All sitcoms that have aired after Friends have taken inspiration from the hit show. Whether it's the hangout spots, character types, or the Ross and Rachel "will they, won't they" back and fore. Of course, this means that any sitcom that comes after is inevitably compared to Friends.
And while New Girl is a fresh take on the sitcom formula, introducing its own fun and memorable tropes such as the gang playing "True American" throughout; fans are still unable to resist comparing the two and pairing up the New Girl loft-mates and supporting cast with their Friends counterparts.
Winston Bishop - Phoebe Buffay
New Girl's often unpredictable and outlandish loft mate is Winston. Whether it's taking care of his cat Ferguson or plotting his next strike as "Prank Sinatra," Winston is a fun-loving, hype-bringing prankster who will do anything for his friends.
In the same way, Phoebe is a free-spirited hipster type with an affinity for taking on multiple identities, such as her most popular "Regina Phalange." It is safe to contend that Winston and Phoebe would undoubtedly make the best prank duo. Their love for cats ("Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat...") and willingness to be unapologetically themselves would bind them together well.
Russell - Richard Burke
Russell is a rich, successful, and kind-hearted romantic interest of Jess's, whereas Richard is an empathetic and wise optometrist that has a deep and meaningful relationship with Monica. Both are the boyfriends just before the "love of their life" relationship for Jess and Monica respectively. Also, much like Richard and Monica, Russell reappears near the end to try and rekindle his relationship with Jess, to no avail.
Apart from their heartbreak, they are similar years of age, both living comfortably and with successful careers, they could easily sit down over a glass of wine and talk about the deep facets of life. They would make for an understanding, empathetic, and reasonable duo.
Outside Dave - Ugly Naked Guy
Outside Dave and Ugly Naked Guy are the comedic side pieces of the two sitcoms. While Outside Dave has more of a speaking role than his Friends counterpart, both serve the same purpose in their respective sitcoms - the comedic, occasionally reappearing neighbor.
At their core, they are unapologetically themselves. They tend to bring humor or discomfort to every situation and if they managed to sit on the same street corner, they would easily be a spectacle to behold or avoid at all costs. Nonetheless, they could be best friends.
Paul Genzlinger - Mike Hannigan
"Genzlinger!," the group always shouts as he enters the room. He typically responds in the most laid-back way. While Paul and Jess didn't originally work out, he still remained friends with the group and proved a loyal friend to each of them, even ending up in Schmidt's wedding party.
Phoebe's eventual husband Mike shares many of the same qualities. They both embody the "go with the flow" mantra, yet will do anything for the girls they love. Paul and Mike would be great counterparts as they support the freedom of Jess and Phoebe and make great, loyal friends.
Coach - Joey Tribbiani
One of the best New Girl characters, Ernie ("Coach") is New Girl's athletic, try-hard ladies' man. When he's not hooking up with people he trains at the gym, he's trying to meet girls at Nick and Schmidt's bar. Likewise, Joey is the notorious "player" character, trying to make it as an actor.
Coach and Joey's intelligence lies in other areas than book smart but both are passionate about their chosen careers. Coach and Joey could make for the perfect wingmen, bouncing slapstick humor and often silly interactions off of each other.
Schmidt - Monica Geller
Schmidt and Monica have many things blatantly in common, like an uptight attitude, extreme attention to detail, appreciation for higher products (at times), and both going on a weight loss journey. One thing the shows did differently is that Schmidt ends up with Cece earlier than Monica with Chandler, who had one of the best relationships on Friends.
Schmidt and Monica might prove the "opposites attract" trope wrong once and for all. They could easily team up to keep the loft the cleanest it's ever been, all while being the voice of reason (or at least worry) for their best friends.
Nick Miller - Chandler Bing
Both Chandler and Nick Miller spend the majority of their shows as the typical always-coming-undone character. Chandler, stuck in a dead-end job he hates, and Nick, perpetually promising to write a novel that takes years to materialize. Both are awkward around women and focus on their perpetual loneliness.
Nick and Chandler have similar humor and both bottle things up and deflect deep questions with petty excuses, making them ideal complements. They could probably be found in the corner of Nick's bar, lamenting over everything that's gone wrong for them that day.
Jessica Day - Ross Geller
Jess is the group's most optimistic and good-hearted member. She sees jury duty as an honor and has a desire to teach kids important things. Ross is also somewhat optimistic, as his common (though sometimes half-hearted) catchphrase is "it's fine. I'm fine." Jess's first years in the sitcom are cringeworthy, much like Ross's on Friends.
Jess and Ross both seem to attempt to act like they are easygoing, but in reality, are incredibly uptight. Jess and Ross would make perfect counterparts, as they would spur each other on with their love of academics and rule-following while admitting they are both a little cringy at times.
Cece Parekh - Rachel Green
Cece is a model and party girl, but her personality runs deeper than that. Rachel is beautiful and relied on her family's money, but she always wanted more than that. Cece and Rachel share many commonalities, like their love for fashion and desire to prove themselves as independent, strong women.
They may seem shallow at first, but really they are both deep, supportive, and intelligent friends. They would make great counterparts, always wearing the best clothes and supporting their type-A best friends.