The Prestige TV Podcast - ‘Nobody Wants This’ Season 2 Review: Too Much of a Good Thing

Episode Date: October 30, 2025

Rob Mahoney and Yasi Salek break out some dance moves to recap ‘Nobody Wants This’ Season 2. (0:00) Intro (3:09) Reactions to Season 2 (14:23) Why the relationships around Noah and Joanne are more compelling (26:12) Are the big pop needle drops overused? (35:37) The future of the show Email us! [e-mail] Subscribe to the Ringer TV YouTube channel here for full episodes of ‘The Prestige TV Podcast’ and so much more! Hosts: Rob Mahoney and Yasi Salek Producers: Kai Grady and Donnie Beacham Jr. Additional Production Support: Justin Sayles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This message is brought to you by Apple Card. Hey, you could be earning 2% daily cash back on that purchase. And that one. And even that one. That's because Apple Card users earn 2% daily cash back on every purchase, including everyday items they buy online or in store when using their Apple Card with Apple Pay. Not an Apple Card customer? You can apply in the wallet app on iPhone.

Subject to credit approval. Apple Card issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA Salt Lake City Branch. Terms and more at Apple.com slash benefits. This episode is brought to the... to buy Viori. When it comes to clothes that score high in both comfort and style, Viori is my MVP. Sunday Performance Chalkers? Oh yeah. They have the perfect. I could watch a game and then go out to dinner vibe. And the Meta Pant, that's my number one. I need to look like I tried option. Get 20% off your first purchase at Viori.com slash Simmons and discover the versatility of

Viori clothing. Exclusions apply. Visit the website for full terms and conditions. Welcome to the Prestige TV podcast. I am Rob Mahoney. I am here today to talk about nobody wants this season two. It's a big day. It's a big show. I brought in the only person I can trust to talk about this with me. She is like Joanne, a professional podcaster.

She is like Noah, a spiritual leader. It's Yasi Salik. Yasi, thank you so much for being here. Thank you so much for having me. Am I here because nobody else wanted to talk about it? Because literally nobody wants this. Absolutely not. This is a coveted spot.

You had to elbow several people out of the way. As I said, this is a hit show. This is a monster production for Netflix. And so people are watching, people are talking about it. Thus, we must do the same. I can't wait. I have a lot of thought. I can't wait to hear them.

I mean, I would hope if you are here listening to this podcast, you know what nobody wants this is in season two. The continued adventures of Noah and Joanne, Hot Rabbi, and I would say Hot Mess, respectively. There's a lot happening. There's a lot happening in the season. There are a broadening of horizons. There are new characters introduced. But what was your introduction to the show, Yassie? How were you feeling coming into season two?

What was your background of this show? I definitely watched the first season sort of like I would assume how many people did, which is like with no context or background. Like I'm sure a lot of people came because it was popular, but like I just like threw it on. Did it, I have brain damage in terms of memory? Don't we all. Was it like around a holiday that it came up? This is a great question. It feels, and maybe this is just me in the present tense, like a fall, cozy core kind of show spiritually.

Yeah. But I honestly couldn't tell you. But I loved it. I was like, oh my God. my boyfriend, Seth Cohen, is finally back in my arms. So excited. I love Kristen Bell. So I really enjoyed the first season.

First season, like, it's hard, it's hard to write it off in a way. There was something undeniable about that chemistry, about how comforting it just feels to lock in, which is odd when you consider the context in which it was made. The more you hear about it, it's like no one making this show seemed to have any idea what they were making, what the tone of it was going to be, whether all the pieces were going to work. and I think it works just because they work. Like that central relationship drives so much of season one. It makes it like it just,

it felt so lived in right away. Yeah, it's like a charisma factory also. It's like these people are just, you want to watch them, you want to hear them talk, you want to hear them crack jokes. I mean, they're both so charming. I think season one especially like has a little bit

that like seaminess that if I'm being honest, if we want to get ahead of ourselves, season two seems to be lacking, to be honest with you. But it is like a classic Netflix mess to success. kind of story. They just ended up with this show that became a phenomenon, became one of the biggest shows,

especially, I would say, comedies in Netflix history. I don't even know what would be competing if you want to consider Emily and Paris a comedy. That's maybe in the same stratosphere. But other than that, like, this is a big swinging hit. There was a no questions asked renewal. I'm sure we will continue to get more of this show. But let's kind of center in on season two.

Like how is it sitting with you? What was your experience like watching it? What was season two to you? I'm, like, still processing. Yeah. That seems maybe not great for a show that is supposed to be comfort food. I really enjoyed it. It's impossible not to enjoy the taking in of this show.

Like, in the way that it's like, and this is not pejorative, but, like, junk food. Yes. Where, like, I'm going to enjoy eating a family-sized bag of Doritos. Of course I am. but maybe afterwards, as I'm digesting, I might have a little bit of indigestion. Yes. I think I saw, I heard someone say that some of the jokes are like, they don't further anything, right? They're just like jokes for jokes sake, which is great.

100%. But then when you kind of sat back, you're like, okay, because the conceit of the show is quite serious. Yeah. Life altering religious decisions. Like, where are we? What is this? Like, yes, the stakes are intimate. and that we're talking about people making little decisions about their life,

but they're big decisions within the scope of those lives. So I think, like, broadly speaking, I loved it because I love every, I love almost every, not almost every member of this cast. Like, we already talked about Kristen Bell and Adam Brody. Jackie Tone. I mean, front center this season. Phenomenal. Yes.

Like incredible, everything about her. She's, you can't take your eyes off. She's so funny. The bang storyline really hit. She was like a young nanny, right? On the nanny? I didn't even know this. Yeah, she's great.

And I think I read somewhere that she's actually Kristen Bell's real-life best friend, which is like how she came in. This is that kind of show where it's like, obviously Adam Brody's real-life wife, Leighton Meester is on this show. There's a lot of like this person's girlfriend, this person's boyfriend, this person, they work together on this movie or that show and they pulled them into this orbit. Like, it does feel like a close-knit production in a way. Which is why everyone's chemistry is so good.

Just Dean Loop is just. A star. Yeah, she's so funny. Her character is amazing. Friend of the pond, Timothy Simon. Yeah. His dance. Do you think he did his own choreo?

I wouldn't put it past him. He was a multi-talented guy. He seems like he might have just shown up with it on the day. They're like, he's like, I got this. Came fully prepared to rock Ariana. I was saving this for, you know, perhaps a wedding or some sort of event, a red carpet, but I will give it to you. That is the shame. You can never bust that dance out again.

once you've done it on a Netflix show. That's true. But I guess it's now held in amber for generations to come. It's beautiful. We can look at it. We can hold it in our hands for eternity. They did just incredible also like guest star moments. Yes.

My queen came brilliant. I mean, she's so funny. Obviously, Seth Rogen as the other rabbi. Steven Tobolowski back. Fantastic. Darcy Cardin, a little underused, but love her. I mean, might have a busy schedule, you know? Totally.

Boked and busy, I would hope. The universe can only hope. Yeah. Sorry to like really get into it from. moment one. So we're here to do. I'm interested in a show that is talking about religion, but barely ever even brings up God. Is God mentioned in this show? I don't think so. I mean, listen, this is a dual screen show. Like I did watch it twice. Without a doubt. You know, so I don't have the like, you know, dialogue memorized. But I don't, I think I would have perked

up if the word God was used. People are really afraid to use the word God, but I'm like, this is a literal show about. This is the thing. I am mystified by the number of shows that exists today that like want to talk about the thing but don't actually want to talk about the thing. And, you know, there is a deep and complicated conversation to have about the way that Judaism is talked about, deployed, especially from season one to season two, I think there's some improvements in some ways. But it is a show that to me feels much more interesting in what it means to be culturally Jewish, to engage in Jewish tradition than Jewish faith. To the point that if we want to jump very far ahead, the big finale kind of revelation moment has almost nothing to do with the faith

itself. It's more like, oh, I like going to Shabbat. Right. I like Hala. I don't want to make any assumptions, Rob. You're not Jewish. I'm not. No. Listen, anybody could be Jewish. It's absolutely fair. My dad is Jewish. So, again, I'm a loosey goose over here. Like... Is your dad locked in on nobody wants this? No. My dad has never seen one minute of nobody wants this. And my dad, again, is Jewish by birth and culture. And so that side of my family is very culturally Jewish. However, in the Jewish tradition, if your father is Jewish, you're not Jewish. So I'm a little bit canceled out. But so, like, maybe I'm more familiar than you at the very least with some of the Jewish world and traditions. I guess I, as a person who is very interested in, not religion, per se,

but faith and spirituality in modern day society, which has become pretty aggressively secular. Again, this is a neutral comment. But I was like, oh, I was so excited. I was like, oh, there's like a rich thing to work with here. And I guess I just wanted a little more of that. Like, what does hot rabbi really believe? We know that he believes he is too conservative for the reform.

Right. For the Lucy Goose. Yes. For the Reform Temple, he attempts to join. Like, that's too far. Yeah. And the show wants to have its fun with that and poke and like, isn't this kind of funny how exactly loose they are with their faith? But I think ultimately this is a problem that the show is encountering in multiple ways, which is they made season one.

They're obviously making this continuation in the consciousness of everything that seemed to work or not. And they want to lean so hard on the rom-com elements that I think it scares them away from anything that feels a little too real, a little too heavy. Like they want to make the comfort show so bad and continue spoon-feeding it to you that it's like, where is the room for the serious religious conversation? Which is maybe fine. Like, maybe it's not supposed to have that.

I guess it's just like you're dancing with it. Yes. Don't pretend that you're the other thing is kind of where I'm at. Like, it's fine if you have a show that's loosely about Judaism but really is about these people. Yeah. But then don't say that it's the show about Judaism. I think unfortunately just what happens is that,

some of, when you do that, some of the truth rings hollow because you're like, well, you know, like, is that what he, we were talking off mic a little bit about the Joanne of it all. Yes, let's just talk about Joanne. Again, I love Kristen Ball, would lay down on traffic for Kristen Bell. This character is so interesting to me because, listen, as a woman of lived Little Bitch experience, I also relate, you know. but at some point you're like, is she going to sacrifice anything? Because he's made great sacrifice for her, right?

He's trying. He lost his dream career that he had worked towards for much of his life. He did. And that was okay. That was his choice. He has agency. But over time, I was just kind of like, are we going to get, go on, Joey. And give us anything, babe.

You know what I mean? Yes. A little concession. I think the Joanne elements crystallized for me with this kind of central problem of this season where I'm like with you by and large,

you can throw this show on, you're mostly going to have a good time no matter what you think of it. Great jokes. I would say it's not quite as good as season one, mostly because the driving elements of their relationship aren't there. Like the show spends a lot of time

on the supporting characters in a way that is good and they're funny and these are all actors we love, as you said. But I just like, it left me wanting for something from Noah and Joe Joanne other than the same beat. And I cannot tell you how many episodes this season followed the exact same structure,

which is Noah says something fairly innocuous. Joanne has like a reach, like makes an assumption about something he said, spins out, talks to Morgan about it, they workshop something together, ultimately they end up back on the couch, cuddling, talking their way through it. It's like that is three-fourths of the episodes of this season.

Yeah, but also accurate. I mean, dating in Los Angeles is absolute trash, I get it, babe. I'm like, it's like you're trying to date and it's like, ugh, this guy is like an actor, this guy's a loser, that guy's a rabbi, this guy's a podcaster. It's okay when I do it.

It's, you know, you're married, so you're off the table. So I understand the struggle. But see, that's a show I would watch. Joanne dates around. Right. And everything feels a little different every episode with all of these people she's trying to find.

That's interesting. But I think you get into that rom-com space with this season where there's a reason every rom-com movie ever made mostly ends with them getting together. And then the credits, maybe there's a little montage of their day-to-day life, but like Sex and the City ran into this problem,

lots of shows run into this problem. It's like, once the main characters are in a relationship together, how do you make that story? How do you make that interesting? And the driving kind of tension of is Joanne going to convert is looming over the show, but the show never wants to talk about her actually converting.

I think, again, that was like, I don't mind that that's the tension. And I think, again, I read somewhere that originally the show was supposed to be have her convert much sooner. Because obviously that's what the creator, Aaron Foster, did, you know. And the show is loosely based on her own experience converting. But I think maybe Jenny Connor or someone was like, no, no, like we can't get there too soon. Which I think is, it's a good tension. Totally.

But again, like, good to go back to it. I'm starting to get a picture of Noah's. relationship with the importance of his faith and how, like, again, like, he's kind of a reform Jew, but not that reform. No. Like, what does he say? He's like, the words are important, you know? I mean, the scene at Temple Al-Hava with the children or the teenagers and how they're all

like, well, we can skip Shabbat to see the new Marvel movie. To see the Fantastic Four specifically, which I would recommend. You shouldn't have done that. If you did that, you should not have done it. And it's just like, oh, I don't. I don't think you should do that. But what Joanne's relationship with Judaism is, and there are like glances at it throughout the season. It's like, you know, she loves Kugel and that's why it's served at the engagement party or.

I mean, it doesn't end up as an engagement party. It is basically a breakup party for every. If you walked into that party with a date, you are leaving in shambles. in total shambles, yeah. Or the poo-poo-poo. Yes. But these are, again, much like the conversation that she has with Esther at the end, these are superficial parts of being Jewish as per the show.

Right. Not maybe as per actual the Torah. I think it's totally fine and interesting to talk about those kind of community aspects as an entry point. And it obviously is something that's enticing to a lot of people. It's a real part of the conversion picture. It just feels weird that Joanne is the main character of the show. And I know more about her mom's investment in the actual text than hers. Yeah.

And so, like, that's what I keep coming back to is, like, I come out of season two liking, honestly, both Joanne and Noah less. It's true. And you like everyone else more, right? Like, I'm like now so invested in Sasha and Esther's relationship. Completely. Which I was, like, wondering, I was like, oh, is that going to be, like, a big. storyline in season three that is probably inevitable. I mean, it's hard to be a bigger storyline than this.

I think if you zoom out, it feels like Esther is kind of the main character of this entire season. So can she be even more spotlit, even more focused than she's already been? I do think that's one of the things the show did well. The big speech at the end, which basically culminates in you feel Jewish to me and therefore you should be Jewish, that was a bit of a miss for me. But Esther's overall story, like the show has a lot of time and care. for threading through these ideas that she is unhappy,

that she doesn't feel stable in her own life, that she feels kind of alien to her own existence. And she's like, like, this isn't something that pops up in episode six and feels like a complete surprise. She is constantly saying it with her words and with her bangs, that, like, this is a woman in crisis, basically. And so, like, that paying off was something

I did not think the show had in it. Like, I thought this was going to be so focused on the central relationship. The side characters were always going to feel like that. And so they're all, tradeoffs with this stuff where I like I just love where we went with Esther ultimately. I feel like I sound like I'm being really negative about this show and I just want to say again, I really like it. I think maybe because I really like it, it's I wanted it to rise up a little bit more in certain parts.

And like one thing where I was like, okay, and the Hollywood Reporter article, which you read and I read and you guys can read, which is a little bit like how the sausage is made a little too much. In my opinion, I'm like, I didn't have to tell them all that. But you're like, you're like, like, okay, Sasha in season one is kind of like, my wife, old ball and chain, fuck her, you know? And like obsessed or like enamored at least with Justin Loops character and they have this like chemistry and whatever. And then come season two, it's like that never happened, except for like obviously it's addressed in the first episode. They lay it right out. And then he's like a like Mr. Wife guy all of a sudden obsessed with his wife.

and you're like, wait, what happened? A season two rewrite happened. A course correction clearly happened. I think some of it was they just didn't know exactly what they wanted out of the Sasha Morgan stuff. And this is one of the tricks of TV as you're making it where it's like, oh, these two actors really are bouncing off each other in a way that is fun. Right.

And this is one of the things they talked about in that article is like, how do we put these people in a room together after they've had all this weird tension? And so you're kind of incentivized if you're making TV to just lean into the tension and keep leaning and keep leaning, keep leaning, but then the swerve to wife guy doesn't really track at all. I mean, it fits with the character because Tim Simons sells it so well. It fits Tim Simons for sure. He's great, but it's just like, I was kind of like, oh, what happened here?

Also, this is, like, so small. But am I incorrect that they're in their 40s? I believe all of these characters are supposed to be in their 40s. Like early 40s. Like, no one really ever brings up that, like, it might be hard to. have children. Not one conversation about it. My best friend, perimenopause. In fairness, Kristen Bell is a timeless wonder.

You know, it's like maybe she's just like not an issue for her. You know, maybe she exists in a realm that is beyond human consideration. Yeah, okay. I hear that. I love that for her. It's really cool. I just like, you know, I was like, I would like to hear a little. Again, just like none of that. Yeah. Just maybe a few glances at. A passing mention. Yeah. I mean, I think there are vague allusions to kind of like timing.

Right. She does have a comment about like, do you even like understand how old I am? Yeah, that's true. Which fair enough. Like, again, that's the kind of thing that like I would like this show to dip into. But you can't make the pure comfort watch show and that show at the same time. Maybe it is too much to handle if we're getting into like actual real human concerns. And so the zone we end up in, I actually think there's things that this show has to say about dating.

again, I'm clearly an expert on the subject, are like very relatable human things. They're a bit obvious sometimes. The line that made me audibly grown from my couch is when Noah and Joanne are having a conversation about how he's like emotionally reacting to something. And he asks if he's a bad person. She says, no, you're just a person.

Yeah, that was a little heavy hand. Like, okay, yeah. This is the register we're operating in. But then everything else is so pleasant and wonderful in terms of the performances, and some of the dialogue does zip and bounce, and these actors do know how to play off each other just so. I'm just, like, constantly pushed and pulled between

some of the writing choices I don't love and some of the performance choices that are, like, again, undeniable with these people. Oh, my God. They're carrying it on their back, babe. It feels like that. Where can I find this kind of boyfriend who, like, is like, oh, my God, you hung the moon, babe.

You are perfect in every way. Do you give me literally anything? The answer is no. Did I lose my career because of you? Yes. Have you shown me in any way that you are considering perhaps how I might feel about things? Yes. Not really.

I mean, again, I think they are trying. There's like these like, like, there was a subtle thing of like what she brings to the table is freeing him of being so pent up maybe. There's the whole tree touching thing and let it out and be mad about Big Noah. Big Noah, great moment. The Big Noah plot line, I think, is one of the great touches of this season. But I'm just like,

bam, what are we doing here? I will say this in Joanne's defense. The whole, like, let me recreate the exact same Valentine's Day with you that I have done with all of my previous girlfriends is not a great look. Yeah, that was great to make him a little bit less perfect. You needed it. Yeah, because he's,

He was floating off into the, into outer space of perfect hot rabbi boyfriend. I think that's the Adam Brody zone, right? Like, he's so easily, effortlessly, like, endearing. And Kristen Bell, I think, has done a great job over her career, like, playing against type, basically, as, like, annoying or, like, kind of a floundering mess in some aspect of her life. Like, she did this on The Good Place as well. I think she does it. She does it really well here. It's, like, very effective in what it is.

Do I always like what that character is? do I always like the space that they're operating in the show? Like, I think that's where it gets tricky for me. But the season still does have a lot that works. I think Ari and Moyette is Dr. Andy, a human red flag, but a great character. That entire storyline is just so good. As someone who deeply is preoccupied with whether or not I'm my therapist's favorite, I did feel really grateful that my therapist is a straight woman,

so this was not going to be an issue. But I was kind of like, low-key, like, if my therapist is. therapist was like, I want to marry you. I'd kind of be like, okay. Do you think you are your therapist's favorite? I have to believe it. Yeah. Because I go in there and do at least like a tight vibe of stand-up whenever I go

and just burning my money to, you know, get her chuckling. I'm sure she appreciates it, though. I think at some points she's like, okay, I get it. Life is a highway. You said that. We don't know what that means. Let's move on to what you're feeling. Let's get into your interiority.

Well, what else worked for you with this season? Were there any other small things, big things? What stuck out to you? Oh, I mean, the entire Abby Love Smooth's episode is just exquisite, gorgeous. They do, well, Leighton Meester is incredible. Super funny. Super funny. Lights up the screen.

It's a great, I mean, this is, we haven't mentioned it, but like this is such an L.A. show. Yes. And I have to say, at a very L.A. time in my life. I just moved here. So it is great research for me in like, oh, where is that dog park kind of way? Right. Well, if you're from here, they do hit you over the head a little bit with the B-roll of like, you know, but... I want to talk about that. We get it. There's the drawing room.

But having a childhood friend who is now a very successful influencer with children is like... Very relatable. We've all... Who amongst us? Have you ever stopped to consider that in some ways you are that influencer? When they go to her bathroom and there's like a 10-minute lingering, what it felt like a 10-minute lingering... what it felt like a ten million shot in the essay lauder serum. I was like, you guys could have just written this in

and had Abby do the problem? Like, that would have been really funny. It would have been funny. Let's Truman show this shit. Right? You know, but that I was like, oh, okay, S.A. Latter. I mean, without exception,

the most egregious product placement I've ever seen. You're talking about a moment when they're at Abby's house. We're on FaceTime. We set the phone on the counter next to... The serum is taking up half the screen, like half of the frame. Was the B-roll of Echo Park that expensive? Was Tim Simon's shackett budget that expensive?

You know, as someone who has an MBA and understands capitalism very well, okay, we all have to pay the Piper, babe. But you could have made it funny. I don't know if maybe S.A. Latter wouldn't allow that, but it's like have her put it in all the gift bags. You know, like, okay, did everyone get their S.A. Latter serum, babes? Okay, hold it up. Let's take photos.

You know, like, I think that could have both served to the purpose of the product placement and been really easy to swallow with like an airplane. Completely. Let's nod at what we're doing here versus thank you for coming to the pasta making experience brought to you by Airbnb. I was just aghast, honestly. Like it's just so egregious. It jumps out.

Plus like Kristen Bell being like, yeah, I want to sit in bed and watch the Netflix show Love is Blind or maybe Squid Game or maybe Stranger Things. You know, it's just like, is this really who we are? Is this really what we're doing? Snoring, gasping during sleep, feeling fatigue, ask your doctor about Zepbound, terseptite. The first and only FDA-approved prescription medicine for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, and adults with obesity.

Zepbound is a prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, and obesity to improve their OSA. Zepbound is approved as a 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, or 15 milligram injection. Zepound contains terseptitite and should not be used with other terseptide containing products or any GLP1 receptor agonist medicines. It is not known if Zepound is safe and effective for use in children. Don't share needles or pins or reuse needles.

Don't take if allergic to it, or if you or someone in your family had medullary thyroid cancer, or if you've had multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. Tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. Stop Zepbound and call your doctor if you have severe stomach pain or a serious allergic reaction. Severe side effects may include inflamed pancreas or gallbladder problems. Tell your doctor if you experience vision changes before scheduled procedures with anesthesia. If you're nursing, pregnant, plan to be, or taking birth control pills. Taking Zepound with a sulfonel urea or insulin may cause low blood sugar.

Side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and worsened kidney problems. Talk to your doctor. Call 1-800-545-9-9 or visit setbound.lily.com. This episode is brought to you by Borrishead. What if we told you the taste of deep-fried turkey is now available at your local deli? Well, Borris Head just did that. Bursting with flavor, perfectly seasoned with that indulgent taste that usually means pointing your whole day around it. Presenting the Friars turkey breast only from Borris Head.

The backyard tradition now available behind the counter. Visit your local deli today. the craftsmanship behind every bite, Boershead, committed to craft since 1905. This episode is brought to by Whole Foods Market. Spring is here, so celebrate it with fresh, juicy, seasonal produce

and some very tasty, limited time flavors. New Whole Foods, Market Peach, Apricot, Rose, Italian soda. Perfect for a picnic or brunch. As is their trending mango, Yuzu, chantilly cake. But if you're on the go, new 365 strawberry price. pretzels make a great sweet snack. That sounds delicious. Get savings with yellow sale sign storewide

and everyday low prices on 365 brand items. Enjoy the fresh flavors of spring. Save at Whole Foods Market. Every one of these actors is perfect and I love them and I want to be their best friend and I'll watch them do anything. And also my hat is off to the writers. The jokes are so razor sharp and I can't stop thinking about the part. part where Joanne gets evicted for vomiting in the pool and not telling her landlord, she is truly a prize. And she's telling Morgan, she's like, well, now I'm homeless. And Morgan goes, Dr. Andy's, the word is unhoused.

This has also got me. It's so good. I mean, Justin Loop is batting a thousand in this show. It is every line delivery. It is every joke. And you're right. Like, all of the throwaway gags on the periphery of the show are really sharp. It does have that junk food feed.

And like my concern is less the feeling of, oh, hours later, as you're saying, I'm going to feel like I ate junk food. It's a little more in the moment. You have that zoom out realization of like, I am just cramming junk food on the couch. And nothing about this show makes me feel more that way than weirdly the interstitial L.A. shots. Like, it is possible in theory. And I know this because season one did it, where you can transition to one scene for another without one, two, three random shots from not just like where we are in L.A., but all around L.A.

It's definitely not where they were. Almost never where they are. So it's not like locating you in a place. And also, like a different pop music needle drop every single time. There was a lot of pop music needle drops. Big budget. Huge. Now we know where that essay a lot of money went.

Yeah, they paid for Apple by Charlie X, X.X. This is the thing. You got Charlie. You got Chappell. You got Taylor. You got Selena Gomez. You got Ariana. You got Renee Rapp.

but you got Sabrina. It's like, you don't need all of this all the time. And I did feel like the show was kind of a little smothered in that way. Like, I just want to go from human interaction to human interaction without getting a 15 second sting of a pop song every single time. Weirdly, though, like, when I zoom out,

I'm like, it kind of works because, like, to me, it's like so giving adult child woman, you know, like, who's like, what is even your job? And I say this as like, But we know her job. you are a podcaster who's seemingly podcast once a month. Yep, if that. Without the mic placement, babe, stressing me out so bad.

I just know that audio quality is crazy. It's horrendous. It sounds crazy. The episode where Noah comes over to give his two cents, where you're not getting a word of any of that from either of them. Rob, would you want your wife to come podcast with you? In this fashion, it feels a little intrusive. I am Team Noah in this respect.

Like I'm not out here trying to have a full on relationship podcast on Front Street. Sure. It's not how I choose to live my life. Yeah, especially when you are the spiritual leader of a community or trying to be. Yes. You can see how the conflicts might arise there. And yet, like, people are giving him shit constantly throughout this show. You know what?

It said in the text of the show, and I agree with it, boys do love their privacy. I do enjoy a little bit here and there. I think what it is is that we like this show so much that we want more from it. I wouldn't say I love it so much. I like it. And it's a perfect, like, throw this on. I'm happy I spent time with it kind of show. I don't have like the highest, loftiest aspirations of this as art.

I just enjoy it as an experience. And I enjoy spending time with all these people. I just like live in such a desert of shows that deal with faith. I really am deeply interested in it. And I'm, and maybe that's not what this is about. You know, maybe this is not about that. But you made the guy a rabbi. You did.

So like. And this is one of the areas where you deviate from your own lived experience in inspiring the show, going from like, you know, a husband who is an orthodox Jew into a full on rabbi. Like that's a, that's a deliberate decision to deal with this more confrontational in terms of his faith and job. And like that does juice the plot because then you get moments like him sacrificing elements of his career to be with Joanne. But then you're just not going to deal with a lot of the actual like religious fallout of anything that is happening.

Yeah. I just, I want to know more. I want to know more about not just his relationship to the dogma of the religion but his relationship to God and to why this is important to. Because ultimately, rom-com or not, I mean, Rom part is he's going to want a partner

who, I would think, who, if that's very important to him, that takes it seriously in the way he does. Or at least doesn't think it's just like a joke about Hala, you know, like, which I was like, babe, you live in L.A. And you've never met a Jewish person.

You've never had a holla. We also ran the hollow joke back twice. Twice. Your child of the best friend was named Abby Kaplan. This is Los Angeles. There's no way you've never encountered Hollibred. I have many questions about almost all these characters lived experiences. Me too.

I mean, to rom-com custom, like, how do you afford this beautiful house? You got the rent prices in Los Angeles are egregious. Look, I've been on that market. I'm not finding a kitchen like the one Noah has. has, you know, like a... I didn't know rabbis were paid that well. Should I become a rabbi? I don't know. We're not allowed.

No, we can't be allowed. Why not? I don't know. I'm sorry. Again, I'm a very, like, not real Jew. Can women be rabbis? Yes. Kate Burland is a rabbi in the show.

So you absolutely can. You could be the Cabberman you want to see in the world. My listening comprehension was clearly lacking. Well, I wouldn't say that character is given like a ton to do other than make funny jokes, which she absolutely does. Just facial expressions. She's such a queen.

Okay, I can suspend my disbelief for real estate. much like our dear friend Amanda Dobbins. That's a part of the show. I love to see it. I'm into it. The one thing that took me out of it, I don't know whether I want to become so rich and powerful

that I can have a sauna I only use for storage or whether the idea of that deeply offends me. Yeah, what do her parents do? What is anyone on the... Breed trauma that she doesn't seem to act. Again, they did like a little... They do.

And I'm like, okay, yes. It's a glancing blow. I'm like, yes. I need to know why she's like. this. So you want like in session with Dr. Andy. Like let's let's work it out. Let's lay it all out. I just love more interiority from that character because without the interiority, she's starting to be very annoying. Yeah. Like it's not just annoying. Like you kind of don't like her. I think this is it's okay if she's unlikable. Yes. But give it some depth. Completely. Like your show can have unlikable leads. It can have unlikable characters, but it requires some interrogation.

They do it for Morgan really well. They do. They do exactly kind of what I wish they would do for Joanne from Morgan. She has that amazing conversation with Bina. Like her, that storyline was perfect from start to finish. They set her up with the guy at the dinner party. He doesn't like her. She challenges him as to why. He gives her straight real talk.

She internalizes it. That conversation with Bina was incredible where she says, like, you must think it's true because you don't care what other people think. Yes. And they have this bond. Also, let me ask a question about. Please. Beena and Noah's dad.

Is the Eastern European accent? Where are they from? Have we ever mentioned it? I don't think we've established it. Is it just meant to signal Jewishness? Yes. Okay, got it. And look, this is one of the big criticisms

coming out of season one, was that Bina and Esther specifically were just like absolute cartoonish caricatures. People had their criticisms of that of the way the characters were deployed. I would say that you can even see it in season two in the way that the show doesn't know what to do with Bina when she is not Darth Vader.

Yeah. And so she just kind of like falls out of the show. She's such an incredible actress. Incredible actress. I don't know why they're styling her like she's Dracula sometimes. No, but she looks so cheap. I'm not saying she's not pulling it off. Somehow that's also my mother.

Like my mom's not Jewish, but she is Bina. Spiritually, she is still Bina. And in season two, again, that's not a bad thing. Like those conversations, I think are useful and valuable. And ultimately the side characters and the supporting characters are pretty well served by this season. It felt like, though, that everyone involved in making the show is like, okay, we got there with Noah and Joanne. We get that relationship. We get there in our lives. Let's focus on everything else. And in doing so, you're just spinning the wheels with Joanne.

You're just, not only is she being a little annoying in the ways you described, but she's hitting that same button over and over again, where if you're going to slow down the fallout of all the rom-com elements of the show, it's a real concern. Like, how do you make these characters feel like they are dynamic and growing when they don't have that interiority? When you're not letting them progress forward on the big picture stuff of, you know, conversion or engagement or whatever you think the future of their relationship is. It just kind of felt like Joanne has stalled out in place all season. Totally. And listen, I don't need her to be like a girl boss, like you go girl or anything, but like I would love it if she wanted something other than to move in with her hot boyfriend.

Yes. You know what I mean? I don't, I'm like, no clue again, the sporadic podcast isn't really prominently featured, not a lot of ambition there. Like, what do you want? unclear. You know? And what does she know of what Noah wants other than... Sounds like they've never had a conversation about it. It kind of does? Like, again, you get all that interrogation of Morgan as far as like,

you've had this one-sided relationship with your therapist where he knows all the intimate details about you, but you don't actually know a lot about this guy. I don't know that Joanne knows a lot about Noah either. Like, when it comes down to it, she's like, I'm going to ask his buddy's what movie poster I should get him. Right. And like that's a flex within the world of the show that like, oh, I found out this personal thing about you. But I would not say she's a woman who asks a lot of questions either.

Can I give a shout out to the nightstand? Absolutely. That was an incredible moment. Like they were really so right about the thoughtfulness behind noticing a need and just filling it because you wanted to care for someone. That was very beautiful. How did you feel about the primordial nightstand of just like, I don't even know what the base of it was, but the tower of stuff that she has constructed for herself.

It stressed me out. It really did. But again, I mean, I've dated guys who like own one towel, so it's like, this is the bar is in hell, you know? It unfortunately can't be. But like, again, those little relationship things, some of the actual human moments of the show really, really hit. Like, it's so clear that the emotional soul of the show comes from a place that's very real. And yet there's all this like roller coaster artifice around it. that is driving it somewhere,

but I don't always know where or why. Now that, like, we've partially resolved, I think, the tension of, is she going to convert or not? Because now she knows she's warm and cozy and likes to gossip, so she's Jewish. Yeah. Well, let me stop you.

Let me stop you even right there. Okay. Because it's clear in the season two finale, which I would say is like a pretty close mirror mirror of the season one finale, right? You get them running after each other. This time it's kind of flipped. It's a little more Joanne coming after Noah

versus vice versa. Some of the parts of that, by the way, really did work for me. Like the two elevators, like going in opposite directions. There's just stuff that absolutely clicks. That shot being in front of the beautiful place by Lachma with the... Completely. I don't know who the artist is. Sorry, I'm stupid, but the show encoded.

No curiosity. But that was gorgeous. That specificity and the visual look and elements like that I think really, really work. But ultimately, when you think about season one and, like, Noah's making this big sacrifice, and then you come into season two and they walked it back immediately. It was like, oh, we've never had a conversation. We're not on the same page at all about the conversion conversation. Noah made this big gesture at the end of season one about how he's like giving up his career for her,

but then came into season two, expecting to still have his career and her. Which just makes me feel like as we go from season two into season three, it's like, would they just also walk this back? Like, I have a hard time knowing what to believe with any of these characters. Right, because she also doesn't speak. He speaks. She never says to him what she decided. You know, she just does that sort of.

of cryptic coy while I have news free. I don't remember what she said or whatever. I don't like to be the Jewish place at all, but isn't it sort of like a thing in Judaism that you're not supposed to prostalize or like push or ask anyone to become Jewish? Well, if you're a rabbi, I think there's maybe some exception to that. No, it's the opposite. You're supposed to, didn't you watch sex in the city, honey? I mean, I might have missed that art. Charlotte York, where she had to go beg the rabbi. You have to ask the rabbi three times. They have to deny you three times. You know what? Maybe he's not, maybe he's not that orthodox in his ways. Clearly there is a gray area here in terms of the form of Judaism that this show would like to

participate in. Maybe the conceit of season three will be what we've been talking about, which is getting down to the brass tacks of what faith means to each of them and trying to bridge the abyss that's probably between him and her in terms of how they're going to engage with faith and God. Yeah. Probably not God because no one says God because it's an extremely bad word. Which to me would be interesting. It would definitely be interesting.

And in the show's defense, maybe that is part of the consideration set for season two and season three. You know, if season two is going to be about them kind of finding their places in this and Joanne figuring out if she wants to convert, if we take her kind of at where she is in this finale, season three is going to be about part of that journey. It's going to be about diving into her version of this faith and what that looks like. And maybe in doing so, we learn more about, where all these other characters are with theirs.

Yeah, and that would be great. Is there anything else you would want to see in a season three? I mean, it seems like, you know, an episode of Joanne in Therapy would be helpful for all of us. It seems like, you know, Noah just, you know, really out on his own, maybe a burning man or something, like really coming to terms with everything he is and believes I would love to see. Are there any other arcs, any other characters, any other kind of situations you want to see come more to the four in season three? Well, I'm definitely interested in what happens with Esther. Definitely.

Because she's on a journey, for sure. And obviously that leaves Sasha adrift as well and Morgan single. And Sasha and Esther's child, who is, I guess, alive, but certainly not in this show. Has gone to an extended summer camp. Also, shout out to the PowerPoint presentation that Sasha makes with that, like, AI-generated, like, Renez-ass baby. that was like so terrifying. That was very funny. He boiled the ocean for that.

Yeah, that was quite amusing. It was very good. Those were interesting things to bring up about a marriage and the idea that one person might want to have another child. One person doesn't. One person no longer feels. I think I saw some fan person be like, I think Esther and Rebecca should become lesbians and go find themselves together. And I was like, wow, that would be a departure. but...

It would be a departure. Anything could happen. Anything could happen. After seeing those characters like have dinner together, I'm not sure that they have couple energy. It wasn't giving me a couple energy. It was not.

I enjoyed those scenes. Honestly, it was really glad Rebecca still kind of popped up a couple of times this season. And I think, again, the episode of Noah sort of kind of coming to terms with the boyfriend he has been

and like the image of the boyfriend he was trying to embody. That was actually pretty good stuff for this show. The necklace. I mean, the necklace is very bad. I would love. love some of that for Sasha as well.

And I think you're right that, like, he does have this transformation into wife guy. And we get some hints of everything that he's dealing with. I thought the, like, is it therapist Lori? The, like, couples therapist that Morgan and Dr. Andy go to. Incredible. Speaking of capitalists. I mean, just really putting it out there.

Her cards against humanity therapy game. Creating the card, selling the rights. She is ahead of every step of it. That sequence of, like, them all answering the questions and kind of everything coming to the, I thought was really good. Part of that being Sasha presenting himself as like, oh, I'm just the guy you all come to your problem.

Like, come to me with your problems. But I would love to know more about him. And like we've seen him come to Morgan with his problems here and there. But ultimately, season three, I would think would have to position him in an isolated spot, right? He still has his brother. He still has his family. Like, he's not totally adrift. He has jiu-jitsu, which we've learned again in this moment to no one else's

knowledge is very important to him, but let's get him in class. You know, I want to see what moves he really has in jujitsu. Totally. Yeah, I'd like to see. I'd really like to see him find his anger. Yes. You know, like it does feel he's like a bit of drift and he's sort of prioritizing everybody else and he's not able to like, you know, have some Sasha time.

I have a question to you as, you know, from Angelino to Angelino now. Sure, now that you're here. Rachel Sennett's new show, I Love L.A. Right. Is right around the corner. Okay. Every bit of marketing for that show makes it feel to me like, a younger, maybe even potentially messier, analog to this one.

Another show about modern dating, a younger set. There's also such a funny thing happening with Josh Hutcherson is the male lead in that show. Is that more of like that generation, Seth Cohen? Okay, because obviously I'm old. It feels that exact way. Like Rachel sent it in interviews about it has even said like, oh, this is the guy who you feel like has been your boyfriend for years. Do you think a show like that, if it is a slightly different demo,

can it come for the messy L.A. dating relationship show Crown. Like, do you think it is, are those the same market or are they different markets? That's really interesting. I mean, I wonder because as, I'm going to tell you a little story.

I would love it. This is going to demean all my credibility right now. I've never seen girls. Okay. Because, which actually I have a big plan this autumn and winter to finally go through the entire thing. We should say we did not acknowledge

that the season two showrunners, Jenny Connor and Bruce Eric Kaplan, both girls alum. Both girls along. Girls obviously famously known to be an incredible work of art. Again, I haven't seen it, but I believe it. I haven't seen it because when I first tried to watch it

in real time, I was just like, had just narrowly escaped with, you know, a bit of my life from having moved to New York in my 20s to be the voice of my generation with some monetary help from my parents. I would say for the record, you accomplished the voice of your generation bid?

Well, it took 20 years, but engaging in terrible situations, shopping at Beacon's closet, wearing terrible clothing. Like, I was just like hit way too close to home. It was like triggering. Like, I was like PTSD. So I couldn't watch it, which is a little bit probably how I'll feel about I love L.A. Not because it's not going to be a good show, but because I'm like, oh, no, I did that. So maybe all that to say, maybe the demo is a bit younger.

Yeah. But I think there is a sweet spot with nobody wants this where it does have some of those very relatable hallmarks you're talking about with shows like girls where there's something very recognizable but you can still sit on your couch and say oh like joanne's sure is acting crazy today like there is a little bit of a distance between whatever you think your lived experiences and whatever is happening on screen i think that's like that's part of the comfort watch formula in lots of ways also thanks to botox tm age is almost not a consideration anymore because with your eyes you'll watch these shows and everyone kind of looks the same age they do what i have learned

from just, you know, being a person on the internet, though, is that no matter how much Botox you get, the hands don't lie and the neck doesn't lie. This is what I've been told. Oh, babe, you haven't heard about necklifts then? Apparently not. You know, there's a lot for me to learn. You haven't taken a trip to Korea. Again, I'm just beginning to dabble into this world and understand it. Welcome to Los Angeles. Thank you. I do have some final show inspired prompts for you. Okay, great. Love a prompt. We're presented the binary by Joanne and Morgan. Are you a DoorDash person or a farmer's market person. They identify as DoorDash people, right? They're just not out there picking fresh produce, totally tracks for them. Yeah. Which would you identify as? I'm sadly a farmer's market

person. Really? Oh yeah. I go every Sunday. I'm deeply concerned with the micronutrients that are available in my food. Tell me about it. Well, you know that the soil is compromised. I'm sorry, I don't know that the soil is compromised. What happened to the soil? The soil was inundated with Roundup and glyphosates and has been over time depleted of nutrients, which therefore are not in your food. So you need to go to these small farms that take better care of their soil and give you real healthy food. This is news to me. Thank you for saving my life. Also, if you ever go to farmers market and buy produce and then try to eat the same produce from like, I'm not going to name a grocery store, I don't want to malign anyone, but let's just say a standard grocery store.

Sure. You'll be like, that's so interesting how that tomato is cardboard. And this one tastes like what a tomato is. The fruit especially. I mean, it can be a truly diabolical difference. Are you a dooredash person or a farmer's market person? Well, as someone who's recovering from pneumonia, I've been living as a doordash person. Just by sheer necessity. That doesn't count.

But I'm kind of, this is why I ask you about the binary, because I find myself to be kind of neither. I have not made the full farmer's market plunge. I'll dabble. But I do have those moments where I'm like, more of like a sprouts. Okay, sure. Sprouts is wonderful. You know, I want fresh produce. but I don't know that I want farmers market pricing and inconvenience.

You know, like I'm a man about town. I'm out here trying to churn out some podcasts. Okay, so Sunday mornings, you're busy podcasting. Well, not even that. Just like I want to be able to shop at 3 o'clock on a Wednesday. Got it. You know, and so... It's a convenience issue.

When the farmer's market opens up in my convenience, I will be a frequent customer. And maybe the issue is, like, I just need to hit you for the right recommendations. I did love some of the setups of this season. Just like, again, the engagement party at the end, the Valentine's Day situation. The opening dinner party, I thought, was a real stroke of genius as far as like the exact kind of supposedly low stakes thing that could drive a couple to insanity. The lighting.

If you were to host a dinner party, would you try to matchmake your single friends by sitting them next to each other? Yeah. I wish someone would do that for me. Yeah. Are you guys listening? Dinner party? Invite me over. I'm the single friend.

Bring me to your house. So you would like to be match made. Yeah. I think that's actually a wonderful thing. thing to do and it's very human. And, like, they say it on the show. Nobody's going back on those apps, babe. You can't, you couldn't take me to Guantanamo and get me to go back on those apps.

It's not happening. See, my concern, and I've seen this in friends of mine who are in couples as well, as it's like, it's the coupled person's version of being on the apps. It's like, I don't get to participate in this date. So let me just, like, mash these two people together and see if it works. What's the worst that happens? there's an incredible awkward tension that stews that then devours the respective friendships and maybe ruins whatever relationship you're in.

Okay, I didn't think about that. I just think there's a lot of potential fallout. But I'm also someone who's much more concerned with the dinner party of that formula, I think, than the matchmaking part of that formula. Got it. You don't want it to ruin the vibes. I'm not trying. It's very carefully curate.

I am Joanne on the light dial, like 30%, 50%, 70%, like what is the exact? Preparing your sprouts-based meals. This is what I'm all about. This is how I live my life. Are there any other closing thoughts, positive or negative you have about this show, feelings, extrapolations, love letters to Adam Brody, whatever you would like to do. I love Adam Brody. I think I just had a broader thought which I'm like, okay, maybe this is like galaxy brain, you know,

that they were like, the honeymoon phase is over and that is when people's relationship is a little bit less hot and heavy and interesting. So perhaps they were through art. trying to telegraph that. I think that's true. I'm stretching. And then when it gets interesting is when it hits the inflection point

where you have to either like shit or get off the pot and then it's like, what's the real world tagline? Stop being polite and start getting real. It's the real world, babe. I do think you're onto something. And we're in that, you know,

nebulous zone in between where neither of those things are quite happening in a way that the show clearly wants to talk about post-honeymoon period. It is like they're talking about it constantly. And in particular, Morgan is like chiding her sister about this all the time. Yeah. Because that's what it's about, right?

It's going to boil down to like, who are you? What are your beliefs? What are your morals, Joanne? Like, what is the infrastructure of your psyche? Like, let's get into it. I hope we can find that out in season three. I hope this show, in addition to all the comforts that it brings us, cares to dive into some of that stuff.

I guess we'll find out kind of what sort of show they want to make. We've gotten, we've been served what they think we want based on what we said we want based on season one, which is, you know, hot rabbi, et cetera, et cetera, the big kiss scene. I can handle you, all of that. We're living in a world beyond that world. And I have, I have hopes for season three, but like, I can't pretend I'm not a little bit let down. I believe in them to turn it around season three. I also believe in them, in part, like this cast, we've said it over and over again.

It's phenomenal. You put these people in a room, good things are generally going to happen. You put them across L.A. in various spots. Like, why not? Why can't this work? Maybe the huge big thing of season three is they're going to go west of the 405. You think that's even a possibility. I don't know.

Tune into season three to find out potentially next fall. Yasi, thanks so much for doing this. Thank you for being here. It was such an honor. It was an honor for me. You can hear Yasi all the time on bands. explain. I would highly encourage you to do so. Thank you to Kai Grady. Thank you, as always, the Justin Sales. I will be back with Joanna next week to talk about the double premiere of

Pluribus. So come on back. We'll see you then. Stitch Fix. Stop shopping. Get styled. A plus on the outfit, Ms. Turner. You are about to slay parent-teacher conferences. Oh, these? Just the most perfect fitting jeans my stylist sent me. Oh, hello. You, who didn't set one foot in a mall and still looks amazing? Just share your size, style, and budget, and your stylus sends personalized looks right to your door. Stitchfix. Get started today at stitchfix.com. To my stylist. This look is dedicated to you. Thank you. Thank you. This episode is brought to you by Netflix's remarkably bright creatures.

What if a Pacific octopus held the key to a mystery that could heal your heart? Well, that's Tova's reality. An elderly widow working at an aquarium. Tova forms an unlikely friendship with their crumudgeonly, Marcellus, whose remarkable intelligence leads her to a life-changing discovery. Remarkably bright creatures is now playing only on Netflix.