10 TV Relationships Better Than Nobody Wants This

Season two of Nobody Wants This received a much more varied response from viewers compared to the positive buzz around season one. It’s challenging to adapt romantic comedies into TV series because it’s difficult to maintain a believable relationship – too few problems make it dull, but too many artificial conflicts can cause audiences to lose interest.

Throughout the season, Joanne and Noah didn’t seem to connect, and the finale of Nobody Wants This felt like a repeat of the first season’s ending – they went through the same motions and reached the same outcome. While the Kristen Bell comedy may have been a letdown, there are lots of other TV shows with better, more fulfilling relationships to enjoy.

10. Fleabag (2016-2019)

Fleabag & Hot Priest Don’t Take Two Seasons To Figure Out Their Religious Obstacle

The connection between Fleabag and the Hot Priest mirrors the intense chemistry between Noah and Joanne in the first season of Nobody Wants That, but it’s even more captivating. This is because their relationship is driven by unfulfilled desire. The fact that he’s a priest creates significant obstacles, making even the smallest interactions – a look, a touch, a shared secret – incredibly tense and meaningful.

I’ll always remember the first season of Fleabag and the Hot Priest – it was absolute perfection. It really highlighted how much better a slow burn can be than rushing into things. Seeing their connection build with all that tension and real emotion was just… captivating. It made me feel things! Honestly, it stands in such stark contrast to what happened with Noah and Joanne in the second season of Nobody Wants This. It almost ruined my image of Adam Brody as the ultimate TV boyfriend, which is a shame. With Fleabag, it wasn’t about getting together, it was about wanting to, and that longing was honestly the best part.

9. Lovesick (Formerly Titled Scrotal Recall – 2016-2018)

Dylan Must Reconnect With Past Lovers – To Tell Them He Has Chlamydia

Unlike season 2 of Nobody Wants This, Lovesick (formerly Scrotal Recall) offers more satisfying love stories. This is because the show’s format naturally keeps the romantic connections feeling new and important. The story follows Dylan as he thinks back on all his exes while still hoping to reconnect with a past love, which allows each episode to really dig into the characters’ feelings, how they change, and what they learn.

Rather than stretching out a single love story over several seasons and risking it becoming boring or predictable, Lovesick successfully uses the classic “will they/won’t they” dynamic – a formula proven to work better than trying to maintain a stable relationship for a long time. In comparison, the second season of Nobody Wants This has trouble keeping its main romance interesting because it keeps repeating the same story points.

8. This Is Us (2016-2022)

Love Is What Connects Each Timeline

The show This Is Us proved that a series can keep viewers engaged for a long time by weaving together several complex love stories. The Netflix comedy Nobody Wants This tries a similar approach, and some viewers actually found the relationship between Sasha and Morgan in season 2 more compelling than the main couple’s, Noah and Joanne. This Is Us also kept audiences hooked with mysteries, like the details surrounding Jack’s death, which created suspense.

What really made the long-term relationships believable was that the challenges felt natural and new, not just created for dramatic effect. Kate and Toby dealt with tough issues like trying to have a baby and mental health, but they always worked through them and didn’t dwell on things that could have ended the relationship. This felt much more rewarding to watch than Noah’s constant hesitation in Nobody Wants This.

7. Sex And The City (1998-2004)

The Urtext Of A Woman Writing About Finding Love

Both Sex and the City and Nobody Wants This center on the close, sister-like bonds between friends who support each other through love, loss, and figuring out who they are, sharing their journeys with an audience through writing or podcasts. Sex and the City was successful because it allowed Carrie to explore many different relationships, providing a mix of humor, emotional moments, and growth as she navigated them.

However, Nobody Wants This mainly concentrates on the connection between Noah and Joanne, and this narrow focus can become restrictive as the story goes on. Because the show doesn’t easily allow for other romantic interests without altering its core idea, it’s difficult to develop the characters over the long term in a way that creates the lasting impact of relationships like those in Sex and the City.

6. Catastrophe (2015-2019)

A Fling Becomes More After An Unplanned Pregnancy

Catastrophe is a romance that feels both instant and lasting, and it avoids the repetitive patterns seen in Nobody Wants This. Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney essentially play themselves, but in an exaggerated way. The show kicks off with an unexpected pregnancy following a short-term relationship, immediately creating high stakes and forcing the couple to deal with realistic issues right from the start.

While some romantic comedies drag out their storylines or get stuck, Catastrophe offers a refreshingly honest and funny look at the realities of long-term relationships – the good, the bad, and the compromises. Each season tackles new challenges, like raising a child or navigating careers and family, without repeating old plot points. By taking everyday struggles and turning them into clever, humorous stories, Catastrophe provides a complete and satisfying story that still feels new and engaging.

5. The Mindy Project (2012-2017)

This Is The Ultimate Romcom About Two People Who Shouldn’t Be Together

The Mindy Project is a classic TV romantic comedy centered around a couple who seem like an unlikely match. Created by and starring Mindy Kaling, the show uses the familiar “will they/won’t they” trope to build tension and humor between the characters Mindy and Danny Castellano, inspired by Kaling’s fondness for the romcom genre.

As the show went on, the relationship between Mindy and Danny became increasingly strained and occasionally unhealthy. This included hurtful comments about Mindy’s weight, Danny’s need to control things, and disagreements over traditional gender roles, like the expectation that Mindy should stop working and stay home. The decision to end the series with Mindy and Danny together was a point of contention for many viewers.

Despite its imperfections, the romance in The Mindy Project is much more compelling and emotionally engaging than the relationship between Noah and Joanne in Nobody Wants This. The show realistically portrays the complexities of love, the give-and-take of compromise, and genuine personal growth, making it feel authentic and easy to connect with.

4. Shrill (2019-2022)

Aidy Bryant’s Character Finds The Love She Deserves

The romance in Shrill is much more compelling than the one in Nobody Wants This. Throughout Shrill, Annie transforms from someone who lacks confidence to someone who fully embraces herself. This growth challenges her boyfriend, Ryan, to improve and become the partner she deserves.

Noah’s uncertainty in Nobody Wants This – whether he wants Joanne to change or just accept her – creates a frustrating standstill in their relationship. Meanwhile, Shrill is strengthened by its well-developed supporting characters; Annie’s friend and roommate, Fran, provides consistent loyalty and encouragement, helping Annie to develop and grow.

Annie’s friendship helps her grow as a person and keeps her moving forward, while Joanne gets stuck in arguments with Morgan or waits for Noah to take charge. The romance between Annie and Ryan feels natural and exciting, and it’s closely tied to how both characters develop, making it much more interesting to watch.

3. Normal People (2018)

Daisy Edgar-Jones & Paul Mescal Shine In This Slow-Burning Love Story Miniseries

Both Normal People and Nobody Wants This center on similar ideas: two individuals from different backgrounds who are attracted to each other despite difficulties, misunderstandings, and past emotional hurt. The connection between Connell and Marianne in Normal People—driven by desire, social differences, and the ups and downs of young love—mirrors the intense connection and struggles faced by Noah and Joanne.

While Normal People told a complete story in its single 12-episode season, faithfully adapting Sally Rooney’s novel, it offered a neat and satisfying conclusion – something often missing in real-life relationships. Nobody Wants This, however, draws directly from the creator’s personal experiences, which can result in a narrative that feels less organized or completely resolved.

Seeing Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal’s characters when they’re young and still figuring things out makes their errors feel more understandable and relatable. The same kinds of actions from the older characters in Nobody Wants This come across as more concerning.

2. Love (2016-2018)

Judd Apatow Tackles Modern Dating In Los Angeles

Judd Apatow’s Netflix series, Love, explores the difficulties of dating today, much like Nobody Wants This, and is also set in Los Angeles. The show’s main characters, Mickey and Gus, are both imperfect – she tends to undermine herself, and he’s often anxious and clumsy – but the series makes you care about them. This makes their successes and failures feel real and genuinely moving.

The first season of Nobody Wants This felt a bit too polished. Noah and Joanne initially seemed like a perfect couple, so when problems arose – like Noah’s uninspired Valentine’s Day – it felt forced rather than natural. If viewers stop believing in the relationship, the show’s core idea doesn’t work.

The show Love demonstrates that viewers will support flawed characters and relationships as long as the problems feel natural. However, Nobody Wants This is still figuring out how to portray mistakes without going too far and making its characters unlikeable.

1. Insecure

Explores Complicated Relationships & Friendships In Los Angeles

Insecure is a fantastic modern romantic comedy that also focuses on self-discovery. It’s funny, romantic, and feels very real. Similar to shows like Love and Nobody Wants This, it’s set in Los Angeles, but the relationship between Issa and Lawrence doesn’t fall into predictable patterns. Their ups and downs feel genuine because they’re based on understandable insecurities and bad timing.

While known for its romantic storylines, Insecure truly shines in its depiction of complex female friendships. The relationship between Issa and Molly is realistic – they support each other, push each other to grow, and share in each other’s successes, ultimately fostering self-acceptance and personal development. In Nobody Wants This, Morgan and Joanne are striving to rebuild that same strong connection.

Unlike the sometimes-stagnant relationship on Nobody Wants This, Insecure offers a much more complete and relatable look at modern relationships. It does this by realistically portraying flawed but understanding romantic connections, alongside genuine friendships and the personal journeys of its characters.

2025-10-29 22:13