Nobody Wants This Season 2: Everything We Know About the Hit Netflix Romance

When Nobody Wants This debuted on Netflix in September 2024, it immediately captured hearts with its unconventional romance between an agnostic podcaster and a newly single rabbi. The chemistry between stars Kristen Bell and Adam Brody proved irresistible, and the show's cliffhanger ending left viewers desperate for more. Now, as Season 2 prepares to premiere on October 23, 2025, the anticipation has reached a fever pitch.

A Breakout Success Story

The show's first season was nothing short of a phenomenon. Debuting at No. 2 in its opening weekend, Nobody Wants This climbed to the No. 1 spot within its first full week, garnering an impressive 26.2 million views in just 11 days. The series resonated with audiences far beyond its romantic comedy roots, sparking cultural conversations about interfaith relationships, modern dating, and the balance between personal identity and partnership.

Creator Erin Foster drew inspiration from her own life when developing the series. Like her protagonist Joanne, Foster converted to Judaism for her husband, music executive Simon Tikhman, before they welcomed their daughter Noa. "That's really how I felt as an adult. I thought I just didn't believe in anything, and it turns out I believe in a lot of things," Foster told Vanity Fair. "It's a big reset. And as modern women, sometimes we're scared to admit that domestic desire is the one we have."

What to Expect in Season 2

The second season picks up with Joanne and Noah fully committed to merging their lives—and their loved ones—together. However, their fundamental differences haven't disappeared just because they've fallen in love. According to the official synopsis, "The challenge now is not just falling in love against all odds, but staying together in spite of them."

Foster emphasized that Season 2 would challenge the idealized version of Noah that captivated viewers in the first season. "Season one highlighted healthy love...but we also created this guy in Noah who was so perfect that it was important [for] season two to show that he was kind of a shitty boyfriend at some points," she explained. "Rebecca [Noah's ex, played by Emily Arlook] wasn't necessarily, quote, unquote, crazy.... I never want to set women up to fail and to think that they are looking for something that doesn't exist. Nobody's perfect, including Noah."

Behind the Scenes Changes

While Foster remains the creative voice behind Nobody Wants This, Season 2 brings significant behind-the-scenes changes. Netflix brought in Girls alums Jenni Konner and Bruce Eric Kaplan as executive producers and showrunners, alongside Nora Silver of Welcome to Chippendales and Single Drunk Female.

The move represents a strategic shift for the show. Konner and Kaplan, who previously served as co-showrunners on HBO's Girls, bring expertise in portraying modern relationships with both humor and emotional depth. "It's a dream to be working on Nobody Wants This," Konner said. "Erin is the rare creator with a crystal clear voice and a genuinely collaborative spirit."

A Collaborative Creative Vision

The Foster sisters—Erin and Sara, who serves as producer—have built their careers on creative partnerships. From their VH1 series Barely Famous to their Favorite Daughter fashion label and The World's First Podcast, they've mastered the art of collaboration. This extends to their work on Nobody Wants This, where their real-life dynamic informs the relationship between sisters Joanne and Morgan.

"We take that mindset into everything we do," Sara Foster explained. "Are we the customer for this jacket? Are we the person that would want to listen to a [podcast] episode about having a healthier gut? If something doesn't resonate with us, if we are not the customer in all lanes, we don't do it."

Star-Studded New Additions

Season 2 welcomes several exciting guest stars, most notably Leighton Meester—Adam Brody's real-life wife. Meester plays Abby, a former middle school nemesis of Joanne's who "inevitably stir[s] up some drama," according to the actress. The casting creates a delightful meta-moment for fans who remember Brody and Meester as colleagues on Gossip Girl.

"I was really taken by everybody's kindness and their talent, and how that whole show came together," Meester told PEOPLE. "I know that everyone has so much fun on it, and when I went on, I mean, it was one of the most fun times that I've had on a set."

Comedy legend Seth Rogen also joins the cast as Rabbi Neil, married to a non-Jew, who tells Noah: "We want more Jews, not less. We're trying to put asses in seats. And you don't do that by telling people that they can't marry the hot blond they met at Coachella."

Exploring Complex Relationships

Beyond the central romance, Season 2 promises to delve deeper into the supporting characters' relationships. The confusing dynamic between Morgan (Justine Lupe) and Noah's married brother Sasha (Timothy Simons) gets addressed head-on, with Esther (Jackie Tohn) confronting what it means when your partner seeks attention from someone else.

"What does it mean when you're in a marriage and like to get attention from someone else?" Foster posed. "What is that person giving you that you're not getting in your relationship?" Rather than defaulting to jealousy and dramatics, the show explores Esther's desire to rediscover herself outside of domestic life—a nuanced take on marriage that reflects Foster's commitment to portraying "healthy relationships being the most romantic."

A Modern Take on Rom-Com Tropes

One of the show's strengths lies in its willingness to examine the rom-com fantasy critically. Season 2 continues this by exploring whether the "when you know, you know" concept applies to both Joanne's potential conversion to Judaism and her relationship with Noah.

"I remember thinking when I was single, What's the feeling I'm looking for?" Foster reflected. "And I felt that way when I was converting to Judaism. I kept waiting to feel something really specific. Do I feel it when I do [the mikvah]? Do I feel it when I host a Jewish holiday? I didn't really feel it until I had the lived experience of being Jewish."

Cultural Impact and Critical Reception

The show has resonated particularly strongly with Jewish audiences, who have praised its authentic portrayal of Jewish family dynamics and religious practice. Foster addressed this directly: "This story, hands down, is good for Jewish people," she told Deadline. The series manages to depict Judaism as both culturally specific and universally relatable, avoiding stereotypes while celebrating tradition.

Critics have also praised the show's gender dynamics. Unlike many rom-coms where the woman must change everything about herself for love, Nobody Wants This shows both partners making sacrifices and adjustments. Noah faces professional consequences for his relationship with Joanne, while she grapples with whether conversion feels authentic or coerced.

Looking Ahead

While Season 2 hasn't officially been confirmed for a third season yet, the Foster sisters are already thinking ahead. "We have an overall [deal] at Disney. We're developing a lot of other things," Sara Foster revealed. "We want to own the rom-com space."

For now, though, the focus remains on delivering a second season that honors what made the first so special while pushing the characters into new territory. As Foster put it: "Creating Nobody Wants This will forever be a career highlight for me. I'm so lucky to be able to continue this story, and to do it alongside Jenni Konner and Bruce Eric Kaplan, who I've been such a fan of since Girls... Justice for healthy relationships being the most romantic."

The Verdict

As Nobody Wants This returns for its second season, it faces the challenge all successful first seasons encounter: maintaining momentum while deepening the story. The addition of experienced showrunners, compelling guest stars, and Foster's continued commitment to authentic storytelling suggests the show is well-positioned to meet that challenge.

What made the first season work wasn't just the chemistry between Bell and Brody—though that certainly helped. It was the show's willingness to take romantic relationships seriously while maintaining a light touch, to explore cultural differences without reducing them to punchlines, and to suggest that finding love doesn't mean losing yourself.

Season 2 of Nobody Wants This premieres October 23 on Netflix, and if the buzz is any indication, plenty of people definitely want this.