This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Netflix’s Nobody Wants This.
The ending of Netflix’sNobody Wants Thispaints a picture of a couple that keeps fighting for each other despite the odds, furthering the show’s core messages about love. The show starts with Joanne deciding to make smarter decisions in her dating life and Noah breaking up with his long-time girlfriend, Rebecca. Noah and Joanne meet at a party, and they immediately realize their religion will make their relationship complicated.Despite their different life experiences, families, and religions, they decide to give their relationship a real shot.
Even though Noah and Joanne are happy togehter, both of their families are upset with the pairing. Noah’s family loves his ex-girlfriend Rebecca, pushing him to get back together with her. Joanne’s sister and mom think they’re a mismatched couple, saying Joanne isn’t a good enough person for him. As the couple’s relationship gets stronger, they have to start thinking about their futures, including whether Joanne will convert to Judiasm. BetweenNobody Wants This’ strong castand the star-crossed lovers angle, the Netflix show builds a heartwarming romance that could continue in season 2.
Do Noah & Joanne Stay Together At The End Of Nobody Wants This Season 1?
Noah And Joanne’s Religious Differences Put Their Relationship In Jeopardy
The final episode ofNobody Wants Thisseason 1 is a wild roller coaster that repeatedly pulls Noah and Joanne together and apart. After the insecurities of the previous episode, Joanne decides to fake illness to get out of the bat mitzvah. She changes her mind once she learns about Rebecca’s lies. When she gets to the party, she announces to Noah that she’s going to convert. After a difficult conversation with Rachel, Joanne decides she won’t convert and breaks up with Noah. However,Noah comes after her at the very end, and they kiss.
The yo-yo narrative in the last episode ofNobody Wants Thisseason 1, episode 10, “Bat Mitzvah Crashers,” points to the impact of societal pressures on the interfaith couple and hints at the struggles they might have going forward. It also shows the depth of Noah and Joanne’s feelings for one another. Joanne’s love for Noah extends to his job, family, and culture. She’s willing to sacrifice her relationship to make Noah’s life happier and easier. On the other hand, Noah is willing to push for his community to accept and respect Joanne as she is.
In 2015, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College became the first major in-person rabbinical seminary to allow Jewish people with non-Jewish spouses to join/graduate from their program, condoning Reconstructionist rabbis in interfaith marriages. However, the decision is still contentious. (viaReconstructing Judaism)
Joanne’s Decision About Converting Explained
Joanne Grapples With What Converting To Judaism Means
In the finale ofNobody Wants Thisseason 1, Joanne announces to Noah that she will convert to Judaism for him.The decision is made hastily without much forethought other than the desire to keep Noah.When she tells Noah, he asks if she’s doing it for herself, too, a question she ushers past. Joanne seems to honestly believe it’s as simple as claiming a label, not understanding everything involved. She seems moderately confused when Noah starts listing off the things she’ll learn in the process.
Ultimately, Joanne decides that she can’t convert because it would only be for Noah instead of something she wants for herself.
However, in an unexpected turn, it takes a conversation with Rebecca to fully realize the issue with her decision. If she converts and marries Noah, she’ll be looked to as a representative of the temple and a role model for the congregations. Her decision to convert wouldn’t just impact herself, given Noah’s potential job as head rabbi. Ultimately, Joanne decides that she can’t convert because it would only be for Noah instead of something she wants for herself, setting up a barrier for the two’s relationship going forward.
Why Joanne Thinks Morgan’s Lying
Rebecca Meddles With Joanne And Noah’s Relationship By Lying To Morgan
Towards the end of theNetflix romantic comedy, Morgan meets Rebecca in a bar, thinking Noah’s ex doesn’t know who she is. To mess with Joanne and Noah, Rebecca tells Morgan numerous lies, which Morgan then passes on to Joanne. Rather than think that Noah’s ex could’ve been lying, Joanne jumps to the assumption that Morgan made up lies to drive a wedge between Joanne and Noah.This points to deeper-seated issues between the sisters and co-podcast hosts that had not been previously addressed.
Joanne views her sister as unreliable and never seems to appreciate the hard work that Morgan does. She also discounts her contributions to the podcast, an extension of the root issue. On the other hand, Morgan appears to resent Joanne for putting other priorities ahead of their work and making decisions that negatively impact them both. The sisters seek out each other’s approval in different ways. Joanne wants Morgan’s support in her relationship, so it hurts her when she thinks Morgan lied. Conversely, Morgan wants Joanne’s praise for her reliability and caringness, so she’s deeply hurt when Joanne doubts her.
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While Joanne apologizes to Morgan for the accusations of lying, the pair don’t fully handle the underlying situation. Unless they internally reflect and grow from the incident, it’s probable the conflict between Joanne and Morgan will come back up again in any future seasons ofNobody Wants This.
How Joanne’s Relationship With Esther Changes Over Time
Esther’s Hostility Towards Joanne Is Vastly Misunderstood
As shown inNobody Wants This’ trailer, Esther – Noah’s sister-in-law – and Joanne don’t get off to a good start. Esther might seem overbearing and mean at times, but this is really only directed towards Joanne – because of her loyalty to Rebecca – and Morgan – because the sister is viewed as an extension of Joanne. She’s loving, softer, and more caring towards her friends and family. Esther’s family-like relationship with Rebecca prevents her from opening up to Noah’s new girlfriend.A few moments contribute to a more positive relationship between Joanne and Esther.
The pair seem to realize that they don’t have to be enemies, planting emotional seeds that could grow into a friendship.
Esther lets her guard down while playing a drinking game with her friends, Joanne, and Morgan. By the end of the game, she seems to have softened up a bit. The guilt for this appears on her face when she gets into the car with Rebecca, at which point she talks negatively about Joanne to make her best friend feel better. Esther once again sees the good in Joanne when the outsider convinces Miriam that the bat mitzvah theme could be cool. The pair seem to realize that they don’t have to be enemies, planting emotional seeds that could grow into a friendship.
Then, at Noah’s family dinner, Esther starts to like Joanne when Bina treats the latter as the “bad child” instead of her. This moment shows how the pressure to be perfect affects Esther. Unfortunately,everything good about their relationship gets wiped out in a moment at the end of Nobody Wants This due to Sasha’s actions. He went behind Esther’s back and revealed Rachel’s lies to Morgan and Joanne. Rather than directing her ire towards him, Esther projects it onto the sisters.
Is Nobody Wants This Based On A True Story?
The True Story That Inspired Nobody Wants This
When describingNobody Wants This,the creator, Erin Foster, calls it semi-autobiographical (viaTudum) rather than a fictionalization of her true story. Foster is a blonde woman from Los Angeles who hosts a podcast with her sister, Sara. She eventually got into a relationship with a Jewish man named Simon Tikhman, experiencing culture shock when engaging with his community. Prior to their 2019 wedding, Erin Foster converted to Judaism. Elaborating onNobody Wants This’ connection to her life, she states:
“This show is based on the only good decision I ever made: falling for a nice Jewish boy. But I realized that being happy is way harder than being miserable — there’s nothing to complain about. So, I created this show based on all the ways that finding the right person can be so hard.”
Ultimately, the story inNobody Wants Thisisn’t identical to Foster’s own experiences. For example, Tikhman wasn’t a rabbi in his temple. However, the show still gets to the emotional truth of Erin Foster’s journey.
The True Meaning Of Nobody Wants This' Ending
Happiness Takes Effort And Sacrifice
At the end ofNobody Wants Thisseason 1, Joanne and Noah decide to commit to their relationship despite the fact that it could negatively impact Noah’s career. This was his form of sacrifice that balanced out her willingness to convert for him. Ultimately, their decision to continue their romance sends the clear message thatsometimes partners have to make sacrifices and compromises if they want to continue their relationship. It also reminds the audience that happiness isn’t necessarily the easiest choice, but it can be the most fulfilling decision in the long run.
How Nobody Wants This' Ending Sets Up Season 2
Joanne And Noah Have Big Career Changes Ahead
Nobody Wants Thisseason 1 builds up possible career shifts for both Joanne and Noah. Joanne and Morgan’s podcast could be acquired by Spotify, whereas Noah is up for the head rabbi job at his temple. Their relationship poses a barrier in both situations. Joanne is developing boundaries about what she shares on the podcast, to which her listeners are responding negatively. Some members of the temple are also responding negatively to Noah dating Joanne because she’s not Jewish, which could hurt his chances of getting the promotion.Season 2 will need to explore their relationship and careers more.
On top of this, Bina and Esther set out to break them up at the end ofNobody Wants This, which will undoubtedly continue into season 2. A blowup fight is brewing between Esther and Sasha. An early episode in season 1 also hints that Miriam could have a developing romance with a boy named Caleb. These are just a few examples of questions that could be explored in a possible second season ofNobody Wants This.
