Hit Netflix Rom-Com Nobody Wants This, completely ‘misses the mark’ on faith

Recently the only thing I have been watching on TV is the White Collar series. I know that is so 2009, (literally) but it’s light and fun, with a bit of intrigue. And you don’t feel slimed after watching it, if you know what I mean.

However, the other night, I turned to Netflix, instead of Disney+ where White Collar resides, and up popped Nobody Wants This. Ten half-hour episodes. I decided to watch the first one, as I think Kristen Bell is funny. The first few minutes caught my attention with sharp and quick-witted dialogue.

The premise is Joanne, a ‘shiksa’ (non-Jewish woman) and Noah, a recently single ‘hot rabbi’ meet at a party and fall in love

The premise is Joanne, a ‘shiksa’ (non-Jewish woman) and Noah, a recently single ‘hot rabbi’ meet at a party and fall in love, amidst massive disapproval from the rabbi’s family. Joanne and Noah are actually based on series creator, Erin Foster and her Jewish husband, music executive Simon Tikhman.

When interviewed by Associated Press, Foster said in making the series she wanted to: “…shine a really positive light on Jewish culture in a really digestable way, and sprinkle in little moments of people learning about Judaism, without it being too heavy handed. If you don’t want a religious show you are not going to get one, but if you are a little curious, you might learn a couple of things you didn’t know about Judaism, and it might just feel warm.”

You are definitely not going to get a religious show in watching Nobody Wants This. 

You are definitely not going to get a religious show in watching Nobody Wants This. You are going to be reminded of the excitement and all-consuming passion of falling in love. ‘We are at the stage where we just want to be together all the time,’ says Noah to his brother. 

But as a side-note warning, the age rating is 16 plus because of offensive language and sexual themes, which are very normalised in the show.

For example, Joanne runs a sex podcast with her sister, Morgan (Justine Lupe). In one scene they are thrift shopping with their podcast producer, Ashley. A heavily tattooed man walks past, Morgan describes him as: ‘Tattoos, thick neck, light criminal record,’ and later, when explaining that she is full of contradictions says, ‘I don’t want to sleep with that guy, but I am going to. I’ll see you later.’ She is then seen walking over to pick up the said tattooed criminal. Joanne and Ashley don’t bat an eyelid.

As the series is about religion, you would think there would be reference to God, but it is as if Judaism is just about the traditions and culture, not about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. One of the only times God is mentioned, is when Noah says that those who convert to Judaism are considered closest to God.

The religion aspect of the show is a device to show two characters coming from very different worldviews. Noah might as well have been a Canadian prairie farmer, and Joanne a city girl. Perhaps if there is a season two it will delve more into the faith aspect of believing in God.

The series came about when Erin herself was converting to Judaism for her husband. In a conversion class of 23 people, she said only three were converting for marriage. She was fascinated by the stories of the other twenty converts.

I’d like to see a series on a born-again Christian falling in love with an atheist or agnostic person, and the journey they both take towards faith. Romantic love is often put as an idol above God, what if this programme showed a believer choosing Christ over marriage?

There is lots of excitement about Nobody Wants This, but I think it misses the mark. Faith is not shallow, it is what makes our lives have purpose, it is the pearl of great price. May the creator, Erin Foster find it, and may her next series show the world that God is real.