Interfaith Couples, Romantic Nightstands & Why You Shouldn’t Date Your Therapist: Nobody Wants This (Season 2)

Underwhelmed and a little fired up: we unpack Season 2’s recycled arcs, interfaith stalemates, weaponized ‘good guy’ energy, and a wildly unethical storyline.

Spoiler alert: We spoil Season 2 of Nobody Wants This (Netflix). Proceed caffeinated.

This week Kira and Dr. Isabelle dive into Season 2 of Nobody Wants This with Adam Brody and Kristen Bell—and why, despite stellar performances, the story stalls. 

We break down the interfaith impasse (values vs. pressure), Noah’s performative “good guy” pattern, and how a nightstand somehow became peak romance. 

We also cover Esther/Sasha’s whiplash baby talk, Morgan’s messy choices, and the biggest red flag of all: a therapist who dates a (very recent) former client. We talk power dynamics, love-bombing, and why “leaving an abuser” scenes on TV skip the most dangerous part in real life. 

Bright spots? Joanne’s divorced parents modeling mature, joyful post-marriage connection—and Rebecca living her best life. 

Tacos were stingy this week, but the conversation’s meaty.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok, & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Transcript

Kira: 0:16

Welcome back, everybody! We’ve got a very special episode. Today we’re talking about Season 2 of “Nobody Wants This” with Adam Brody and Kristen Bell, currently streaming on Netflix. We were hyped… and then we watched it.

Dr. Isabelle: 0:16

Underwhelmed. That’s the word. The production is gorgeous, the performances are strong, but the story didn’t move. It felt like Season 1 again—only less fun and less magical.

Kira: 0:33

Right. We ended in basically the same place as Season 1. Some characters even moved backward in growth. We don’t usually harp on production choices, but the writing didn’t progress the arcs in any meaningful way.

Dr. Isabelle: 0:47

Before we get spicy, positives! Joanne and Morgan’s parents? A+ modeling of post-divorce friendship. They’re silly, grounded, and genuinely enjoying each other. Also, Rebecca—good for her. She’s thriving, traveling, and very clear that ending with Noah was the best thing for her.

Kira: 1:06

Which brings us to Noah. In Season 1, he felt fresh. In Season 2, he reads as performative—more invested in being seen as the “good guy” than in doing the hard, vulnerable stuff of partnership.

Dr. Isabelle: 1:19

Exactly. He checks boxes—“good boyfriend, good son, good rabbi”—but it’s inauthentic. He suppresses negative feelings, then gets self-righteous about his role. Joanne has to coax out basic truths—like whether he even likes the new temple. That’s not intimacy, that’s image management.

Kira: 1:37

he plans a night for himself, not for Joanne. She names it. Then there’s the recycled gift—the same necklace he gave Rebecca. It’s tone-deaf and reveals how little attunement he’s actually practicing.

Dr. Isabelle: 1:52

“I didn’t realize that’s how it felt. I’m sorry. I’ll reflect.” He didn’t.

Kira: 2:11

And there’s a broader values issue. Noah believes his ideals should be universal, and he imposes them—from advising strangers on their marriage to pushing an interfaith outcome he prefers. “No pressure” that functions as pressure is still pressure.

Dr. Isabelle: 2:26

Which leads to the interfaith stalemate. He doesn’t actually want to move forward unless Joanne converts. That’s his right to feel—but then own it and end it. Don’t make your partner do the break-up labor for you.

Kira: 2:40

They teased a solution with Temple Hava—open, welcoming—but he decides it’s not aligned with his values. Fine! Then the adult choice is ending the relationship, not looping back into the same conflict for four more episodes.

Dr. Isabelle: 2:54

Meanwhile, the show treats a nightstand like a grand romantic gesture. Folks, collaboration and attunement are the floor in healthy relationships, not a fireworks moment.

Kira: 3:05

whiplash baby talk. He wants another kid because… his mom wants one? She’s 45 in real life—this is a big medical and life decision. We never see aligned consent, just vibes. If you’re not using birth control, you are trying. Own it, or don’t do it.

Dr. Isabelle: 3:23

dating a current or very recent client is unethical and, in many places, illegal. Power dynamics don’t evaporate because you waited a week. The show frames it as edgy romance. It’s not. It’s exploitation.

Kira: 3:42

He knows everything about her—trauma, triggers, family history—and uses it to control. That’s why dual relationships are prohibited. He love-bombs, isolates, and weaponizes therapy disclosures. None of that is romantic. It’s abusive dynamics in a charming package.

Dr. Isabelle: 3:59

leaving an abusive partner is the highest-risk window. TV often skips the safety plan. In real life, tell trusted people, plan logistics, don’t do the exit alone, document. If you’re listening and need help, prioritize safety over “closure.”

Kira: 4:16

consequences exist in adult life. The show keeps sidestepping that.

Dr. Isabelle: 4:31

And the inconsistency is wild—Joanne gives genuinely insightful takes one scene, then spirals over Noah taking one solo night to study. You can’t be both the podcast sage and the person keying cars and picking fights over alone time.

Kira: 4:45

performances? Lovely. Chemistry? Still there. Plot? Static. Love lessons? Sparse. Bright spots were Joanne’s parents and Rebecca charting a healthy, self-directed path.

Dr. Isabelle: 4:57

Thanks for listening. We create our own happily-ever-afters. And—don’t date your therapist.