Can a rabbi find happiness with a non-Jewish woman? That was the premise of the first season of Nobody Wants This which, despite much exploration, didn’t definitively answer that question but instead showed the many bumps along the way to realizing that the future doesn’t matter as much as the feelings its characters have in the moment that make them desperate to stay together. Season two jumps in without any necessary setup, further looking at a host of issues that come up and raise more red flags about how, even if everyone wants this, a perfect union doesn’t always seem like it’s in the cards.
Noah (Adam Brody) and Joanne (Kristen Bell) are happy, but that doesn’t mean they’ve addressed the fact that Noah still wants Joanne to convert and she isn’t any closer to seeing that path for herself. While they’re skirting that major obstacle, Joanne manages to get through to Esther (Jackie Tohn), who’s going through her own bumps with Sasha (Timothy Simons), Noah’s brother, while struggling more with Noah’s mother Bina (Tovah Feldshuh), and Noah finds himself stuck professionally. Joanne is also blindsided by the news that her sister Morgan (Justine Lupe) is involved in a serious relationship with therapist Dr. Andy (Arian Moayed).
Season one of this show worked so well not because it went deep on Judaism and the spiritual connection that Noah feels, but because Brody and Bell have such terrific chemistry. That’s still true, though there seem to be more downs than ups this time around. While Noah does occasionally convey the powerful meaning behind a naming ceremony or seek to educate a swath of non-Jews and non-practicing Jews about the holiday of Purim, the nature of the Jewish content remains quite light in a way that proves to be disappointing given the possibilities of this setup.
Though it’s very much about one couple’s relationship, this season’s best assets are actually Tohn and Simons. Esther is considerably softened from her defensive mean girl siding with Noah’s ex Rebecca (Emily Arlook) in season one, but she hasn’t lost her signature sarcasm, which works particularly well when it comes to addressing her husband’s friendship with Morgan. Audiences may find themselves equally invested in Esther as a character as they are in Noah and Joanne, and perhaps that’s because her journey feels more substantive. Tohn is definitely this season’s MVP, deservedly promoted to series regular after her recurring status during season one.
It’s undeniably fun to watch Morgan flail, but Lupe’s reunion with Succession costar and two-time Emmy nominee Moayed leaves something to be desired. It’s a suitable enough concept that likely sounded better on paper but just feels extremely thin in execution. It never reaches the romantic or dramatic heights it should simply because it’s not that believable, and it has remarkably little substance. It’s a shame since Lupe remains one of the most entertaining parts of this show and Moayed has plenty of potential that just isn’t put to memorable use.
As if pursuing a serious relationship with a woman he’s not sure he can ultimately be with doesn’t bring with it enough pressure, Noah also endures numerous professional challenges as he’s sidelined early on by the hiring of a new senior rabbi at his temple whose name also happens to be Noah (Alex Karpovsky). Noah’s synagogue-set scenes don’t feel all that emphatic, though his conversations with two leaders of another community, played by Seth Rogen and Kate Berlant, showcase a much more abstract approach to Judaism that really doesn’t gel with what he believes. Taking more time to focus on what gives Noah pause in his own faith – and what allows Joanne to connect to hers – is something that should be given more attention in a hopeful third season. This show remains an entertaining and worthwhile watch even if it can’t recapture the spark of its first season.
Season Rating: 7/10
