‘Nobody Wants This’: Kristen Bell and Adam Brody’s Unorthodox Romance Continues To Hang in the Balance in Second Season

Sandra Miska

In the finale of the acclaimed first season of Netflix’s “Nobody Wants This,” Joanne Williams (Kristen Bell) and Noah Roklov (Adam Brody) ended up back in each other’s arms after almost breaking up due a monumental obstacle in their relationship. Noah is a devout Jew and Joanne, an agnostic sex podcaster, and while interfaith marriages are quite common nowadays, as a rabbi, Noah is expected to marry a member of the tribe. Joanne converting would seemingly solve the problem, and while she briefly committed to this at the end of season one, she ultimately decided to pause the idea after a chat with Noah’s ex, Rebecca (Emily Arlook), about the responsibility she would be taking on as a rabbi’s wife. Season two begins with the pair in a good place, but most of their problems from last year still plague them, and at times, this season feels like a retread of last season. Is love really all they need, or by not converting, is Joanne just delaying the inevitable?

The outside pressures threatening the relationship include pushback from Noah’s family, mainly his strong-willed mother, Bina (Tovah Feldshuh). But Mom turns out to be the least of Noah’s worries, as his boss, Rabbi Cohen (Stephen Tobolowsky), also disapproves of his girlfriend, which puts his livelihood at stake. In a devastating blow, the senior rabbi passes over Noah for a promotion, instead selecting an outside rabbi, another Noah (the great Alex Karpovsky, who gets not nearly enough screentime here), to succeed him. This setback comes right after an intense scene in which Noah basically lays it out for Joanne, telling her she must eventually convert if they are to have a real future together. This is done beautifully, creating real turmoil, as the viewer cannot help but see both sides. Being who he is, Noah needs to marry a Jewish woman; even without his career he is devoted to his faith. But it is understandable that Joanne needs to convert for herself on her own timeline. In an entertaining twist, Joanne’s flighty mother, Lynn (Stephanie Faracy), is moved to convert following a Purim party with the Roklovs, although her daughter doubts her sincerity.

Noah ultimately decides to leave his job at Temple Chai, which puts him in limbo. He becomes a sort of freelance rabbi for a bit, which leads to a fun episode in which he is hired to lead a baby naming ceremony for an influencer (Leighton Meester, Brody’s real-life wife), who also happens to be Joanne’s childhood friend-turned-enemy. Later, writer-producers Jenni Konner, Bruce Eric Kaplan and their team later flip the script on Noah, putting him in an interesting and amusing predicament when he is hired on at a more freewheeling temple headed by a rabbi played by none other than Seth Rogen. At his old job, he was the progressive one, or the oddball, depending on how you look at it, but at this new place, he is the conservative one.

There are also some relatable non-religious subplots in season two, including an illuminating, growth-inducing one in which Noah’s big romantic Valentine’s Day plans fall flat. He tries so hard to be the perfect boyfriend that he ignores what Joanne really wants. Meanwhile, Morgan (Justine Lupe), Joanne’s sister and podcast co-host, continues to show no signs of maturing for most of the season, and she enters into an ill-advised romantic relationship with her own therapist, Dr. Andy (Arian Moayed), which leads to friction with Joanne. Joanne, whose frustration is palpable, is made out to be the bad guy in this conflict, although most sensible viewers will agree that Morgan is teetering on the edge of disaster. Morgan also maintains a borderline inappropriate friendship with Noah’s brother Sasha (Timothy Simons), despite how much it irritates his wife, Esther (Jackie Tohn).

Tohn may be the MVP of season two, and her character is more fleshed out. Not only does Esther have to deal with her annoying husband, who attempts to fix their marital problems by proposing they have another kid, she also ends up coming through for Joanne, despite their past differences. In an emotional conversation in the season finale, Esther spells out for her what it really means to be Jewish, without the formalities, and with or without Noah. While last season’s finale took place at a bat mitzvah at the Audrey Irmas Pavilion in Los Angeles, the show outdoes itself with another unforgettable party, this time at the Academy Museum. But, once again, it is after the big bash that the magic happens.

“Nobody Wants This” season two begins streaming Oct. 23 on Netflix.