Nobody Wants This Series-Premiere Recap: Pretty Smooth For a Rabbi

As a seasoned observer of romantic entanglements, I must say, this Noah and Joanne pairing has me smitten like a schoolgirl with her first crush! It’s refreshing to see such an instant connection between two characters, their chemistry sizzling hotter than a chinchilla coat in the Sahara.

In just 26 minutes, series creator Erin Foster skillfully sets the scene for the charming autumnal romantic comedy “Nobody Wants This“. She introduces our primary characters, establishes their separate lives with engaging supporting characters, and swiftly leads us to a heartwarming meet-cute. Simultaneously, she lays out significant hurdles for this potentially mismatched pair. It’s an efficient, delightful start to this love story. If you aren’t captivated by the central romance by around minute 17, I can’t convince you otherwise – this show isn’t meant for you; it’s time for you to move on.

Let’s introduce you to these characters, shall we? Kristen Bell plays Joanne, the popular host of a successful sex and dating podcast along with her sister Morgan, portrayed by Justine Lupe. They are on the brink of being acquired by a large platform. While I understand that being a podcast host can be a legitimate career (and I know Foster also has a successful podcast with her sister), it’s hard for me, an elder millennial, not to have reservations about this becoming the new “romantic comedy woman job” without feeling skeptical; but let’s move forward together. Joanne is candid and forthright, doesn’t waste time on unworthy suitors she encounters in L.A., and her friend and producer Ashley (Sherry Cola) describes her as having a “weirdly charming” bad personality at one point.

At an anniversary dinner for Joanne’s parents’ separation, her family, particularly Henry’s ex-wife Lynn, are anything but reserved. After Henry admitted he was gay and the separation ensued, Lynn has remained deeply affectionate towards him. During the dinner, she discloses some personal health issues related to her voice, revealing that her sound therapist discovered she lacks the note C when speaking, which is associated with sadness. This gives an insight into Lynn’s personality, a detail I find intriguing about her. (I’m already captivated by her.)

In the pair we almost formed, it’s Adam Brody as Noah. He adds to the appealing roster of handsome TV clergy, but this rabbi has a unique twist – he uses curse words and is remarkably flirtatious. At one instance, he humorously admits to emphasizing the rebellious rabbinical vibe, which I find hard to imagine anyone saying without laughing, yet Adam Brody pulled it off. It’s important to mention that as a devoted fan of The O.C., I want to express my unwavering loyalty to Ryan Atwood, but I must acknowledge that the show’s most valuable contribution was the bond between Ryan and Seth (Sandy Cohen comes in a close second). I am genuinely thrilled to see Brody once more on a series where he radiates chemistry with every cast member.

In the context of discussion, we encounter Sasha, Timothy Simons’ character who plays Noah’s brother, serving as a parallel to Joanne’s Morgan. This show boasts another spot-on supporting role. Within mere minutes of Sasha’s introduction, we grasp his essence: When Noah suggests they need to chat, Sasha offhandedly queries whether Esther is being unfaithful and casually decides to stick with her. Notably, an adult man like him remains oblivious to the issue regarding his mother still trimming his hair. Regrettably, this episode could’ve used a touch more humor, but I trust Sasha will make up for it in terms of comedy.

Upon reaching Noah’s abode, I find his long-term companion, Rebecca, adorning a ring that I recognize as one of Noah’s purchases, yet one he hadn’t given her before this moment. It turns out she’d rummaged through the locked drawer in Noah’s desk to find it and now wears it proudly. To top it off, she’s been discussing wedding venues with Noah’s mother. In her eyes, there’s no issue since the intention was to marry, and as far as she’s concerned, why delay the inevitable? Noah is taken aback by her treatment of our relationship like a shopping list. To Rebecca, it seems absurd that I’m waiting for some other emotion to materialize. “This is it,” she tells me, “this is the feeling.” I respond, “I’m not so sure.

Here’s how the story unfolds: After becoming single, Noah finds himself at a dinner party hosted by his community watch buddy Ashley. There, he encounters an adorable podcaster, who happens to be dressed in a conspicuous chinchilla coat and openly seeks attention. The unlikely encounter between Noah and Joanne takes place over a bottle of wine, and it turns out that Noah awkwardly can’t open the bottle. Their first meeting is endearing. Meanwhile, Bell and Brody engage in effortless conversation, displaying an immediate connection that leaves one wondering why they haven’t been cast together before.

Soon enough, Noah is curious to learn more about Joanne and wonders if she has any Jewish heritage at all. Could it be that the writers are planning an outdated humorous twist about Noah potentially adding a “Jewish bone” into Joanne’s body? Indeed, I saw that coming. However, I can overlook some of this episode’s less engaging jokes (a ‘Karen’ joke persists) due to my enthusiasm for the developing relationship between Noah and Joanne.

As Joanne discovers during dinner that she had mistakenly identified the rabbi at the gathering and had been flirting with him unknowingly throughout, her predicament becomes clear – she’s clearly smitten with him. This is exactly why she impulsively decides to depart from the party. Just a day ago, she vowed to make wiser romantic decisions, but finding herself drawn to a rabbi seems like a recipe for complications given her lack of faith. However, Joanne doesn’t deter Noah when he mentions his intention to leave as well and escort her to her car, which is parked close by. He openly acknowledges the difficulties that might arise from dating as a rabbi and non-Jewish pair – “we’re trying to sustain our people, after all” – yet he doesn’t seem bothered at all when Joanne discusses her skepticism towards religion. In fact, he appears quite captivated by it.

Joanne shares an intense, honest summary of her life with him to see if anything she says might deter him. He candidly confesses that she does intimidate him: “Wow, you’re awe-inspiring. You’re raw, complex, exposed, and stunning.” It turns out his car was located far from the house, and he merely wanted her company, which is incredibly charming – and yes, it speaks more about my poor standards for men than anything else, but still. Joanne (and I) are astounded by Noah’s smoothness “for a rabbi.” However, beyond his impressive flirting skills, in just a few brief hours, Noah seems to comprehend Joanne better than anyone ever has. Regrettably, she informs him that their relationship won’t work – they come from different spheres – even if she desperately desires it to.

Nevertheless, a series of scenes unfolds showing the two of them carrying on with their daily routines, but it’s evident they can’t stop pondering each other. A seemingly serious moment occurs when Joanne catches a whiff of Noah’s chinchilla coat that she once wore, which strikes me as rather absurd. Regardless, it doesn’t come as a shock that upon receiving Ashley’s text mentioning Noah inquired about her during another disastrous date, Joanne promptly leaves and heads to the temple where Noah was due to deliver his sermon that very evening.

It turns out that Joanne didn’t attend, but Noah’s sermon was still quite relevant! He spoke about how we might be unaware, yet still in the midst of God’s plan, and emphasized that everything can find purpose if we let it. This resonated strongly with Joanne, who has become quite fond of this rabbi. Interestingly, Noah seems to feel the same way, as he skillfully navigates away from the persistent Jewish mothers trying to introduce their daughters to the single rabbi. However, trouble may be brewing for our couple, as we are introduced to one of their potential obstacles: Noah’s mother (played by Tovah Feldshuh), who displays clear displeasure upon seeing her son conversing with a non-Jewish woman in the temple.

2024-09-26 15:54

Nobody Wants This Series-Premiere Recap: Pretty Smooth For a Rabbi

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