After Watching Kristen Bell’s Nobody Wants This, I Think The Title Is So Fitting For One Big Reason

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As a seasoned gamer and binge-watcher, I can confidently say that “Nobody Wants This” has been one of the most unexpected yet delightful additions to my 2024 TV lineup. The romantic comedy series, starring the charming duo of Kristen Bell and Josh Hopkins, has managed to strike a perfect balance between humor, drama, and heartfelt moments.

Spoilers below for the first season of Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, so be warned if you haven’t yet watched.

To be upfront, I wasn’t anticipating a show on the 2024 TV schedule to make me exclaim, “Wow, what a terrific romantic comedy series! I’m so grateful I binged it over three days.” But here I am, utterly captivated by the irresistible romance between Kristen Bell and Adam Brody in Netflix’s latest sensation, Nobody Wants This.

The series kept me hooked until the end of Season 1 finale, “Bat Mitzvah Crashers,” which interestingly enough seemed to reflect my feelings in its title. As I watched the final scene, the show’s title “Nobody Wants This” resonated with my thoughts during the viewing experience. Here are a few ways this title mirrored my thoughts as I watched the series.

Nobody Wants A Stereotypical Rom-Com Ending, But There It Was

In most instances while I watched “Nobody Wants This,” which has brief episode lengths, I was consistently enjoying how skillfully the series steered clear of typical tropes often seen in even the top-tier romantic comedies. When stereotypes did emerge, characters responded to them intelligently or self-awarely, as if they were addressing points I had myself noted during viewing (as evidenced by Joanne’s friends echoing my own thoughts).

Noah’s journey in reconciling his rigid, deeply rooted faith (and mother) with the spontaneous charm of a new romance with Joanne was an engaging narrative path for his character. It was equally gratifying to observe Joanne discover that she could adapt to something other than her carefree ways, and even momentarily, she found comfort in considering a life post-conversion to Judaism.

As a gaming enthusiast, I can honestly say that the developing romance between Noah and Joanne across ten episodes was more than enough to keep me hooked, given how they each inspired significant life changes in each other. The line delivered by Kristen Bell about leaving to avoid forcing him to make a choice really hit home, and I couldn’t help but appreciate it. Bravo!

Then came the big sigh. For all that it was well-telegraphed story-wise (though I have no idea what kind of timeline this bat mitzvah was adhering to), it still bothered me immensely that the Season 1 finale ended with Noah having run to meet Joanne by her car to reveal that he seeming to be choosing her instead of his literal lifelong dream to be head hot rabbi. Er, just head rabbi.

As a gamer, Adam Brody convincingly portrayed Noah’s enthusiasm about his faith towards me, and he was genuinely charming when he slipped Hebrew into their earlier dialogue. However, despite my belief in his romantic feelings for Joanne, the final scene of the show made me feel like I was watching just another run-of-the-mill rom-com, which wasn’t something I wanted.

Nobody Wants Sasha And Morgan To Start A Needless Romance, And They Didn’t!

Despite a slightly bitter aftertaste from Noah’s unexpected response during Joanne’s farewell speech, I must express my admiration for how skillfully showrunner Erin Foster avoided turning Morgan and Sasha’s growing bond into something romantic, thus preserving their relationship without unnecessary complications.

I find Justine Lupe and Timothy Simons to be truly precious, and I never thought they would develop any kind of bond, let alone a deliberately platonic one. Given his laid-back Californian, semi-stoned demeanor with modest aspirations, and her global sophisticate persona who prefers delving into complex narratives like Dune rather than its sequel without the context of the original (as per their text conversation that Sasha’s wife Esther secretly reads), it seems an unexpected pairing.

Just as Joanne and Noah find common ground by supporting each other, Morgan and Sasha’s sudden friendship fills gaps in their lives that were previously absent. Due to Esther’s strict rules, Sasha lacks female friendships, while Morgan is not used to male friends who aren’t pursuing romantic or sexual relationships.

In a hypothetical second season, it could be possible for Foster & Co. to take an unexpected turn, where Esther’s jealousy inadvertently leads to genuine feelings developing between Sasha and Morgan, or some other similar twist. However, I’m thrilled that this annoying plot device was skillfully avoided in the actual storyline.

Nobody Wants A Kristen Bell Show Without Ryan Hansen, And He Appeared!

If you’ve been yearning for another encounter with the characters from The Good Place in the afterlife, this Netflix series provided a delightful reunion of Kristen Bell and D’Arcy Carden on screen, though in distinctly new roles. However, Kristen Bell’s fans are accustomed to seeing her team up with longtime friend Ryan Hansen across various projects, with their first modern joint masterpiece being Veronica Mars.

In Episode 3, it was quite a surprise when Joanne took a pause to reach out to an ex about Noah not promptly responding to her messages, and guess who that ex was? You’ve got it – Hansen! Here’s the kicker though, he wasn’t just portraying some random guy this time. In a way that feels like a continuation of his iconic roles, he stepped back into one of his most cherished characters.

It’s worth noting that in the role Hansen is playing, his character Kyle, interestingly dons a T-shirt with the label Karma Rocket. This is a deliberate nod to his character Kyle Bradway from the popular Starz comedy series Party Down, where he was a prominent figure. Given that he reprised his role in the 2023 revival, it’s not surprising that his fictional band might have merchandise like this T-shirt.

Also worth noting is that Kristen Bell appeared in two episodes of Party Down as the milatant rival caterer Uda Bengt, but if there were any direct references to that character in Nobody Wants This, I am sorry that I missed them. But I’m not sorry the Hansen-Bell connection remains strong!

Regarding the finale, it didn’t quite hit the spot for me, but I could effortlessly envision myself revisiting “Nobody Wants This” again. This is an option that’s readily available to anyone with a Netflix subscription, serving as a perfect pastime while awaiting Season 2 announcements.

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2024-09-30 23:10