Thank God for Leighton Meester

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After watching a lot of TV, it’s strangely satisfying to see actors from past shows pop up together in new ones. It feels like a virtual high school reunion. That’s exactly how it feels watching the latest episode of Nobody Wants This, which brings back Kristen Bell and Leighton Meester, former co-stars on Gossip Girl. They’re even joined by Bell’s real-life husband, Adam Brody! While Leighton Meester’s appearance is brief – surprisingly shorter than Seth Rogen’s – she adds a welcome bit of lightness and charm to a show that often needs it.

Meester plays Abby Kaplan, who is known online as “Abby Loves Smoothies.” Joanne confesses to Noah, “I can’t believe how much I dislike her.” While Joanne is annoyed by Abby constantly talking about her perfect family, she’s particularly upset that Abby cut the hair off her beloved Felicity American Girl doll at a sleepover when they were in middle school. Despite her strong feelings, Joanne wants to attend a naming celebration with Noah to support him, but also to secretly observe and critique Abby’s life.

Okay, so Leighton Meester is usually amazing as the queen bee Blair Waldorf, right? But her character in this… wow, she’s totally different. Abby is all sweetness and politeness, almost bubbly, but it makes you wonder if it’s a front. Is she secretly awful? Is she just putting on an act of being nice? Or is she just… genuinely irritating? Honestly, Meester plays it so close to the vest, you’re constantly questioning if she’s intentionally being nasty (knowing her past, it’s likely!) or if she’s really just that much of a pain to be around.

Joanne and her sister, Morgan, tend to be critical and judgmental, even towards other women – and often towards each other. While Joanne has friends, Ryann and Ashley, those relationships aren’t fully developed and are mostly used for comedic effect. She also has a complicated, competitive relationship with her sister-in-law, Esther. Being around Abby forces Joanne to face a particularly unpleasant side of herself; she claims to be celebrating Abby’s life, but really she just wants to make cutting remarks.

Joanne and Abby used to be rivals in middle school, but they eventually realize they have more in common than they thought. Morgan points out Abby’s always been irritating, but admits she and Joanne can be just as frustrating. Joanne eventually understands her annoyance stems from Abby having a happier childhood. As they mature, Joanne realizes that getting revenge isn’t important, and may not even be necessary. When they finally talk to Abby about an old argument involving an American Girl doll, Abby sincerely apologizes.

Abby admits people might tease her, but she says sharing her life online is how she supports her family. She vaguely recalls cutting the hair of Joanne’s doll when she was around eleven, and is now really embarrassed about it. She apologizes, admitting it was a silly thing to do when she was tired and kept awake by her friends. The actress playing Abby, Meester, conveys a mix of sincerity, embarrassment, neediness, humility, and desperation all at once. Abby is arguably the most relatable character on the show – she’s imperfect and openly acknowledges her flaws, except for the carefully curated image she presents on Instagram.

Abby feels like a fresh take on Blair Waldorf – a seemingly perfect girl who needed to be disliked before others could accept her. While actress Hannah Meester has moved beyond playing teenagers, it’s delightful to see her revisit those familiar dynamics with co-stars Bell and Lupe. Their chemistry brings a much-needed spark to the second season of Nobody Wants This, which often gets bogged down in issues of Jewish identity. When the show steps away from these questions, the characters are finally able to develop and understand themselves within their relationships. Abby is unique in her ability to connect with Joanne and Morgan as equals. At the end of her party, she warmly tells them, “It was really good seeing you,” before jokingly adding, “Can you get out of this room, please?”

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2025-10-24 18:00