Everybody Wants This

Spooky season is almost upon us, but just in case all things hallow’s eve isn’t your bag, don’t worry, Netflix has got you covered. In their quest to be the something for everyone, one-stop entertainment shop, they’re releasing the second season of the romantic comedy-drama Nobody Wants This. on October 23. To that end, the trailer for season two dropped yesterday. It looks very charming! 

If the first season was the meet-cute, the second season is when sh-t gets real. Joanne and Noah are trying to make their relationship work, which means moving beyond the honeymoon phase and dealing with things like inter-faith dating, kid potential, and family pressure. The trailer is teasing plenty of small-d drama, the kind of everyday issues and conflicts that arise when two people try to mesh their lives, friends, and families, especially when there is added pressure from something as big as differences in faith. They don’t really tease it in the trailer, but I wonder if season two will also address dating a podcaster, who, like a comedian or writer, makes her living talking about her life and relationships. Where do you draw your boundaries when your personal life is your job?

Lainey called season one “sloppy and uneven”, and Duana called it “flawed but deeply charming”. It was a surprise hit last year even though everyone agrees the writing was all over the place—evidence of some behind the scenes drama, as we know there was a dust-up over showrunners in the first season. Lainey addressed that in a mailbag. Season two, then, will hopefully be a calmer, more tonally consistent affair. Jenni Konner and Bruce Eric Kaplan handled showrunning duties this time around, and so far, there has been nary a peep about behind the scenes drama. The proof, though, will be in the pudding, as we see whether or not the second season can deliver on the untapped potential of season one. (Season three is when Netflix cancels the series no matter how popular it is.)

The second season is also going big with guest stars, bringing in Seth Rogen, Leighton Meester, and Kate Berlant. Also joining the second season is Justine Lupe’s fellow Succession alum, Arian Moayed (Stewy!). Whatever happens with Nobody Want This.’s second season, the cast is definitely not the problem. This is a terrific ensemble. Now let’s see if the show lives up to its promise.