Nobody Wants This review: Netflix's best romantic comedy yet?

Out of the blue, with little to no expectations surrounding it, Netflix dropped Nobody Wants This, a moving portrait of unlikely love that can become one of the streamer's biggest hits of the year. Without the marketing push, that feat might be a little hard, but given the quality of the show, it will not be a surprise to see this become one of the most-watched shows of the year.

Centering on the unlikely love story between an agnostic podcaster, Joanne (Kristen Bell), and an unconventional rabbi, Noah (Adam Brody), the series is as delightful as it is touching in almost all ways.

Carefully constructed, well-written, and with a kind of depth that we haven't seen in a long while, the series is perhaps as perfect as romantic comedies can get. It also has its heart in the right place all throughout, which leads to a satisfying conclusion that does not demand any more (or any less).

The series is currently streaming on Netflix.

---

Nobody Wants This comes without expectations and manages to exceed anything fans could have hoped for

Nobody Wants This could still make its lack of expectations its biggest weapon. Without huge advertising campaigns and marketing strategies, something that is becoming increasingly rare in this era, the show comes without expectations and manages to exceed anything viewers could hope for from a romantic comedy.

It opens with the character introductions, and Kristen Bell's Joanne, who runs a podcast with her sister Morgan (Justine Lupe) about relationships and intimacy, immediately becomes a character worth paying attention to. Moreover, Brody's Noah does the same from the very start.

A great thing that this series does is to avoid the same mistakes that make every rom-com more predictable and more boxed into stereotypes. Instead, it explores the story with the element that it has in abundance- heart.

From beautifully written side characters to the genuine chemistry between Brody and Bell, almost all the sequences in the show feel measured, planned, and well-executed, a rare combination that brings back memories of some of the rom-com greats like When Harry Met Sally.

---

Nobody Wants This does not sacrifice its humor to chase genuineness

The series, despite its absolutely perfect portrayal of budding romance and the initial phases of love, does not tone down the comedy even a bit. Rather, it reinvents comedy in a way that seems more natural, more appealing, and more akin to real life.

The jokes are hilarious, make no mistake about that, but they are not raunchy by any means, something that many rom-coms have adopted in recent years. There is some sort of subtle comedy magic stuffed in ordinary conversations many times through the episodes, which makes for a very enjoyable watch, but it never overburdens anything in any way.

Perhaps the biggest win for the series is its exceptional writing. From the characters to the plot to individual scenes, it is clear that Erin Foster has paid a lot of undivided attention to creating the show, which does not have a minute of unnecessary action but is not heavy in any way either.

Towards the end of the show, elements creep up in ways that one could have predicted but it still remains surprising throughout. The way the serious elements, the conflicts, and the underlying emotions all play their part, makes this one of the most satisfying conclusions to any romantic comedy in recent years, as well.

---

All in all, Nobody Wants This is nothing short of a spectacle that can go on to become one of Netflix's greatest of 2024.

All 10 episodes of Nobody Wants This are now streaming on Netflix.