“Breaking news, you’re in a psychotically annoying relationship.” Though our leading lady’s sister, Morgan, has a melodramatic way with words, her description of Joanne and Noah’s relationship in the first episode of season two of “Nobody Wants This” is not entirely off-base.
When Netflix debuted the first season of “Nobody Wants This” last fall, it was not long before everybody wanted it renewed as soon as possible. Created by Erin Foster, the charming love story of agnostic relationship podcaster Joanne (Kristen Bell) and rabbi Noah (Adam Brody) was, as my friends put it, “fun, fast, and entertaining.”
Individually, the two leads have always been a pleasant watch, especially in past roles like Bell in “Veronica Mars” and Brody in “The O.C.” Together, their chemistry is obvious and magnetic for a romantic comedy trope. And despite my previous inclination that Hollywood had run out of new ideas, I haven’t seen anything like before.
Season one centered on Joanne and Noah’s doubts about their budding relationship due to their inherent cultural differences. Noah’s devotion to Judaism and Joanne’s devotion to, well, herself, posed as an obstacle course that I imagine many people in interfaith relationships face. Viewers were left wondering whether Joanne would ever convert to Judaism for Noah. And if she did, would his family accept her? The final episode ended with the very overdone (but much adored) 30-minute breakup, followed by Noah chasing after Joanne, and deciding to make their differences work against the odds.
The problem with season two is that there are a lot of odds, none of which contrast much from the issues within season one. I think season two is just as “fun, fast, and entertaining” as season one was, but I felt as though the plot had not moved very far, at least for Joanne and Noah.
For their surrounding cast, however, things moved along. Morgan (Justine Lupe) launched her relationship with her former therapist, Dr. Andy (Arian Moayed), which raised its own series of very entertaining concerns. Writers touched on Morgan’s experience of feeling confused in an already inappropriate dynamic, shedding light on what love bombing may look and feel like. It was nice to see a progression in Morgan’s character and how she handled a relationship that was “too good to be true.”
Noah’s brother, Sasha (Timothy Simons), and his wife, Esther (Jackie Tohn), were my favorite pair in the storyline, and not because they thrived as a couple (they didn’t). Tohn is hilarious and cutting. Though she posed as a sort of enemy of Joanne’s in the first season due to her friendship with Noah’s ex-girlfriend, Rebecca, she’s become my favorite character.
Last season, writers explored Sasha’s doubts about his marriage, most notably through his bizarre friendship with Morgan. This season, the focus was more on Esther as she manages her feelings of resentment toward Sasha and her growing sense of uncertainty surrounding her future. I like the show’s portrayal of Esther’s doubts about what she wants for herself going forward–not as a mother, but as a woman–especially amid pressures from her family and community to have another baby. It serves as an important reminder, especially for the many young women watching, that it’s okay to change your mind at any point and start over.
Perhaps the cherry on top of “Nobody Wants This” is Noah and Joanne’s parents, who met and enjoyed each other at what Joanne’s family referred to as “Jewish Halloween,” or Purim, in episode six. Noah’s hostile mother, Bina (Tovah Feldshuh), is supposed to be Joanne’s biggest adversary, as Joanne is the non-Jewish woman taking her son away from her. Despite that, her strength and brutal honesty make her lovable. Morgan and Joanne’s parents, Lynn (Stephanie Faracy) and Henry (Michael Hitchcock), are, in the best way possible, self-obsessed caricatures. Their dysfunctional family dynamic, being that Lynn is still in love with her divorced, gay ex-husband, is oddly endearing, and every time they appear on screen, I can’t get enough.
Season two concluded with–spoiler alert–the same 30-minute breakup, this time followed by Noah chasing after Joanne and Joanne chasing after Noah, and the pair deciding to make their differences work against all odds–again. Despite my lack of satisfaction with season two’s ending, I would happily tap in for a third season because I’m rooting for Joanne and Noah. More importantly, though, I’m rooting for some developments in the storyline.
