Romantic comedies used to be a dime a dozen in the 2000s, but now it seems like a dying genre, filled with mere shadows of what once was. That’s why when a good one comes along, you recognize it immediately: a good romcom revitalizes our ideas of love and life. It’s injected with a freshness that makes old feelings seem brand new. You get that in the British film Rye Lane, the Apple TV+ series Platonic series, and the Aussie gem Colin from Accounts, to name some recent examples. You can also find that same spark in Nobody Wants This, a breezy and effortlessly funny romantic comedy about two star-crossed adults trying to make their relationship work despite family disapproval, work demands, and that nagging fear of being hurt once more. The series is helmed by an impressive roster of writers and directors including Greg Mottola (Adventureland, Superbad), Karen Maine (Obvious Child), and Oz Rodriguez (The Last Man on Earth). It’s reminiscent of the indie romcoms of the last decade while shedding some much-needed spotlight on middle-aged dating. My only gripe is that this would’ve worked so much better as a punchy feature film. Instead, it’s dragged to the typical Netflix length of 10 episodes, but at least each runs only for a breezy 30 minutes.
"The series asks if a rabbi can date someone who isn’t Jewish, and the answer is pretty straightforward. Everything outside of that question, however, is what makes the series worth watching."
— Proma Khosla
"If Nobody Wants This can’t make Joanne and Noah a lived-in partnership, it at least gives us Bell, Brody and a pleasant-enough time."
— Alison Herman
An agnostic sex podcaster and a newly single rabbi fall in love, but can their relationship survive their wildly different lives and meddling families?
When the non-religious, sex-positive podcaster Joanne (Kristen Bell) falls in love with Rabbi Noah (Adam Brody), the two learn to navigate their budding relationship amidst protests from both sides of their friends and families.
I’m so glad Brody is leading this. He’s been consistently underrated in recent years, and I hope this show changes that. He’s a natural comedian who pairs so well with the utterly charming Bell.
I do, I want this very much!
Golden Globes
3 nominations
SAG Awards
2 nominations
WGA
1 nomination
