Adam Brody and Kristen Bell return as interfaith soulmates in season 2 of &34;Nobody Wants This.&34; Nobody Wants This season 2 review: Netflix's romcom struggl

Adam Brody and Kristen Bell return as interfaith soulmates in season 2 of "Nobody Wants This."

Nobody Wants This season 2 review: Netflix's rom-com struggles to find its second act

Adam Brody and Kristen Bell return as interfaith soulmates in season 2 of "Nobody Wants This."

By Kristen Baldwin

Kristen Baldwin

Kristen Baldwin is a TV critic for **, and a writer and editor with 25 years of experience in entertainment journalism. Prior to EW, she served as editor-in-chief of Yahoo Entertainment, and is currently a member of the Television Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. She does not know how to football the Super Bowl.

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October 23, 2025 3:01 a.m. ET

Adam Brody, Timothy Simons, Kristen Bell and Jackie Tohn in 'Nobody Wants This'. Credit:

Erin Simkin/Netflix

In an interview last month with **, Jenni Konner — one of the new showrunners for *Nobody Wants This* — teased what fans can expect in season 2 of the hit Netflix romcom. "I didn't want to change the show at all. I loved it," said Konner (*Girls*), who heads up the Emmy-nominated Kristen Bell-Adam Brody comedy alongside fellow showrunner Bruce Eric Kaplan. "I was just like, 'More of the same!'"

Well, we can't say she didn't warn us. Indeed, season 2 of *Nobody Wants This* — which chronicles the interfaith romance between Rabbi Noah Roklov (Brody) and Joanne Williams (Bell), a podcaster and certified Gentile — is familiar to a fault. The new episodes reveal a show that's chosen narrative stasis rather than risk developing its characters and premise beyond the safe boundaries established in season 1. The saving grace is *Nobody*'s excellent ensemble cast, which elevates the predictable material into a breezy and pleasant — if not particularly memorable — viewing experience.

After their swoony kiss in the season 1 finale, Noah and Joanne are now enjoying a "big, beautiful, healthy relationship." They're having regular sleepovers, hosting their first dinner party, and generally being loved up and "psychotically annoying," as Joanne's sister and podcast co-host, Morgan (Justine Lupe), describes it. But their bubble of bliss pops when Joanne learns that Noah still believes she will convert to Judaism eventually — which is something she's still not ready to promise.

Kristen Bell and Justine Lupe on 'Nobody Wants This'.

Erin Simkin/Netflix

It's unclear how this rather large misunderstanding happened. Surely, Noah and Joanne didn't just jump into couple mode without another conversation about the major barrier to their relationship's future? Either way, they know exactly what they want to do about it: Nothing. "I don't wanna deal with this," says Joanne with a sigh. "I don't want to deal with it either," he replies.

There's certainly an authenticity to this development; who among us hasn't procrastinated when facing an uncomfortable decision? But it leaves Noah and Joanne in a kind of cutesy holding pattern. For much of the 10-episode season, the central couple encounters a relatively minor relationship obstacle (e.g., she worries he gives all his girlfriends the same piece of jewelry; he's shocked she has no plans to celebrate her mom, Lynn (Stephanie Faracy), on her birthday), disagree about it and ultimately move past it. Rinse, repeat until the final three episodes, when *Nobody Wants This* allows Noah and Joanne to stop running from their reality.

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Until then, the show gets by on the charm of its supporting characters, including Noah's brother, Sasha (Timothy Simons), and sister-in-law, Esther (Jackie Tohn). A married couple long past the honeymoon stage, Sasha and Esther initially offered a comedic contrast to Noah and Joanne's nascent love story — but this season, the show goes deeper into the work it takes to stay married, even to your best friend.

Timothy Simons and Jackie Tohn on 'Nobody Wants This'.

Erin Simkin/Netflix

Simons and Tohn have a relaxed and entertaining bicker-banter chemistry as an on-screen couple, and they're equally funny apart. One of the chief joys of *Nobody Wants This* season 2 is watching the characters interact outside of their romantic couples — like Joanne giving Morgan a hard time about her new boyfriend, Dr. Andy (*Succession*'s Arian Moayed); Noah gently pushing back on his domineering mother, Bina (Tovah Feldshuh); or Sasha and Morgan concocting an elaborate story to convince the guy at Apple's genius bar (Juan Ayala) to break into someone's cell phone for them. (The latter scene is hilarious and further solidifies Lupe's status as the series' MVP.)

Of course, Noah and Joanne know that they can't ignore the conversion question forever — and *Nobody Wants This* knows it, too. The issue comes to a head during a group hang at a beer garden in the aptly titled "Crossroads," written by Konner and Megan Mazer. It's the penultimate and strongest episode of the season, a fact that makes the finale, which will give viewers serious déjà vu, feel even more disappointing. Konner and Kaplan have made it their mission to give audiences what they want, and that's fine. It's not going to happen, though, if they don't let Noah and Joanne — and the show itself — evolve. Change is scary, but it's also necessary for survival.** Grade: B-**

*Nobody Wants This* season 2 premieres Thursday, Oct. 23 on Netflix.**

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