Most sitcoms have running jokes, but some shows do it better than others. New Girl is one of those shows that has the ongoing joke thing down to a T. The jokes range from brilliant and fleshed out to silly and surface level, but every single one of them defines the show and gives it its charm.

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Friends had the "We were on a break!" joke, and How I Met Your Mother had the "legen-wait for it- dary!" bit. So you may be wondering: what jokes did New Girl have that made it such a staple?

Mess Arounds

cece winston nwe girl

Winston is always messing around. He is so fun, always keeping things weird and interesting. One of his funniest bits is when he brings up his "Mess Arounds." He and Cece have the most notable mess arounds, "a classic Cece-and-Winston-Mess-Around," specifically when they talk about how they became such good friends. Winston had a Chaka Khan CD and Cece had a pair of stilettos on. They messed around, dancing to the music, and the rest is history.

Although Winston gets the occasional pushback when he labels things as "mess arounds," he still persists. He's tried to have mess arounds with both Coach and Cece. The fact that anyone would give pushback on a Winston mess around is mind-boggling.

True American

new girl apartment

Ah, the drinking game of all drinking games. This game has rules no one can accurately decipher, although some of them are very clear. Some including that the floor is lava, it's got a loose Candy Land like structure, an alternate zone is a crazy zone, whenever someone yells "JFK" you yell back "FDR" and then chug your beer, and it all starts off with a shotgun tip-off.

This game comes up throughout the show, each time with hilarious new rules and sequences. The game is so fun to watch, you will feel as if you are playing with the squad in 4D.

Winston Pranking Extremes

winston prank new girl

Winston really supplies some of the best content on this show. Coining himself as "Prank Sinatra," Winston loves to pull pranks throughout the series. The only problem is his pranks are either way too small, or way too big. He cannot find the balance, but he still finds his pranks hilarious no matter what.

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One time when he goes too big, he fakes an eviction notice to make Nick and Jess move out of 4D. But one time when he goes too small, he puts a blueberry in Schmidt's cereal. It is truly a hilarious piece of comedy that is woven throughout the show and always gets the laugh.

Ferguson

winston and ferguson in new girl

Winston is obsessed with his cat. He takes weekly selfies with Ferguson, he considers bringing Ferguson on dates, he personifies Ferguson when he calls Jess Ferguson's sister, and he even tries to get Ferguson laid. A lot of cat owners can definitely relate to this, but the love affair between Winston and his pet is adorable and sometimes slightly unhinged.

Ferguson comes into Winston's life when he babysits him for his girlfriend Daisy, while she's out of town. After he finds out Daisy is cheating on him, he decides that Daisy doesn't deserve Ferguson. He keeps him, and Ferguson joins the family in the loft of 4D.

Tran

Nick's best friend Tran is another great ongoing bit. Not to say their friendship is a bit, but Nick's ability to understand him when Tran never speaks is hilarious. Viewers know next to nothing about Tran but love him nonetheless.

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He helps Nick through some of his darkest times, and even introduces him to his granddaughter who Nick dates for a period on the show. It's always exciting when Tran comes to the show. His smile never ceases to make us smile in return.

Outside Dave

Outside Dave and Nick sitting outside on the ground on New Girl

Outside Dave is a homeless man who lives outside the loft. He always causes a ruckus, either throwing trash or just bothering them as they leave the apartment. But behind all the chaos, Outside Dave seemingly does what he does out of love.

He always finds ways to intertwine himself into the squad's lives. He may live outside, but he is inside our hearts. He also has some very funny quotes throughout the series.

Nick Can't Lie

Nick shrugging and smiling in New Girl

Nick can't lie. He is so bad at lying, he drips sweat when he even attempts it. Actually, he doesn't drip sweat, he gushes sweat. He becomes drenched and it is his big tell when he is trying to lie. He had to lie to the cops when Jess thought she had meth in her apartment, and he drips sweat. He also has trouble lying to a guy Jess likes pretending that he is her gay ex-boyfriend.

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The only time Nick lies successfully is when he pretends to be one of Jess's dancing roommates who they call, "The Leaper." Another hilarious thing Nick does when he is nervous is a panic moonwalk. He will exit the scene in a moonwalk to get out of any situation.

Schmidt Cleaning Things

Schmidt gives a thumbs up in New Girl

Schmidt is the neatest and tidiest character on the show. He even puts his coffee grounds in plastic bags when he throws them out to keep his trash clean. It's a constant theme throughout the whole show. Winston and Nick are so deeply aware of the ecosystem that cannot be messed with. Schmidt loves to clean and cook for his roommates.

In Season 1 Episode 16, Meet Hippie Schmidt, Jess throws off this ecosystem, and the loft falls into chaos. Jess convinces Schmidt to go back to his old ways, and everything falls back into place again. The only thing Schmidt can't do is his own laundry!

The Pepperwood Chronicles

Nick may pay his bills with his bartending gig but he is actually a writer. After many attempts to write a novel, he ultimately writes a book. It is a detective novel set in New Orleans called The Pepperwood Chronicles. 

Once the book comes out, thanks to Reagan, played by Megan Fox, Nick's career takes off. Nick's whole literary career is a trip. He has so much trouble writing, so when he is successful, it is a huge moment of joy on the show.

The Douchebag Jar

The Douchebag Jar is introduced in the pilot. When Schmidt says douchey things, he has to put money in the Douchebag Jar. Some notable times he has to put money in the jar are when he meets Cece, when he can't find his driving moccasins anywhere, and when utters the iconic quote, "Jess are you cooking a frittata in a saucepan? What is this, prison?"

It is a hilarious gag, but it is also a metaphor for Schmidt growing up. When Schmidt and Cece get married in the season five finale, Schmidt steps on The Douchbag Jar, as it is a tradition in Jewish weddings to break glass by stepping on it.

NEXT: New Girl: Schmidt's 10 Funniest One Liners