The title Nobody Wants This. remains playfully misleading, as this delightful rom-com about a Rabbi named Noah (Adam Brody) and a sharp, agnostic dating podcaster, Joanne (Kristen Bell), is precisely what fans of concise, charming romantic comedies will crave.
Nobody Wants This. Season 2 (English)
Season 2 kicks off with Noah and Joanne taking a significant step: hosting a dinner party for their friends. True to life, an innocent remark during the evening reveals a foundational disagreement, highlighting that the couple isn’t quite on the same page.
What makes Nobody Wants This. so captivating and enjoyable is its universal relatability. While the setting is a white American couple in Los Angeles, the core themes of love, faith, and trust resonate deeply with audiences everywhere.
Despite their undeniable love, Joanne and Noah face considerable hurdles stemming from their differing faiths and worldviews. And as anyone knows, especially in many cultures, when a couple comes together, their families inevitably follow.
Joanne and her sister and podcast co-host, Morgan (Justine Lupe), navigate the classic rollercoaster of sibling emotions: love, rivalry, admiration, and a touch of jealousy. Joanne, however, is deeply wary of Morgan’s new boyfriend, Andy (Arian Moayed), who also happened to be her former therapist, seeing him as a walking embodiment of every possible red flag.
Noah’s older brother, Sasha (Timothy Simons), and his formidable, hyper-competent wife, Esther (Jackie Tohn), appeared to be an unshakeable couple in the first season. Yet, in Season 2, Esther begins to scrutinize every aspect of her life, including the very foundation of her marriage.
Anticipate some serious sparks when Joanne and Morgan’s mother, Lynn (Stephanie Faracy), and their recently separated, openly gay father, Henry (Michael Hitchcock), meet Noah and Sasha’s parents: the fiercely protective ‘tiger mom’ Bina (Tovah Feldshuh) and the more mellow, peace-seeking Ilan (Paul Ben-Victor).
The sisters’ personal disagreements inevitably bleed into their shared podcast, much to the frustration of their friend and agent, Ashley (Sherry Cola). Meanwhile, Noah faces a setback when his boss, Rabbi Cohen (Stephen Tobolowsky), surprisingly bypasses him, choosing ‘Big Noah’ for the coveted head Rabbi position at Temple Chai.
What starts as an attempt to uplift Noah at a baby-naming ceremony quickly sours for Joanne when she unexpectedly runs into her childhood rival, Abby-loves-smoothies (Leighton Meester).
During the same baby-naming event, Noah discovers Temple Ahava, where he receives a surprisingly warm reception from Rabbi Neil (Seth Rogen) and his non-Jewish wife, Rabbi Cami (Kate Berlant). Yet, he soon finds Temple Ahava’s unconventional approach and even its dedicated corner for Steven Spielberg a little too radical for his taste.
The season is packed with memorable moments: wedding dress shopping, a heartwarming Purim celebration where Lynn has a surprising revelation about her Jewish heritage, and a spectacular engagement party in the finale that brings both endings and renewed vows. Each episode, clocking in at under 30 minutes, flies by in a delightful whirlwind of love, faith, and all the delightful chaos in between.
Catch Nobody Wants This. streaming now on Netflix.