Photo by Patrick McElhenney

Not only did New Girl squeak by with a renewal for a seventh and final season, but it will launch into the last hurrah with a three-year time jump.

Fox's Zooey Deschanel-led comedy was reportedly facing cancellation after once being expected to pickup a 13-episode season. Instead, it will see an eight-episode final installment likely airing in early 2018. 

According to Deadline, creator/executive producer Liz Meriwether made a last-minute pitch for final arc with the leap in time, picking up three years after the season 6 final, which saw Deschanel's Jess and Jake John's Nick reunite; and Cece (Hannah Simone) and Schmidt (Max Greenfield) learn they're going to be parents; while Winston (Lamorne Morris) called his father.

The final season will see the characters face significant milestones, with a "big one" in the series finale next spring.