Yes, yes, hold your applause. Your favorite media reviewer is back at it again. This past weekend, I binged Nobody Wants This on Netflix, and let me just say, it’s just as excellent as everyone says it is.
The show follows 23-year-old Joanne (Kristen Bell), a podcast producer with a poor, promiscuous dating history, who’s looking to finally land a healthy relationship. Enter Noah (Adam Brody), a recently divorced (sort of?) hot rabbi who needs something different in his life. Someone different, that is. Adorable chaos ensues as the two explore the possibilities of a relationship with one another despite Joanne’s declining listeners and Noah’s disapproving family and religious community.
First off, this show is so quippy and fun. The script feels real, grounded in a way modern rom-coms tend not to be. The lingo is accessible and honestly hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud at Joanne’s joking nature or just the random situations she finds herself in. I will warn that the secondhand embarrassment is sometimes unbearable, but most scenarios are quickly resolved.
And that’s the major thing in this show…nothing fixable is left unresolved. That horrible “miscommunication” trope that is actually just lying is nonexistent? Hello?! It’s every girl’s dream. The characters suffer from challenges bigger than themselves and tackle the everyday mishaps as they come. It’s a beautiful thing to watch Noah’s calm, clear nature slowly change Joanne from a guarded individualist to an open, vulnerable woman. Neither character is perfect, but they’re actively honest with one another. They admit mistakes and navigate solutions. How refreshing.
The other element this series explores is religion. Joanne is a lot like me. She doesn’t necessarily subscribe to organized religion, but Noah’s literal job as a rabbi is something she finds both beautiful and respectable. She participates in his traditions while keeping her own, and while in their little bubble, the couple can avoid the tensions that come with different belief systems. However, the meat of the show comes from the overarching conflict that results from the pressure Joanne ultimately feels to convert. Of all the plot lines, I found myself most intrigued and emotionally wrecked by this one. It’s something so unique to explore in a genre that typically finds a way to wrap life up into a big, beautiful bow.
The characters throughout the series bring so much joy to the story as well. From Morgan and Sasha to Esther and Rebecca, everyone feels fleshed out and adds something to the overall show. It’s rare to feel like external characters in a rom-com are anything more than convenient advice-givers rather than true pillars for the plot to rest on. It feels loud and exciting and full, a lot like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (and not just because both shows feature Jewish characters at their centers).
I enjoyed Nobody Wants This even more than I anticipated, and I highly recommend it as your next weekend watch. And don’t worry folks, it’s already been renewed for a second season, so there will be no cruel cancellations here.
Happy binge-watching!