Anxious, overthinking girlies everywhere (I, included) have swiftly found solace in the Netflix new series Nobody Wants This, starring Adam Brody and the always-hilarious Kristen Bell. Nobody Wants This is a love letter to any girl who’s been afraid of being “too much” in a relationship and sheds light on the realistic complexities and fears any relationship holds. As a girl who easily finds herself scared to be vulnerable in relationships, especially romantic ones, I felt so seen watching Joanne and Noah’s love story unfold and even felt empowered to be vulnerable.
The show surrounds raunchy podcaster Joanne and Rabbi Noah who, undoubtedly, come from two very different lives. The show follows how they navigate their romance in their differing worlds consumed by contrasting expectations and obligations. Nobody Wants This asks the burning question: Can two people who love each other make it work against all odds? The answer is a resounding ‘Yes.’
The show sheds light on those high-maintenance girls who overthink and spiral over the worst-case scenario. It also shares the lesson that in love and life, you don’t need to be anyone other than yourself. In the series, Joanne is often scrutinized for being “too much” or “too scary” and while others encourage her to mask who she is, she knows that she doesn’t need to compromise who she is to be loved.
One notable scene in the show is when Noah inquires what Joanne’s biggest fear is, to which she answers (after deflecting with sarcasm obvi) that it’s “becoming emotionally dependent on a guy who will one day realize that [she’s] too much and break [her] heart.” Noah instantly validated her, accepting her and all of her flaws because there is no shame in being yourself in all of your vulnerability.
Nobody Wants This is the show we rom-com girlies have been waiting for because it encourages finding gentle, reassuring love instead of labeling the push and pull of toxicity as ‘love.’Coming from the modern world of mixed signals and attempting to decode the undecodable, Nobody Wants This is a refreshing reminder of what love can be. Gentle, easy, effortless, right, and most importantly: real. Goodbye, emotional unavailability, and hello, clear communication.
To my anxious girlies who find themselves stressing over finding their person and feeling like they’re “too much,” you will absolutely find the Noah to your Joanne who will embrace all that makes you, you.