Nobody Wants This is now streaming on Netflix.
By Elazar Abrahams
Nobody Wants This is Netflix’s latest attempt to capture rom-com magic, but instead of a one-and-done feature like Set It Up or Always Be My Maybe, this series serves up ten lighthearted episodes of an odd-couple romance. Unfortunately, despite some unique fixtures on a “will they or won’t they story,” the show is ultimately quite forgettable.
Kristen Bell and Adam Brody star as Joanne and Noah. Joanne is a sex and relationships podcaster, and more crucially, an atheist. Noah is a Rabbi. Oops! The two meet at a dinner party, and despite their vastly different worlds, they hit it off. While this premise is enticing and the chemistry between the two is there, it’s far from electric. Across the season, their relationship never has enough cute or meaningful moments to make viewers truly invested, especially when the consequences of their unorthodox love affair are weighty if they choose to stay together.
Bell’s Joanne is plucky and spirited — she remains a joy to watch in any project she’s in. Brody has grown up a lot since his days as Seth Cohen on The O.C., trading the timid nerdiness for Rabbi Noah, who radiates charm. That inherent boyishness is still there in his face, though, and it’s his gift as an actor.
One of the show’s real successes lies in its portrayal of Judaism. The show handles Jewish customs with care, never straying into offensive territory, even as the humor occasionally leans on stereotypes, particularly with Noah’s overbearing mother, played by Tovah Feldshuh. The show offers a glimpse into the challenges of interfaith relationships, like when Joanne, in a major faux pas, brings a prosciutto platter to a family gathering. These cultural differences are treated sensitively, and there’s a layer of authenticity that’s often missing in similar shows, making the cultural representation one of its more commendable aspects.
But as far as rom-coms go, Nobody Wants This doesn’t quite excel in either the “rom” or the “com.” The comedy can feel a bit tired, and the romance never quite reaches the swoon-worthy heights that make for an unforgettable love story. Still, the show manages to offer a few refreshingly sharp moments, like when Joanne gets relationship advice from a group of scathing teenagers at Noah’s summer camp.
Surprisingly, it’s the side characters that steal the show as the season progresses. Timothy Simons and Justine Lupe, playing the siblings of Noah and Joanne, respectively, provide some of the more compelling storylines. Their budding friendship starts to overshadow the central romance, which is both a blessing and a curse. You almost wish the show had leaned into their dynamic a little more, given the main couple’s lackluster arc.
Like a synagogue sermon you doze off to, Nobody Wants This shows promise but ultimately just fills time.
I give Nobody Wants This a B-.
TV and City 