Nobody Wants This is a refreshing romcom series with its own unique conflict

Nobody Wants This follows the unlikely pairing of Joanne and Noah in a romantic comedy series that thrives in allowing Kristen Bell and Adam Brody to take on witty characters that elevate the show when they are in their own individual scenes and storylines, and when they are together.

The ten-episode first season is relatively straight to the point. In the aftermath of Joanne deciding to make healthier relationship decisions and Noah deciding that his long-term romance just is not right for marriage, the duo find a connection in each other. There is only one main drawback. While Joanne is agnostic, Noah is a Rabbi.

Kristen Bell and Adam Brody delightfully take on the plot, encouraging the audience to fall in love with this tricky romance. After all, is there really a happy ending for these two? Ultimately, as Nobody Wants This portrays it throughout the first season, a happy ending for Joanne and Noah must result in either Joanne converting to Judaism or Noah giving up his role as a Rabbi.

For the most part, this light-hearted comedy mutually blends the more fun aspect of Joanne and Noah's relationship with striving for a deeper connection and mutual understanding of each other. One of the intriguing aspects of this conflict is that it is not a plotline or romantic obstacle that is seen often in mainstream television shows, so it allows for this storyline to be more unique than the average romantic comedy.

This episodic tale is not one that relies on massive stakes to try to keep it interesting, instead choosing to rely on the chemistry between its main characters to keep the audience engaged. Not every episode is a laugh-out-loud riot, and instead, sometimes it is more of the one-liners and small back-and-forth arguments that give the actors some room to breath and offers the writing a more genuine sense of comedy.

Nobody Wants This grounds itself in the reality of two different people wanting to make their romance work, and questioning if, in this case, love really is enough. Realistically, that is not always the case, and as Noah and Joanne attempt to balance the feelings they have for each other against what a life lived together would look like, it allows Nobody Wants This to give Joanne a larger sense of introspective when she questions if she is willing to alter her lifestyle to match Noah's.

However, not everything about this show works to its benefit, with Nobody Wants This leaning too hard on negative Jewish stereotypes. While anyone's family of any background can be overbearing, Nobody Wants This works too hard to try and elevate these aspects into the storyline as a way to highlight the question of whether or not Joanne and Noah have a real chance at a future or if their relationship ultimately can not sustain the pressure it exists under from all sides.

The main subplot, following the growing friendship between each of Joanne and Noah's respective siblings, Morgan and Sasha, adds an extra layer of complication. After all, Sasha is married to Esther, and they have a daughter together. For the most part, Morgan and Sasha remain in platonic territory, even if there are moments where their relationship can be called into question.

Nobody Wants This is a quick and easy show to binge-watch and one that could certainly aim to give plenty of viewers nostalgia if they miss the days of The O.C. and Veronica Mars.