Netflix’s romantic comedy show, Nobody Wants This, is very popular, but is the relationship between Noah (Adam Brody) and Joanne (Kristen Bell) really a healthy one? Nobody Wants This has impressively maintained a 93-95% Rotten Tomatoes score since its release, suggesting the chemistry Brody and Bell brought to the show has largely landed with audiences. There’s little question that the Nobody Wants This cast is stellar, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to the show’s relationship being a good one.
Nobody Wants This was inspired by a true story, which arguably makes this assessment a bit more complicated. Speaking specifically about the relationship depicted in the show, though, there were a number of concerning moments between Joanne and Noah. These 10 aspects of Joanne and Noah’s relationship in Nobody Wants This represent 5 great strengths in their relationship and 5 significant weaknesses.
10. Noah And Joanne Communicated Effectively From The Beginning
Even Before They Started Dating, Noah And Joanne Were Clear With Each Other
One of the most impressive aspects of Noah and Joanne’s relationship in Nobody Wants This was their ability to communicate effectively. From the very beginning, Joanne and Noah were more open with one another than is typical, particularly this early on for couples. When Joanne didn’t feel the two should continue pursuing one another, for example, she voiced that, although Noah ultimately persuaded her otherwise.
They managed to maintain this positive aspect of their relationship throughout the show, including all the way to the Nobody Wants This ending. If either party ever felt uncertain, bothered, or worried, they fairly quickly spoke to one another about it. This included Joanne telling Noah that she’d happened upon a box of his ex’s things and admitting that, previously, she would have accepted his offer to go through his phone.
9. The Couple Never Gave Up, No Matter What Happened Between Them
Noah And Joanne Faced Numerous Obstacles But Kept Working On Their Relationship
Perhaps the best quality Noah and Joanne each exemplify is perseverance. Throughout Nobody Wants This, there were many moments when it would have been reasonable for either party to call it quits and walk away, but in the end, they didn’t. Even in the finale, when Noah was faced with a choice between his dream job and a possible future with Joanne, he put it all on the line to still pursue a relationship with her.
Noah’s job was also just one of several obstacles the two faced throughout the show’s 10-episode arc. Their families each posed their own complications, and their conflicting interests and (in certain ways) personalities also created tensions between the two at times. Their respective pasts were another major issue throughout the show, although Noah’s history with his ex Rebecca was a much more significant problem. In spite of all those challenges, though, Joanne and Noah never gave up on one another.
8. Noah And Joanne Shared A Sense Of Humor
It Was Clear The Couple Had A Lot Of Fun Together
While Joanne and Noah may have seemed incompatible at times because of their conflicting interests and distinct personalities, the couple shared a sense of humor that was genuinely a joy to see. It is perhaps the playful banter between Noah and Joanne that made them so lovable for audiences. A shared sense of humor may not be the single most important thing in a relationship, but it is a major plus, which both Noah and Joanne seemed to recognize.
Kristen Bell’s personality was also consistent with characters she has played in her other romantic comedies and other shows, including the fan-favorite show The Good Place, in that she was witty, sharp, and sarcastic. This is clearly a formula that works for Bell, so it’s little surprise it worked well in Nobody Wants This. Adam Brody’s more reserved approach to his character played off of this well, although Noah also had his hilarious moments, particularly in the sex shop the two visited.
7. Noah Didn’t Allow His Mother To Bully Joanne
Nobody Wants This Leaned Into The Controlling Mother-In-Law Trope
Noah and Joanne’s families each posed their own problems for the couple, but Nobody Wants This especially leaned into the notion of an overbearing, overly-critical mother-in-law. It’s important to note that this is one of many concerns audiences have raised regarding the characterizations seen in the show. Many have argued that Noah’s mother, Bina, and sister-in-law, Esther, represent harmful Jewish stereotypes.
In Bina’s case, this included her behavior as a (potential) mother-in-law to Joanne, as she was at first harsh and standoffish and later, even after coming to like Joanne, insisted she wasn’t right for her son—both of which, viewers have argued, reinforced the negative stereotype that Jewish mothers are obsessive about their sons. This controversy is an issue unto itself, but this plotline did see Noah standing up to his mother’s treatment of Joanne, suggesting loyalty to her that was nice to see. It also came as a surprise, given Noah’s other behaviors, but it was a pleasant one.
6. Joanne Tried To Be Honest, Even When It Threatened The Relationship
Both Noah And Joanne Voiced Their Concerns With One Another Fairly Quickly
Coinciding with Noah and Joanne’s admirable communication skills, the couple prioritized being honest with one another, even when that was difficult. One of the most charming examples of this occurred when Noah gave Joanne ‘the ick’ during his first time meeting Joanne’s parents. There were a number of reasons Joanne disliked Noah’s behavior when he first met her parents, among them him loudly yelling “prego” in a bad Italian accent.
While it might seem trivial, this situation really did give Joanne second thoughts about their relationship. Rather than allow those concerns and the resentment to build in silence, though, Joanne directly addressed the issue with Noah. Together, they were able to resolve it together, which is due in no small part to Noah being able to hear Joanne felt this way without taking major offense. He had a rather lighthearted, understanding response to her feelings, which was wonderful and unexpected.
5. Noah And Joanne Created Issues With Each Other’s Families—And Ignored It
Noah And Joanne’s Family Members Expressed Concerns Several Times
As mentioned, Joanne and Noah’s families both had their concerns about the couple. Not only did Bina resist Joanne at first, but also, Noah’s sister-in-law Esther had major issues with Joanne. For Esther, this was largely due to the speed with which Noah started up a relationship with Joanne after calling it quits with his ex Rebecca, who happened to be Esther’s best friend. Esther’s disdain for Joanne lessened with time, although her treatment of Joanne and criticism of their relationship largely went ignored throughout the show.
On Joanne’s side, her sister Morgan disliked Noah more or less from the start. Morgan’s concerns stemmed primarily from the belief that Noah and Joanne were incompatible because Noah was so religious. Joanne had made a name for herself as a sex and relationships podcaster, and Morgan worried that being with a Rabbi would cause Joanne to dial her personality back. Rather than hear Morgan out, Joanne increasingly withdrew from her sister, which came to a head when Morgan revealed that Rebecca had accused Noah of cheating. Simply ignoring these issues didn’t speak well of Joanne or Noah.
4. Noah Consistently Picked Other People Over Joanne
Joanne Was Often Secondary In Noah’s Life
From early on in the show, Noah picked other people or other obligations over Joanne. This included Noah completely changing their weekend plans for what would have been their first vacation together. Joanne and Noah had planned a weekend away, but Noah had to cancel on Joanne to step in for the head Rabbi.
On the one hand, this is understandable because it was something Noah needed to do for work, and he had little choice (although he did immediately agree to step in without consulting Joanne when the Rabbi called him). What makes this concerning, though, is that the same was not true of Joanne. On the contrary, Joanne made major changes to how she conducted herself on her podcast out of respect for Noah and his role as a Rabbi. It is the unevenness of the compromise, more than anything else, that was concerning.
3. Joanne Had To Change Her Identity To Fit With Noah
Compromising Is Important, But Joanne Changed Herself Significantly
Along with Joanne changing her approach to the podcast, which was her job, for Noah, she also made major changes to her personality and interests. This was something that her sister, Morgan, pointed out, but Joanne refused to hear it. Some of these changes were minor and even somewhat charming, such as Joanne going from someone who cared very little about basketball to someone who enthusiastically watched Noah’s games.
Other changes were much more significant, though. It was clear the extent to which Joanne was curtailing her lewd, boisterous, sarcastic nature to fit into Noah’s life, both in public spaces and private ones, which wasn’t a very good sign. While couples certainly need to make adjustments at times because they are bringing together two previously separate lives, it felt as though Joanne was dulling who she was, whereas Noah was not making significant changes in the same way.
2. Noah (Seemingly) Gave Up His Lifelong Dream To Be With Joanne
The Finale Saw Noah Turn Down His Dream Job—That Was So Much More Than Just A Job
Noah wasn’t consistently making changes to his relationships, personality, or career for Joanne in the same way that she was, but he did seemingly give up his life-long dream just to try and make it work with her. Throughout Nobody Wants This, it was clear that Noah wanted to eventually become a head Rabbi. When that opportunity presented itself towards the end of the show, it seemed like the stars were aligning for him. The only complication was that Noah was dating a woman who was not Jewish, but Joanne had expressed an openness to the possibility of converting.
This all changed in the finale, however, when Joanne revealed that she was not ready to commit to such a major life change. The two seemed to have split, but Noah then followed Joanne (in a very classic rom-com way) and fought for the relationship, suggesting he was willing to give up the job for her. In a certain light, this could be considered romantic, but given what a major opportunity it was for him—one that was about his identity and religion as much as it was about work—it feels more like a red flag for their future.
1. The Couple’s Roller Coaster Relationship Doesn’t Suggest Hope For Their Future
No Couple Is Perfect, But Noah And Joanne’s Future Remains Uncertain
In general, Noah and Joanne’s relationship consisted of a number of ups and downs in a relatively short period of time. It wasn’t until the last few minutes of the final episode, in fact, that it was even confirmed they were staying together—prior to those last few minutes, it felt almost certain they were breaking up. If Nobody Wants This season 2 does happen, which isn’t currently confirmed, this could be thrown into question yet again.
It’s normal for couples to face obstacles, but Noah and Joanne’s romance truly felt like a roller-coaster ride, which isn’t a good sign. They never really reached a point of stability in season 1, and the show ended with the couple having many of the same issues they’d had all along. It’s clear that Joanne and Noah are charming in Nobody Wants This, but their relationship doesn’t necessarily seem the healthiest.
