deserve. He wants to be there for those he cares for, even while he’s annoyed. His laziness also intricately examines how creative people can get so overwhelmed at times that doing anything but moping around is impossible.
In this way, is Nick really the grump next door, or is he the frustrated writer trying to make ends meet? Also, is he wrong for constantly being annoyed when he lives in LA? As someone who lives in LA, I can heartily say that he isn’t because if he’s wrong, then I’m wrong, too.
The grump next door is, in truth, a little broken. He’s self-aware enough to leave law school because he hates who he’s becoming, and he knows himself well enough to accept what irritates him and what doesn’t. These are some of the pragmatic characteristics that make Nick so easily relatable because we all know someone who’s rightfully frustrated by anything and everything and outright tired.
Still, he publishes the book—he chooses to be brave and finds love with Jess again, even when he’s someone who gets easily attached and breaks in the process. The breakup with Caroline shatters Nick, and afterward, so does the belief that he isn’t good enough for Jess. It’s why he continues to believe he’s a failure. It’s why, even when he does make various situations work, there’s still that trickle of doubt that never fully leaves him because it’s something we’re all sadly stuck with. It’s a realistic creative battle, but Nick Miller, at the end of the day, continues to try. He makes it—he learns to realize that he’s not only worthy of love but great love. He deserves success, joy, and the same goodwill that he shows others.
His lack of hygiene might still require a plethora of work, but maybe (hopefully) Covid-19 made him reconsider his ways, and in some fictional world, he now knows how soap and towels work. Still, Nick Miller is a hilariously charming and grumpy work in progress, brought to life by an incredible actor who always knew how to bring the best of the character to the surface. It’s hard to imagine whether Nick would be as great if Jake Johnson wasn’t the one embodying him.
First Featured Image Credit: ©20th Century Studios