This Netflix show is a delightful rom-com for millennials — and those who appreciate hot rabbis

A finance guy, a recently divorced dude and a rabbi walk into a party. It sounds like set-up to a bad joke, right? But as an introduction to the Netflix rom-com “Nobody Wants This,” it begins a downright delightful binge.
The series follows the unlikely relationship between an agnostic sex podcaster named Joanne, played by Kristen Bell, and a rabbi named Noah, played by Adam Brody. Throughout 10 episodes, it follows many of the tropes you’d expect from a Hollywood love story, with plenty of hurdles and outside forces prolonging the central relationship. Yet nearly everything about this take feels fresh, from the smouldering chemistry between the leads to the thoughtful dialogues about spirituality and Judaism that the episodes provoke.
That is partly thanks to the fresh creative at the helm. Erin Foster, the daughter of Canadian music legend David Foster, was inspired to write the series based on her own experiences finding her husband, Simon Tikhman, and converting to Judaism.
As such, the series approaches the religion from the perspective of someone who knows little about the community, including the definition of “shalom.” It’s both an opportunity to educate and embrace, particularly during a time when the world could use a little uplifting. And what better way to do that than by framing it within a love story?
Bell and Brody are an onscreen match made in heaven, particularly for millennials who grew up on “Veronica Mars” and “The O.C.” Joanne and Noah come from different worlds and are confident in who they are. By sharing her stories on the podcast, Joanne believes she’s destigmatizing certain issues and forging meaningful connections. Religion isn’t a big deal to her. So she doesn’t understand the weight of what being with Noah could mean, particularly to those in his community who carry generational trauma and want to keep the faith alive.
Noah is more private, all in on his religion, and aspires to become the head rabbi of his synagogue. He’s smooth, ambitious and mildly proud that the next gen refers to him as “Hot Rabbi,” but he’s also self-deprecating and concerned about making a good first impression. He’s everything Hollywood tells us a rabbi isn’t. As a result, there are many meaningful discussions of faith, spirituality and what it means to follow your religion in modern times. To tell that story as authentically as possible, Foster had her rabbi read every single script.
Typically, in an opposites-attract story like this, one person eventually gives up who they are to be with the other. That’s where “Nobody Wants This” truly breaks the format. While Joanne eventually grapples with the decision to convert, the show acknowledges that she needs to do it for herself and not for Noah. At the same time, Noah changes as the show progresses and learns to open up under Joanne’s influence. These are two adults growing and adjusting, but neither undergoes a seismic shift for the sake of love. Instead, this is a story of how love can help you to become a better person without losing the core of who you are, especially when you’re already a fully formed adult.
Where the show stumbles is in its stereotypical depiction of Jewish women. Noah’s mother, Bina (Tovah Feldshuh), is against him bringing a “shiksa” into their fold, while his sister-in-law, Esther (Jackie Tohn), is best friends with Noah’s ex, Rebecca (Emily Arlook), and refuses to give Joanne a chance. The women at the synagogue, who clearly want to set Noah up with some of their own daughters and nieces, are no better. Many scenes offer a two-dimensional look at such women, which, given Foster’s own experiences, tracks. She was the outsider coming in, so this could have very well been her experience from where she once stood.
It’s important to note that Esther grows as the series unfolds, and it’s clear she wants better for her daughter. Leslie Grossman’s female rabbi is also a standout character who embodies change and charm. This proves that the show can grow beyond its own first impression and deliver more meaningful and nuanced representations should it return for a second season.
In the meantime, the men in the family, and Noah’s brother Sasha (Timothy Simons) in particular, are more understanding and laid back. They offer a positive view of what it means to embrace your faith in today’s world. Joanne’s family is equally laid back but damaged, with a new-age mother (Stephanie Faracy) who is in denial about her husband leaving her to be with a man, and a sister, Morgan (Justine Lupe), who is even more open about her sexuality than Joanne is.
Thanks to their podcast, that sisterly connection is just as charming as the central love story, with the pair serving as besties and business collaborators. (In real life, Foster and her sister, Sara Foster, also co-host a podcast.) Morgan is divorced and messy but incredibly fun and unapologetically herself. As a self-proclaimed “loser sibling,” she and fellow “loser sibling” Sasha share scenes as they develop a secret friendship, which is problematic but also poignant. It’s nice to see Simons in a goofy but concurrently sincere role, adding to the show’s overall sweetness.
And that’s precisely what “Nobody Wants This” delivers with each episode: a sweet watch that leaves you with a grin on your face. The story is grounded in family, friendship and romance, and steers away from current real-world events in Israel and Gaza. Foster purposefully did so in recognition of her lack of expertise, which is the right move given the complexities it would take to explore those topics. Sometimes you just need a charming and uplifting escape.
With “Nobody Wants This,” that’s exactly what you’ll get.