Nobody Wants This Season 1 recap: Noah chooses Joanna over his dream job

Netflix’s Nobody Wants This Season 1 might just be the best proof yet that the romantic comedy is officially back. Created by Erin Foster, the series stars Kristen Bell as Joanne, a jaded sex-and-dating podcaster, and Adam Brody as Noah, a rabbi who’s as sincere as he is awkwardly charming. The show premiered on Netflix in September 2024 and instantly became a fan favorite, earning a spot among the streamer’s top romance titles alongside Bridgerton and Virgin River.

The emotional finale of Nobody Wants This Season 1 that really sealed the show’s reputation as one of Netflix’s best modern love stories. When Noah chooses Joanne over his dream job, it becomes a story not about choosing love or career, but about what happens when two people try to blend completely different worlds.

Noah chooses love over ambition in a bittersweet ending

The finale of Nobody Wants This Season 1 picks up at a crossroads for Noah and Joanne. After months of navigating disapproving families, religious differences, and lingering exes, Noah finally earns the opportunity to become head rabbi — the dream job he’s worked toward his entire life. But that moment of success comes at a cost.

Joanne, who’s never been one to conform, is suddenly faced with what it means to be a rabbi’s partner. A conversation with Noah’s ex-fiancée, Rebecca (Emily Arlook), sends her spiraling with doubt. Rebecca explains the responsibilities and sacrifices that come with being the “head rabbi’s wife,” and Joanne realizes she’s not ready to lose herself in someone else’s world. When she tells Noah she can’t go through with converting to Judaism, it feels like the end.

But Noah’s not ready to let go. In a grand romantic gesture that defines the series, he chases Joanne down and tells her she’s his priority — not the job, not the approval of his family. Adam Brody explained to Netflix’s Tudum that Noah’s decision isn’t about rejecting faith but about putting love first:

“I put you first. Everything else will work itself out.”

The season closes on an ambiguous but hopeful note as the two share a kiss — one that promises a second chance but doesn’t erase the hard choices still ahead. Even with their reunion, the fallout around them is far from over. Noah’s mother, Bina (Tovah Feldshuh), and his sister-in-law, Esther (Jackie Tohn), double down on their disapproval of Joanne. Meanwhile, the subtle friendship between Noah’s brother, Sasha (Timothy Simons), and Joanne’s sister, Morgan (Justine Lupe), threatens to complicate things further — not romantically, but emotionally, in ways that will certainly carry into Season 2.

Recap of Nobody Wants This Season 1

Throughout Nobody Wants This Season 1, Noah and Joanne’s romance unfolds through a series of funny, heartfelt, and sometimes awkward moments that challenge both their worldviews. From their accidental first meeting to Noah hiding their relationship to protect his job, each episode builds toward the central theme — the push and pull between personal growth and romantic compromise.

Supporting storylines like Morgan and Sasha’s budding connection, Noah’s tense relationship with his family, and Joanne’s internal battle with commitment add layers of complexity that make the show more than just another rom-com. By the finale, viewers see both characters come full circle — Noah learning that faith doesn’t mean rigidity, and Joanne realizing that vulnerability doesn’t have to mean losing independence.

As for what comes next, Netflix has already confirmed that Nobody Wants This Season 2 will premiere on October 23, 2025. The upcoming season picks up right where the first left off, exploring what happens when the fairytale moment fades and real life begins. According to early footage and cast interviews, the next chapter will see Noah and Joanne trying to “be a we,” balancing love, faith, and individuality in equal measure.

Kristen Bell and Adam Brody return as the leads, joined once again by Justine Lupe, Timothy Simons, and Jackie Tohn — now a series regular. The new season also welcomes Leighton Meester as Joanne’s old school nemesis turned influencer, plus guest stars Seth Rogen and Kate Berlant in yet-to-be-revealed roles. Behind the camera, showrunner Erin Foster is joined by Jenni Konner (Girls) and Bruce Eric Kaplan (Six Feet Under), signaling a season rich in both emotional drama and comedic bite.

In an interview with Deadline, Foster promised that Season 2 would “pick up exactly where we left off,” allowing audiences to live through “the big, romantic moments that define the first year of a relationship.” Brody echoed that sentiment, teasing that the new episodes will explore “what sacrifice is worth it — and how love and faith can coexist without compromise.”

Nobody Wants This Season 1 ends on a note that’s both romantic and realistic — love wins, but it comes with consequences. Noah’s decision to choose Joanne over his career proves that the show’s heart lies in its complexity, not its clichés. And with Season 2 on the horizon, fans can expect even deeper emotional stakes, sharper humor, and more of the irresistible chemistry that made this unconventional love story such a hit in the first place.