Fans of New Girl will recall that in the fifth season, a new character was introduced that changed the familiar dynamic of the hilarious sitcom. Reagan (Megan Fox) was a new roommate at the loft and stuck around for seasons 5 and 6.
Fans love Jess (Zooey Deschanel), Nick (Jake Johnson), Schmidt (Max Greenfield), and Winston (Lamorne Morris) because they're quirky and really care about one another. But Reagan wasn't the most well-drawn character on the show, and from a storytelling perspective, her addition didn't seem like the most logical thing. Let's take a look at the problems with this New Girl character.
Reagan's Introduction Doesn't Make Any Sense
Reagan's character was introduced on the show because Zooey Deschanel was pregnant. Jess went off for jury duty so the actress didn't have to shoot too many scenes during that time. Thus, Reagan moved into the loft with the rest of the gang.
This didn't feel like a natural character introduction, as it was obvious that this was the reason why she was suddenly on the show. Why would the other characters need a new roommate just because Jess had jury duty? It didn't make any sense. They wouldn't really need to rent out her room. Plenty of people do jury duty and still live in the same place.
Reagan And Nick's Relationship Feels Contrived
Instead of Reagan and Nick falling in love in a natural, believable way, it just seems like they become a couple out of the blue. Their romance feels contrived and it only gets worse the more time that Reagan is on the show.
This relationship is a sharp contrast to Jess and Nick's, which is adorable and makes sense because they were friends and roomies before becoming something more.
Some Of Her Storylines Seem Sexist
In the fifth season episode "The Decision," Reagan says that Winston and Nick should talk about which one of them should sleep with her, and if they can figure it out, she'll agree.
This seems like an odd storyline as it's pretty sexist. Instead of giving Reagan something more to do on the show, such as having an interesting profession or literally anything else, she's viewed as a sex object.
Brings Out Nick's Worst Qualities
Reagan is a confusing character because she brings out Nick's worst qualities. The pair has a lot of trouble talking about how they feel and so their romance ends up burning out.
Why was she introduced if she was just going to make Nick's commitment issues more obvious? He already had a bit of that with Jess, so this felt like more of the same.
She Doesn't Have A Memorable Personality; She's Just The Hot Girl
When fans of New Girl think about Reagan, it's tough to list any of her discernible personality traits. She stands out against the rest of the main characters who are so clearly defined.
Reagan is simply "the hot girl" who randomly showed up, and she isn't written well enough to be interesting.
She's Not Funny
New Girl is a unique sitcom because the characters have so many little quirks that often drive the plot forward, like in the season 2 episode "Cabin" when Nick drinks absinthe and starts saying totally strange things.
In contrast, Reagan isn't funny, so she seems like an odd addition to the show when the other characters make fans laugh out loud all the time.
She Is Barely On The Show At All
Reagan may appear in two seasons of New Girl, but when fans stop and think about it, she is really barely on the show.
There are always excuses why she isn't there, like the fact that she is always going on trips, but that just proves that she's not a very well-written character.
She Is Always Away From The Drama
By the time that Nick and Reagan are in a long-distance relationship, it's hard to know why she was even on the show at all.
She's always far away from the drama, and she just doesn't fit in with what's happening at the loft.
Her Bisexuality Isn't Made Visible Onscreen
When Reagan is introduced, fans learn that she's bisexual, but it isn't really explored properly or with a lot of care and attention. It's a missed opportunity, as she seemingly only exists in relation to Nick.
Her Exit From The Series Is Unsatisfying
When Reagan leaves New Girl, she's thinking about saying yes to getting promoted, and Nick says that she should definitely go for it and they shouldn't be together anymore.
It seemed like Reagan was gone as fast as she had appeared in the first place, and it just felt random. It would have been better if she had told Nick that she was leaving him. That would have at least given her character some agency, and it still would have given Nick and Jess the opportunity to realize that they needed to be together.