After the release of Nobody Wants This, there has been an overall consensus online that it is one of the best rom-coms of the year. With quick 30-minute episodes and a swoon-worthy love story between a rabbi and a podcaster, the series is witty, lighthearted, and – wait for it – romantic. Although the last word seems like a given, it has been a while since a relationship between polar opposites felt so organic and healthy onscreen as it does here, reigniting hopeless romantics’ interest in finding someone that is as caring, patient, and a good listener as the show’s Hot Rabbi. Prior to the world rediscovering their crush on Adam Brody years after he played Newport Beach’s quirky misfit in The O.C., I had the pleasure of watching the series ahead of its release to write the Collider review.
As I jotted down notes and soaked in Joanne (Kristen Bell) and Noah’s (Brody) journey from the comfort of my couch, I couldn’t help but giggle and kick my feet in the air because I was sold on this pair from the minute they crossed paths. Watching them go from friends to being in a committed relationship, in spite of what friends and family might think, was so enjoyable. I was eagerly awaiting its release to discuss the show in detail with those around me. Yet, in looking back at my viewing experience, the moment that I couldn’t help but get excited to debrief with friends and rom-com fans was the couple’s epic first kiss. Days have passed, and I still haven’t gotten over that passionate smooch, and now that the show is out, I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one.
Joanne and Noah’s First Kiss Shows The Importance of Valuing Romance
After they hit it off at first glance, Joanne and Noah part ways feeling like they might’ve met each other’s soulmates. Yes, she is a co-host of a sex-positive podcast while he is a respectable rabbi, but their different realities seem small in comparison to their undeniable chemistry. Although no one (including the pair) believes that a relationship between them could work, their first kiss indicates otherwise. Prior to their lips touching for the first time, the duo had come to terms with the fact that they are destined to be friends. In Episode 2, Joanne jokingly says that she is startled that they have never kissed, to which Noah responds with a surprising “we haven’t kissed, yet,” allowing for both her and viewers like myself to feel agitated at the notion that a kiss between them could still happen. When Bell’s character suggests that they give a goodbye kiss and Noah agrees to it, you can tell that it is going to be a big moment for them but also for the person watching at home.
The Hot Rabbi owns up to his nickname by giving this instance all the time and attention that it needs. By taking Joanne’s ice cream cup out of her hand and telling her to put her purse down, the character allows for there to be anticipation before they lock lips. The truth is, the build-up is sometimes even more important than the actual kiss, because it adds meaning to it. According to Brody in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, this first romantic encounter between Joanne and Noah was written in the script as “the best kiss that each of them has ever had”, and this sentiment comes across beautifully in the actual scene. When his character places his hand on his love interest’s cheek and gently approximates his lips to hers to the sound of a fitting track from Francis & the Lights, the instance feels just as electric onscreen as it is powerful for the viewer at home.
This Scene Shows Joanne That Noah Is the Man She’s Longed to Find
What makes this scene stand out in comparison to recent rom-coms is its focus on reclaiming the importance of the first kiss and why it doesn’t have to be rushed or tongue-filled to be memorable. I could tell from the butterflies forming in my stomach that this scene was impactful for a deeper reason. When I later read that the series’ showrunner, Erin Foster, had to fight to have this moment play out in the exact way that it did, I could understand why. She wanted the kiss to show that Noah wasn’t just another guy in Joanne’s life, he was “the one”. The significance that he gave to that moment confirmed this. After all, he was intentional about savoring this occasion, and as a result, Joanne felt startled by it on her way back home.
In hindsight, it becomes evident that without that kiss, the characters wouldn’t have taken a leap of faith in pursuing the relationship they’d longed for. Joanne’s rough encounters in the dating scene made her lose hope in love up until meeting Noah. Similarly, the latter had just left a long-term relationship with someone that seemed right for him on the page, but not so much in real life. Although Noah and Joanne came from opposite worlds, particularly when it comes to faith and culture, their decision from that kiss onwards to put effort into being together makes for an inspiring story in this day and age. The first kiss laid the foundation for a meaningful trajectory between them, and by the end of the series, it continues to be an instance that stands out, because viewers want to find a partner that is not only kind, caring, and intentional like Noah, but that also understands the importance that a kiss holds if done right.
