A rabbi and a sex podcaster. One’s fresh out of a long-term relationship; the other, perpetually single. They meet at a party and—surprise!—the chemistry is electric.
No, this isn’t the start of a bad joke. It’s the premise of Netflix’s new rom-com, Nobody Wants This.
Loosely inspired by writer-creator Erin Foster’s interfaith relationship, the show dives into what happens when two people from completely different worlds fall for each other. The twist? They don’t just navigate cultural clashes; they’re grown-ups about it.
Adam Brody stars as Noah Roklov, a rabbi beloved by Torah-studying tweens and sharp-tongued elders alike. He’s just ended a long-term relationship when he meets Joanne (Kristen Bell), a free-spirited gentile with a spicy podcast—think early Call Her Daddy vibes.
Complete opposites? Absolutely. Instant attraction? You bet.
Through ten episodes, Noah and Joanne work through their religious and cultural differences in ways that are equal parts funny and heartwarming. Noah is caught between his career as a rabbi and his undeniable connection with Joanne, while she has to figure out how to fit into his world—especially when it comes to his formidable Jewish mother, played brilliantly by Tovah Feldshuh.
Why Nobody Wants This Works
I’ll admit it: I’m a sucker for rom-coms. I love the cheese, the swoon-worthy moments, the inevitable happy endings. But while Nobody Wants This sticks to the genre’s basics, it ditches the melodrama that usually comes with them. There’s no “Will they or won’t they?” tension. Instead, the show asks, “How will they make this work?”—and that’s exactly what makes it so refreshing.
Their conflicts—especially those with their families—aren’t drawn out or forced. They talk things out like adults, which is a rarity in rom-coms.
Now, if you’re expecting a wild plot twist toward the end, don’t. The show leans into a more traditional but satisfying conclusion (and yes, it leaves room for more). It’s not the tearjerker ending of One Day—thankfully—but it’s a mature one. You leave feeling like you’ve watched real people navigate real obstacles.
Breaking Rom-Com Tropes
What I love most about Nobody Wants This is how it sidesteps the usual rom-com tropes. There’s no desperate search for “the one,” no grand romantic gestures for the sake of it. Even Noah’s internal debate over marrying a Jewish woman isn’t treated as the end-all, be-all. It’s refreshing to see a rom-com that doesn’t tie everything up with a neat, unrealistic bow.
At its core, this is a story about two people trying to figure it out together, without all the manufactured drama. And honestly, that’s the kind of love story we need more of.
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