Elizabeth Meriwether's sitcom New Girl introduced Megan Fox’s Reagan Lucas for six episodes after Zooey Deschanel exited on maternity leave, but while she returned later on, she didn't stay forever — here is the Megan Fox New Girl exit explained. Reagan was popular among fans of the series and became a recurring character throughout season 6 when Nick rents out Jess' room while she's away on jury duty to pay for Schmidt's bachelor party. But considering the character was introduced as a filler for Deschanel’s Jess, her story arc was never intended to last long and, as a result, the Megan Fox New Girl run ended when season 6 wrapped.

Nick and Reagan hit it off and form a romantic relationship with one another. Once Jess returned, the Megan Fox New Girl arc seemed to come to a close, but it was reignited in season 6, and Nick’s romantic interest in Reagan caused drama between the roommates for 22 episodes. By the end of Reagan and Nick’s relationship, he discovers his true feelings for Jess and vice versa. The two end up together, just as every fan of the show had hoped. Fox only returned to New Girl after popular demand, but her character arc always had a definite end planned.

Megan Fox’s Character Arc Ended

Reagan Lucas Nick Miller New Girl Megan Fox

Ultimately, Megan Fox’s New Girl character Reagan Lucas played her part in creating tension for the series as it was nearing its end. After approximately six years, New Girl season 7 closed the book on Jess’s story. As the will-they-won’t-they trope continued to play a major role in the program, Nick and Jess’s relationship grew stale. The addition of Reagan reinvigorated it by creating a new layer of the possibility that they probably wouldn’t end up together. Furthermore, she is the exact opposite of Jess which makes her nearly perfect for Nick.

For better or worse, New Girl's Jess and Nick were always meant to wind up together, they just needed the additional push of the Megan Fox New Girl character to get to where they were. By the time the two main characters express their love for one another, New Girl had no reason to keep Reagan as a cast member. She served her purpose and was no longer needed. Undoubtedly, Fox was also ready to move on. Her personal life was expanding with the birth of her third son, Journey River Green, in 2016, and she chose to focus on feature-length films over TV programs.

New Girl’s Reagan Lucas was essential for the development of the other characters, and the Megan Fox New Girl run didn't end because of anything other than her character's story running its course in season 6. Her character chose to take a cushy job elsewhere - her dream job - which meant she didn't exit on a bad note. After season 7, New Girl came to a close with Nick and Jess happily married and moving towards building their future together.

The Impact Of The Megan Fox New Girl Exit On The Show

Megan Fox smiling as Reagan on New Girl.

Because she fulfilled exactly the role she was meant to, why Megan Fox left New Girl wasn't salacious, and it ended up significantly helping the show move forward. Just as Megan Fox herself moved onto greener pastures, Reagan moved on with her life, leaving Nick and Jess free to be together. But without the temporary roadblock Reagan imposed on their relationship, Nick and Jess may not have gotten together at all. As such, Megan Fox's New Girl exit was an improvement on the show – not because her character was bad or disliked, but because her inclusion was necessary for that brief window of time and nothing more.

How Megan Fox Approached Filling In For Zooey Deschanel On New Girl

Reagan talking to Jess in New Girl

The Megan Fox New Girl arc may have been short-lived, but Reagan did face some success on the show. Megan Fox spoke with People about having to fill in for Deschanel's absence, while giving some background on her character. Fox mentions that Reagan is a pharmaceutical rep that often finds herself being set up in terrible hotels, so finding Nick's rental had to be a relief. She also mentioned that the storyline between her and Cece on New Girl was really fun to play out, commenting also on Schmidt's reaction, "He doesn’t think that’s hot or exciting. It’s just like, ‘Oh my God. Panic attack.’ So that was really fun."