The new Netflix romantic comedy series Nobody Wants This is one of the year’s most pleasant surprises. The series comes from Erin Foster, a triple threat behind the camera despite coming from some of the world’s most attractive bloodlines. She was formerly a writer for the acclaimed sitcom The New Normal and is the creator of the popular mockumentary series Barely Famous.
To top it off, her sister, Sara Foster (The Big Bounce, Entourage), is the creative head behind the dating app Bumble. So, when you put them all together and shake it up, you get Nobody Wants This, a thoroughly funny, charming, and sexy new streaming series about a sex and relationship podcaster and a Jewish Rabbi. The laughs come hard, and the sparks fly.
However, what’s unexpected is the series’ big, gigantic, compassionate heart.
For lack of a better term, Adam Brody (The O.C., American Fiction) and Kristen Bell (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Veronica Mars) have exceptional and palpable chemistry in Nobody Wants This. Bell plays Joanne, who co-hosts a very popular podcast with her sister, Morgan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Justine Lupe), where they discuss Joanne’s embarrassing relationships.
Think of it as if Taylor Swift would talk about her ex-boyfriends through on-demand audio instead of writing songs in musical burn books.
Joanne’s friend, Ashley (Joy Ride’s Sherry Cola), knows her friend has a delightfully “bad” personality that no one can resist. That includes Noah (Adam Brody), an empathetic and self-deprecating Rabbi who enjoys a drag of a cigarette and a few good lines from the Talmud to drop the mic with at dinner parties. Noah is just getting over a breakup with Rebecca (You People’s Emily Arlook), and he and Joanne hit it off famously.
What Nobody Wants This does so well is gently weave provocative relationship topics into conversations about honesty and communication. Bell’s Joanne is naturally curious about how Judaism influences relationships for a Rabbi. For instance, is Brody’s Noah allowed to have sex? Meanwhile, he is curious whether Jewish blood runs in her family line. As he explains, repopulating the ranks is essential to his work.
While the leads are naturally attractive, we begin to see how being open, honest, and vulnerable with each other is sexy in itself. You can’t buy that type of emotional intimacy so early on. When it happens, it’s like lightning in a bottle. By the end of the first episode, you can’t take your eyes off the newly minted couple, “Joah” (I know, it’s a gift).
You root for them almost immediately.
Nobody Wants This has an exceptional supporting cast, which helps build a strong sense of community around. In particular, the siblings—played by Justine Lupe and Veep’s Timothy Simons, who portrays Noah’s brother—are hilarious. Lupe’s sharp jabs cut like a knife, and Simons’ aloofness is funny and endearing. Paul Ben-Victor and Tovah Feldshuh, who play Noah’s parents, also bring moments of tenderness that are complementary.
However, the real draw here is the exploration of the relationship between Noah and Joanne. The series doesn’t shy away from real-world issues like culture, community, identity, and shared family beliefs. Yes, the material is comedic. Yet, the talents of the leads navigate the minefield in such a genuine way you cannot help but be taken with them.
Admittedly, this Netflix series ending is a bit too saccharine for my tastes. Yet, Bell and Brody have such disarming chemistry that their interactions feel more authentic than most faux romances on the small or big screen. Ever since Brody’s wickedly good turn in The Kid Detective, it’s clear he can command a series as an adult, and along with Bell, they are winning here.
Nobody Wants This is currently available to stream exclusively on Netflix.
Nobody Wants This is a thoroughly funny, charming, and sexy new streaming series where the laughs come fast, the sparks fly, and it reveals an unexpectedly big, compassionate heart.
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I am a film and television critic and a proud member of the Las Vegas Film Critic Society, Critics Choice Association, and a 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes/Tomato meter approved. However, I still put on my pants one leg at a time, and that’s when I often stumble over. When I’m not writing about movies, I patiently wait for the next Pearl Jam album and pass the time by scratching my wife’s back on Sunday afternoons while she watches endless reruns of California Dreams. I was proclaimed the smartest reviewer alive by actor Jason Isaacs, but I chose to ignore his obvious sarcasm. You can also find my work on InSession Film, Ready Steady Cut, Hidden Remote, Music City Drive-In, Nerd Alert, and Film Focus Online.
