The classic formula for romantic comedies, popular since the beginning of time in Hollywood, but less popular in the last 10 years, was that “opposites attract”. Typically, the couple would tease each other for 85 minutes, acknowledging that they couldn’t live without each other in the last five minutes. Unsurprisingly, with the generational change, this perspective has lost its appeal and Netflix’s bid to revive the genre has brought hits like Emily in Paris and now Nobody Wants This, which premiered at the end of September 2024 to good reception among subscribers.

The plot of Nobody Wants This is simple: a couple who under any circumstances could be classified as “opposites” falls in love precisely because they both want to break their romantic patterns, but encounter resistance from those around them.

Starring two stars of the Generation X teen series – Kristen Bell, from Veronica Mars and Adam Brody from The O.C. – both currently 44 years old, the series has chemistry, nostalgia, cuteness, grace, and drama in the right tones. I don’t think it can extend much more than one more season, but the first one created situations that are sustainable enough to both distract and enjoy the proposal.

Perhaps the secret lies in the fact that the showrunner, Erin Foster, drew the story from her own experiences as a podcaster and as a participant in the Los Angeles dating scene. The heroine has her neuroses (otherwise it wouldn’t be a romantic comedy) but we follow her as she desperately wants to break her pattern and her neurosis of destiny and, even though talking in general is easier than doing, her determination never seems impossible and opens the door to the “failures” that cause some drama when she returns to the familiar scenario of her past pains.

The couple’s real challenge here was not the heart of this first season, although it was central to the comedic scenes: Joanne (Bell) and Noah (Brody) will face religious issues as an obstacle. She is a staunch agnostic and he is a rising rabbi in his community. In other words, no one on either side, but most clearly on HIS side wants the two of them together. At Joanne’s party, the business side of her podcast is also not working out well for her, because her success was because she was sarcastic and open about the flaws in her sex life and dysfunctional relationships, so being balanced “loses its charm”.

Many Fleabag fans picked up on the strong references of this American version, which only lacked breaking the fourth wall to make its inspiration clearer, but it works extremely well thanks to the chemistry of the entire cast. The first season, with 10 30-minute episodes, is easily devoured in a short time, definitely resulting in the “we want this” that the title incites.

Justine Lupe‘s comedic side, who we saw in Succession in a minor role and who here naturally parades in the role of the envious and complex sister, as well as Jackie Tohn from Glow as Noah’s domineering sister-in-law, not to mention Timothy Simons as Noah’s husband and married brother. Without them, the couple would be lukewarm and boring.

The path of Nobody Wants This is now to transfer to Noah and Joanne the burden that this season was left with relatives and friends: to overcome cultural differences and the impact of their decisions on their lives.

Joanne tried to adapt to Noah’s world by considering conversion, but as the rabbi’s wife, she would have to give up the podcast because her editorial freedom would be restricted. And living without Joanne is not something that Noah considers possible, so he has to consider whether to continue his religious career or adapt to another one, that is, by changing the relationship pattern that makes them happy together they will have to review their professional lives as well and then the imbalance could be (as it was in Fleabag) vital. In other words, welcome to the universe of romantic comedy! We want more and much more of this. Please!

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