In Season 1 of Nobody Wants This (2024), created by Aaron Foster, the story follows Joanne (Kristen Bell), a nonreligious podcaster, and Jewish Rabbi Noah (Adam Brody) as their unexpected love causes a clash between their diverging cultures. The show uses lighthearted comedy and romance to develop a sweet and complex connection between the two characters as they navigate each other’s worlds. Nobody Wants This uses a cultural approach to show how the blending of cultures in romance can cause new personal discovery while simultaneously creating conflict between each partner and their families.

One example of the blending of Joanne’s and Noah’s cultures is how Noah’s family reacts to Joanne. In episode 2, she is referred to as a “Shiksa”, a derogatory term for someone who is not Jewish but dates somebody Jewish, and Noah’s family criticizes and disapproves of Joanne. In one scene where Joanne is meeting Noah’s family, she brings a charcuterie board that she believes to be kosher, but there is pork all over it. This shows how Joanne is unaware about the important aspects of Noah’s culture, creating a further divide between their understanding of each other. The mother expresses extreme distaste as a result of this, but a fun plot twist is presented when Joanne finds Noah’s mother secretly eating the pork. Eventually Joanne finds ways to bond with the family and even helps with the creation of a little girl’s Bat Mitzvah. The cultural clash is not present just between the families, however. The cultural blending also occurs inside of Joanne and Noah.

Another cultural conflict occurs within Joanne and Noah themselves. For example, when Noah’s desire to become “head rabbi” comes with new restrictions in his personal life. By the end of the show, his actions have rewarded him the opportunity to achieve his long-term dream of assuming the head rabbi position. However, the new position would come with new requirements. For example, he would have to date someone Jewish. This brings up the question of conversion for Joanne. She begins to lose herself trying to convert for Noah, and through self-discovery she decides that she cannot get herself to convert. This is a true test of their love, and Noah declines the position of head rabbi, showing examples of compromise in their relationship.

I highly enjoyed this show. It had a genius blend of serious, hard topics while integrating lighthearted comedy. This show also showcases a more realistic relationship compared to other shows I have watched. Joanne and Noah’s connection felt genuine, and they faced realistic obstacles that made the show more believable. As a Jew myself, I found it interesting how Judaism was represented in the show. I may not be extremely religious, but I appreciated the cultural aspects and how they were portrayed. Nobody Wants This uses a clever approach to exemplify how the blending of cultures, in this case Jewish and non-religious, is presented in a new relationship through self-discovery and family approval.