Netflix Review: ‘Nobody Wants This’ is a Winning Religious Romantic Comedy

Can a rabbi and a non-Jew who runs a podcast about sex find happiness together? While that’s not the start to a joke, it is the premise of the Netflix comedy series Nobody Wants This, inspired by the real life of series creator Erin Foster. It’s a concept riddled with the possibility for stereotypes and cringe-worthy moments, and while it does deliver some of those, it turns out to be a surprisingly sweet and charming look at opposites attracting and the relatable challenges they face in determining whether or not they can actually be together.

Sparks fly when Joanne (Kristen Bell) meets Noah (Adam Brody) at a dinner party thrown by their mutual friend Ashley (Sherry Cola). Joanne, who hosts a successful and growing podcast with her sister Morgan (Justine Lupe), doesn’t know the first thing about Judaism, while Noah is a well-liked and ambitious assistant rabbi hoping to take over for his boss and become head rabbi at his temple. After initially deciding that they’re not even going to give romance a try, they soon find their attraction undeniable and begin spending more and more time together, putting off the inevitable need to consider whether they could truly have a shared future.

This show takes its title from the name of Joanne and Morgan’s podcast and applies it to the way that most people in both Joanne and Noah’s orbit react when they hear that they’re dating. Morgan knows her sister far too well to think that anything so serious with a put-together professional could possibly last, and Noah’s family and friends can’t believe that he would date someone who wasn’t Jewish, both because it’s important to him personally and quite critical professionally. Both are keenly aware of this lack of support, which first manifests in judgmental stares and not-quite-whispered condescending sentiments when she shows up to hear Noah give a sermon on a Friday night.

Fears of its title forecasting its audience appeal aren’t without solid reasoning, as certain moments are less palatable than others, like when Noah’s mother Bina (Tovah Feldshuh) angrily proclaims that Joanne is a shiksa when she first sees her. The show’s Jewish content isn’t entirely surface-level (though Joanne’s knowledge is, as she doesn’t know basic terms like Shabbat or Shalom, but at least she asks the questions), and Noah conveys a clear passion for his religion when telling Joanne about it. He’s also earned the nickname Hot Rabbi, which makes his pursuit of a non-Jewish woman even more scandalous for the adoring members of his congregation, from mothers and grandmothers peddling their offspring to teenagers with hopeless crushes.

Bell and Brody have undeniable chemistry, which makes up for any of the setup’s shortcomings. Their banter is witty and extremely entertaining, and they also handle the dramatic moments very well. Joanne is like a real-life version of Eleanor from The Good Place, someone who knows that she’s not particularly nice and still wants people to like her but isn’t quite as exaggerated as Bell’s previous character. That Noah sees her as entirely endearing only makes the attraction stronger, and devotees of Brody’s who first watched him on The O.C. two decades ago will find much to like about Noah’s rabbinic persona and vibe.

The mark of a great show is its ability to engage not just with its central storyline but its supporting arcs as well, and this one definitely does that. The best example is in the unlikely friendship that forms between Morgan and Noah’s brother Sasha (Timothy Simons), who identifies them both as the “loser siblings” who should team up given that they’re in the shadow of their much more successful family members. Lupe, a familiar face from Succession, adds a fantastic sinister flair to Morgan, while Simons tones down his antics from Veep for a more palatable supporting comic relief. Other standouts from the cast include Jackie Tohn as Sasha’s wife Esther, who has no interest in getting to know or even tolerating Joanne, mainly because her best friend is Noah’s recent ex Rebecca, played by an equally terrific Emily Arlook.

The first season of Nobody Wants This runs ten episodes, offering a healthy mix of humor, romance, and enticing drama. Each installment of twenty to thirty minutes feels packed with content yet still ends on an inviting note, which will likely result in most audiences binging their way through the entire series in no time. Fortunately, there’s room for more storytelling, since the formula used here, however risky, manages to work extremely well and suggest not just that its central relationship is enduring but that the show featuring it absolutely deserves more time to explore all its elements.

Series Rating: 8/10

Awards Buzz: Neither star managed to get major awards attention for their past signature roles, but it’s possible that, at this point in their careers and if the show goes over well enough, they might be able to attract some Golden Globe love for a fun show that speaks to their strengths as performers.