When “Nobody Wants This’’ debuted in the fall of 2024, it received praise for “resuscitating the rom-com.” After scoring a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and receiving multitudes of critical acclaim, Kristen Bell and Adam Brody rode the wave of success into the awards season. The two received acting nominations at both the Golden Globe and Emmy award ceremonies.
The series had a mix of it all — romance, comedy and religious debate — while remaining extremely bingeable. Netflix subscribers demanded season two as fast as they could serve it up. A little over a year later, the anticipated new season has dropped, and there is one question on every returning viewer’s mind: Did it live up to the hype? After binge-watching the show, I can unconfidently say yes.
The second season begins with the couple’s first dinner party, a hallmark of every stereotypical adult relationship. But if there is one takeaway from the first season, interfaith relationships can be contentious — both familially and professionally.
When Joanne implies that she and Noah will be pursuing an interfaith relationship, Noah is thrown off-balance. Evidently, the two had a misunderstanding about what season one’s ending phrase “I choose you” meant. While Joanne took it as Noah wanting her for who she is, Noah assumed her future conversion to the Jewish faith was implied. Yikes!
Joanne’s struggle with converting was an important plot device in the final episodes of season one, and it remains central to season two’s conflict. However, the focus on her religious path takes away from Joanne’s spunky personality, and the outspoken woman we knew appears less vibrant.
This ripples into other parts of the show, including the iconic podcast she has with her sister Morgan — played by Justine Lupe. Their podcast provided a unique, comedic outlet for the duo, but the program goes almost completely unmentioned in the new episodes, rendering one of Joanne’s character outlets null and void. The conversion conversation grows tiresome, leaving me wishing that the couple had made faster progress on this issue throughout its ten-episode duration.
Kristen Bell’s talent serves her well on television, as evidenced by her leading roles in both Veronica Mars and The Good Place. Here, she makes her character’s repetitive dilemma new and refreshing, even when the topic overstays its welcome.
To correct the show’s criticized portrayal of Jewish women, the new showrunners have removed the antagonistic personalities of both Bina, Noah’s mother, and Esther, Noah’s sister-in-law. Through doing so, they cut the mother’s screen time and left Esther with a midlife marital crisis. While seeing less from Bina is upsetting, Esther’s struggles work to humanize her harsh personality, allowing the audience to relate to her on a deeper level, though it feels almost out of character.
Choosing to lessen the vindictive portrayal of Noah’s female relatives instead funnels the interfaith tension into Noah. While his family previously pressured Noah into a Jewish marriage, they now back off, and Bina even befriends Joanne’s sister. When his boss passes over him for head rabbi, he resigns and takes a job at a “groovy” alternative temple.
It seems like the only person who does not want the relationship to work is Noah himself. He is left having to decide how much he’s willing to budge on the importance of faith in his relationship.
Morgan — Joanne’s sister and my personal favorite character — remains compelling because she remains steadfast in her decisions. She serves as a relatable figure for other women in their twenties and a role model for a healthy adult friendship with Noah’s brother, Sasha. Her newfound relationship with her therapist, Dr. Andy, has a morally grey premise, but it provides a source of comedic effect and depth to the character. She feels like love is a race she is struggling to keep up with as people close to her fall in love. But throughout the season, this motif of the “right speed” for a relationship is questioned and critiqued. Does it actually exist? Is there a way to go too fast or too slow?
The new season has an exciting number of cameos from a variety of actors. Seth Rogan has a recurring role as Rabbi Neil, Noah’s new employer at Temple Ahava. Leighton Meester, Brody’s wife in real life, is perfectly cast as Joanne’s middle school ex-friend she holds a grudge against. D’Arcy Carden returns shortly as Ryann, depressed over a breakup, and Joanne’s kooky parents are given more screentime for their absurd but lovable relationship. The only one missing is fan-favorite Shiloh Bearman as Miriam. Where is she?
If season one was the honeymoon phase of a relationship with high stakes and vibrant colors, season two is what happens once you’re three months in, and you have to get serious about what you want. It is less exciting to watch but important for character growth. While I wanted more of that clever writing and compelling relationship that made the story stand out, I appreciate the fleshing out of the supporting cast. Vanderbilt students can enjoy watching the show as a break from their busy schedules, while simultaneously learning from Joanne’s attempts at embracing and respecting Judaism both as a religion and culture.
Regardless of the few missteps, the show has a lot to love, and the performances from Bell, Brody and Lupe are enthralling. If the showrunners allot more screen time for the podcast, bring back Joanne’s vibrant personality and move the couple in a forward direction, then everyone will want season three.
