A review of Netflix's Nobody Wants This season 2 criticizes the show for lacking substance and turning its leads into self-absorbed characters. The romcom, starring Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, premieres on October 23. While the first season relied on chemistry, the second offers little reason to care about the plot.
Nobody Wants This, a romcom inspired by creator Erin Foster's life, returns for its second season on Netflix, but a Paste Magazine review finds it both boring and obnoxious. Kristen Bell plays Joanne, a podcaster, and Adam Brody portrays Noah, a rabbi navigating an interfaith relationship. The first season succeeded on the leads' chemistry and discussions around terms like “shiksa,” but season 2 shifts focus to manufactured drama without depth.
Joanne emerges as a narcissistic figure whose actions lack consequences, as her sister Morgan (Justine Lupe) warns: “I have to tell you something. But I have to give you a warning that it’s not about you.” Noah, once an empath, becomes self-centered, ignoring advice from his brother Sasha (Timothy Simons) and meddling in others' marriages. Tensions arise from Noah's mother Bina (Tovah Feldshuh) vaguely disapproving of Joanne, and Noah feeling emasculated when a taller rabbi (Alex Karpovsky) secures a desired job, prompting no self-reflection.
Side stories include a parking garage feud with a Cybertruck owner and guest appearances by Leighton Meester as an influencer, Arian Moayed as Morgan's boyfriend, and cameos from Seth Rogen and Kate Berlant. Amid these, Noah's sister-in-law Esther (Jackie Tohn) stands out as relatable, confronting Bina's interference and supporting Noah's ex Rebecca (Emily Arlook).
The review questions the show's handling of Jewish American concerns, the characters' ages—both leads around 45 yet treating marriage and kids as distant—and Joanne's abrupt podcast exit without alternatives. Showrunners Jenni Konner and Bruce Eric Kaplan oversee the season, which premieres October 23.