It's really fun to consider how a modern-day show might look had it been made in the past, as well as a retro show made in the present. New Girl is one of those sitcoms that could have been just as hilarious had it been made decades ago as it is in present day.
The characters are timeless as are the main storylines. In fact, in the '80s, there were plenty of great sitcoms about groups of people or pairs of friends living together, like The Facts of Life, Three's Company, and The Golden Girls.
Of course, most of the actors in New Girl were born in the 1980s, so they wouldn't be available to play their characters. But there were some great actors of that decade that would perfectly pull off each one.
Jessica Day: Ally Sheedy
Zooey Deschanel is the perfect mix of quirky, cute, and sexy to play Jessica Day. And while Molly Ringwald arguably got most of the top roles of the '80s, Sheedy might have been a better fit.
A member of the Brat Pack of young actors who often worked together in movies in the '80s, she is known for roles in The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo's Fire, and War Games, which remains the highest-rated Brat Packer movie. Most of her characters were more moody and depressing than Jessica's upbeat character, but a comedy would have been the perfect new role to diversify her resume.
Nick Miller: Anthony Michael Hall
Perpetually lazy and unmotivated yet smarter than the ditzy guy he sometimes comes across as being, Nick was one of the most hilarious characters on the series. Jake Johnson brought a quirky, funny, and endearing quality to a character that most might have considered lost and directionless in life.
Anthony Michael Hall, another Brat Packer, always provided comic relief in whatever movie he was in, from Sixteen Candles to The Breakfast Club and Weird Science. He was often the oddball, nerdy friend. He could pull off Nick's combination of cool and strange, though only if the film was made later in the decade since Hall was still a teenager for most of the '80s.
Schmidt: Matt Dillon
Schmidt was a womanizer with secret insecurities, having struggled with his weight for much of his youth. He was funny, charming, yet often annoying. Dillon catapulted to teen idol status in the '80s with roles in movies like The Outsiders, Rebel, and Drugstore Cowboy.
In his twenties during that decade, Dillon would have made a great Schmidt, combining his comedy experience from movies like There's Something About Mary and You, Me and Dupree with an ability to portray Schmidt's vulnerabilities and suave, charming side. Max Greenfield, who has amassed a pretty versatile résumé, nailed the role. But back in the '80s, Dillon could have done just the same.
Cece Parekh: Demi Moore
The '80s were ruled by the Brat Pack of young actors, and none more so than Demi Moore, who went on to become an A-list movie star, making her arguably the most successful Brat Packer. She, too, mostly appeared in movies though she did get her start on television in the soap opera General Hospital.
Cece, played by Hannah Simone, captured the heart of Schmidt, the man who seemingly never wanted to settle down. That describes many of Moore's roles during that decade to a tee; she often played the love interest, like in movies such as No Small Affair and About Last Night…
Winston Bishop: Eddie Murphy
While he went on to become one of the most successful stand-up comedians of a generation, in the '80s, Eddie Murphy was just hitting his stride. He appeared in several comedic movies like 48 Hrs., Beverly Hills Cop, and Trading Places.
He has the same energetic, silly, goofy humor that actor Lamorne Morris brought to the role and could easily have made Winston the breakout star of the show instead of Schmidt.
Coach: Mario Van Peebles
Coach was an interesting character in that, while he started out as a main character, because actor Damon Wayans, Jr. was appearing on another show at the time as well, he was replaced by Winston. However, Coach returned in main then a guest starring role.
In his thirties in the '80s, Van Peebles would have been a suitable choice for the role. Mostly known for his work behind the camera as a director, he, like Wayans Jr., is the son of a famous actor (Melvin Van Peebles). He only had a few acting roles in the 1980s, including The Sophisticated Gents, Exterminator 2, and as the lead in the movie Rappin'. But he had some comedy experience, too, in the movie Delivery Boys, as well as sitcom experience with an appearance on the series The Cosby Show.
Aly Nelson: Angela Bassett
One of the most talented actors of this generation, Bassett continues to act in starring and award-winning roles, both in movies and on television. In the '80s, before her career-defining role as Tina Turner in the biopic What's Love Got to Do with It, she was doing quite a bit of television work.
She appeared in the TV movie Doubletake and feature films F/X and Boyz n the Hood. Bassett's career really didn't start to pick up until the '90s, but in the '80s, the recurring role of Aly (Nasim Pedrad), a sweet yet also tough-as-nails police officer, might have been right up her, well, alley, as she continued to build her resume.
Robby: Rick Moranis
Before Moranis took a break from acting to care for his children following his wife's death, his career was on an upward trajectory. He was one of the most beloved names in comedy, starring in hit movie after hit movie, from Strange Brew to Little Shop of Horrors, Spaceballs, Ghostbusters, and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.
Played by Nelson Franklin, Robby was a recurring character who appeared in a total of 18 episodes over four seasons. But Moranis could have brought a lot of life to the character, including in the many hilarious scenes the character shared with Schmidt and Cece. Plus, the signature dark-rimmed glasses Robby wears pay perfect homage to Moranis' recognizable style.
Reagan: Heather Locklear
Megan Fox's role as Raegan required her to play a mysterious and beautiful woman who grabbed the attention of someone like Nick, not to mention most people who crossed paths with her. She had an electric quality that instantly drew people to her.
Heather Locklear was known in the '80s for similar qualities and for playing "bad girl" roles, most notably as Sammy Jo on Dynasty. So, it would not be a stretch at all for her to have played the free-spirited and beautiful Reagan.
Sam Sweeney: Rob Lowe
The dashing doctor Sam (David Walton) might have been considered the "one that got away" and the only other person with romantic potential for being a good match for Jessica had she not already had such deep feelings for Nick.
Lowe is the perfect charming, handsome, chiseled actor to have played the character. During the '80s while he was a member of the Brat Pack, he appeared in such movies as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, and St. Elmo's Fire. But he has since proven himself a versatile actor who can take on comedy as well, in roles on series like Parks and Recreation and in movies like Austin Powers. Most of Sam's scenes were of the dramatic kind, anyway. Nonetheless, Lowe had just the right look to play the character back then and give him a slight edge.