Adam Brody and Kristen Bell Star in Hit Comedy Nobody Wants This

Netflix seems to have a formula that appeals to people in great numbers.

Put together a show centered around love, anxiety, humor, and idiosyncratic behaviors, and you’ll more often than not have a successful show. We’ve seen it most recently with Emily in Paris and One Day. Now, we’re seeing that formula succeeding yet again with the series Nobody Wants This.

The show was smartly cast — with Adam Brody and Kristen Bell as the leads. Brody has a built-in fan base dating all the day back to his days on The O.C. Bell has been a working actress for quite some time, appearing in a plethora of highly-regarded films and shows. Her relationship with husband/fellow actor Dax Shepard has made her even more popular in the world of entertainment. Adding to the hilarity are the protagonists’ on-screen siblings played by Timothy Simons and Justine Lupe, respectively.

Essentially, we focus on Bell’s character Joanne. She runs a podcast with her sister talking predominantly about relationships and sex. Jaded from unsuccessful dating exploits throughout Los Angeles, she’s invited to a dinner party by her friend who vows that there will be single guys present. Brody’s character Noah is a Rabbi. Initially, in a relationship with a woman named Rebecca (Emily Arlook), he realizes she’s not the best fit for him despite his family’s (and her family’s) objections.

Naturally, both meet at the party and a spark is immediate. There’s some hesitancy on the part of each character to get involved with one another. For one, Joanne isn’t Jewish — something Noah’s family is not too thrilled about. Navigating these cultural differences with levity and practicality aids in giving the show a rock-solid foundation to riff from.

Without giving anything else away, Nobody Wants This has already become a Netflix darling less than a week after debuting in late September. It’s one of the higher-rated comedies the streaming services have produced. It gives great insight into what dating would look like for single 40-somethings. This demographic is rarely explored through artistic platforms, and this show does an excellent job of doing so while using the backdrop of the eclectic East side of Los Angeles.