Nick Miller is one of the main characters of the show, New Girl, and his unique personality makes him one of the most beloved. Nick’s cynicism and dark humor make him relatable, and often make his jokes all the funnier. However, there are some moments from the series that showed some sad sides of Nick, proving that there was more to him than meets the eye.
Whether he was dealing with heartbreak or his self-esteem, he continually showed his authenticity clearly. This character is a complex and lovable person with some moments that made him relatable to every viewer.
Cancer Scare
One of the first episodes in the series that begins to tackle some serious issues is season 1, episode 15 in which Nick has a cancer scare. His reaction to the news of his possible diagnosis revealed a sadder side to this character, as his feelings about his worth began to come out. Nick made it clear in this episode, that he wasn’t satisfied with the way his life was going and wished that he had done more of the things he had planned. This situation showed some of Nick’s insecurities and added a lot of depth to his character.
Caroline
Nick Miller’s relationships throughout the series gave a lot of insight into his personality, and his relationship with Caroline showed some of the darker parts of him. When Caroline found out that Nick was dating Jess in season 4, she was quick to point out many of Nick’s flaws in their relationship, including his disinterest in Caroline. The fact that he was so uninterested in Caroline, but continued dating her, shows that there might have been some underlying reasons he was so hesitant to end things.
His Dad
One of the hardest moments that Nick Miller faced in the series was the loss of his dad. Nick’s relationship with his dad was definitely complicated and his childhood trauma affected his outlook on life in many ways.
Nick’s father’s unreliability led Nick to have some serious trust issues, as he often thought the world was out to get him, making it impossible for him to trust those closest to him. This complicated relationship, though, made Nick Miller resilient and a great friend in the end.
He Assumes The Worst
One of Nick Miller’s worst habits is always assuming the worst in any situation. This sad trait was revealed many times in the series, specifically during the episode in which Jess’s sister comes to visit. During this episode from season 3, some of Nick’s insecurities were addressed. While Jess was embarrassed by her sister and wanted to avoid Nick and her meeting, Nick assumed Jess was actually embarrassed by him. This assumption showed how hard on himself Nick could be, and how often he really doubted himself.
Expressing His Feelings
Throughout the entirety of New Girl, Nick Miller had a hard time expressing his feelings, especially romantically. This sad personality trait made his love life much more complicated than it needed to be, and also was a huge part of the reason Jess and Nick took so long to finally get together. Nick had difficulty showing vulnerability and often would not accept his feelings to avoid feeling hurt or heartbroken. Thankfully, he and Jess worked it out in the end and grew together.
His Insecurities
While Nick Miller had many love interests throughout the course of New Girl, his relationship with Julia proved to be the most revealing in a lot of ways. His and Julia’s demise was partially due to the fact that Nick was incredibly insecure with her. He was insecure from the beginning, as he felt inadequate to her due to his career and overall lifestyle.
This insecurity continued to grow as the relationship did, and when Julia gifted him a cactus before leaving on a work trip, he convinced himself that she was trying to end things. Ultimately, it was his insecurity in their relationship that led to their break-up.
His Doubts
An episode that showcased Nick Miller’s habit of doubting the authenticity of those around him was the episode, ‘Models’ in which Schmidt bought a cookie for Nick. This simple gesture, though, shocked Nick, as he couldn’t understand what would make Schmidt think of him, let alone, think to buy something for him. This sweet gesture from Schmidt was doubted by Nick and showed that he could have a truly pessimistic attitude about those closest to him.
Family Pressure
It became clear that Nick Miller had a completely different role in his family than he did with his friends when his roommates visited his family for his father’s funeral. Nick was seen in a completely different element in the season 2 episode, ‘Chicago’, as he acted as the caretaker for his family, which was the complete opposite of how he acted in his daily life. This episode showed that Nick felt lots of pressure to take care of his family, which is why he so easily stepped into the opposite role with his friends.
His Stubbornness
This quality of Nick Miller’s is less sad as it is funny, however, it got him into some heartbreaking situations. Nick’s stubborn personality and lack of compromise in his life, led him to many lonely moments. When Nick and Jess were going through their break-up, for example, he was unable to even think about compromising some of his ideas for his future for Jess’s and made it clear that his stubbornness could get the best of him sometimes.
His Communication
Perhaps one of the saddest things about Nick Miller was how clueless he was when it came to communication. Nick was typically a terrible communicator, and made situations extremely complicated because of it. One perfect example of this, is the first time Nick and Jess kissed in season 2, episode 15. Instead of communicating about it, he did his signature “moonwalk” and avoided confrontation. This tactic did not work and ended up hurting him.
