There are plenty of great shows likeNobody Wants Thisto watch next, from series starring eitherAdam Brody or Kristen Bell to completely different projects entirely.Nobody Wants Thisseason 1recently premiered on Netflix and follows the story of an unlikely romance between a rabbi named Noah Roklov (Brody) and an agnostic woman named Joanne (Bell).Nobody Wants Thishas gotten positive reviewsso far and has become a streaming hit on Netflix since its release.
WhileNobody Wants Thisis the first time that Brody and Bell have played romantic partners, it is far from either of their first jaunts on television.Brody is known for his work on shows includingThe O.C., whereasBell has made a name for herself in shows likeVeronica MarsandThe Good Place.After watchingNobody Wants This, some good options are available for those looking for a series that is similar to thehit Netflix show.
The O.C.
Cast
When troubled teen Ryan (Benjamin McKenzie) is taken in by his public defender (Peter Gallagher), he suddenly finds himself on the right side of the tracks. The O.C. follows as Ryan tries his best to fit into the affluent California community while navigating the relentless drama of teen life, but his new home of Newport Beach is a town filled to the brim with secrets and scandal.
Over 20 years beforeNobody Wants This, Brody made his debut asSeth Cohen in the seriesThe O.C.This isone of Brody’s earliest rolesand the part for which he is arguably best known today.The O.C.was also a romantic comedy, but this time involving teenagers. The series ran for four seasons from 2003 to 2007.
DespiteThe O.C.being a teen romance comedy, it is definitely worth watching for fans ofNobody Wants This. Those who found Brody appealing in the Netflix show will certainly like him inThe O.C., as he plays another romantic lead role. Furthermore,Nobody Wants Thisitself carries many of the early 2000s movie and TV rom-com beats, which make the show more similar than different toThe O.C.With all four seasons of the teen comedy available to watch on Hulu, it is a good one to check out.
Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars is a drama mystery series that stars Kristen Bell as the titular teen detective who learns the ropes from her father, a California police sheriff. Following a “crime-of-the-week” episode format, each episode sees Veronica tackling new cases while carrying on her High School life, with a more significant, overarching plot carrying between episodes. Veronica’s side career begins following the death of her best friend, which sets off a chain of events leading to several smaller cases.
There is no better way to revisit Kristen Bell’s career than throughVeronica Mars. Originally released in 2004,Veronica Marsis one of Bell’s earliest shows. Genre-wise, it is different fromNobody Wants This, asVeronica Marschronicles the mystery that ensues when the protagonist’s best friend is murdered. LikeThe O.C., however,Veronica Marsis a teen drama.
One of the most exciting aspects ofVeronica Marsis the fact that the show grew with Bell. Initially, the series was only three seasons, all of which were released in the mid-2000s when Bell herself was in her 20s. This changed, however, whenVeronica Marsseason 4 was released in 2019 as a chance to properly wrap up the show. While Kristen Bell has been in many great movies and shows in the last 20 years,Veronica Marswill always be one of her most iconic roles.
The Good Place
Eleanor Shellstrop finds in The Good Place, both the name of the fantasy comedy series from creator Michael Schur and a fictionalized heaven where those who have done good in life will end up. However, Eleanor discovers that the life she was believed to have led was a lie, as it seems The Good Place got the wrong “Eleanor Shellstrop.” When it’s revealed that three others are there under the same false pretenses, they concoct a plan to truly become “Good” to earn their place there - while hiding the truth.
The Good Placeis arguably Kristen Bell’s best TV role to date. The four-season NBC show holds a near-perfect 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, withThe Good Placeseasons 2 and 4 even getting perfect 100% scores. Bell was even nominated for a Golden Globe thanks to her performance as Eleanor inThe Good Place. A charming show,The Good Placeis already considered one of thegreatest TV comedies of all time.
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Of course, religion inThe Good Placeis far less serious than it is inNobody Wants This. Nonetheless, the NBC comedy also sees a romance between two people with starkly different belief systems and approaches to the world, this time through the romance between Chidi and Eleanor. Eleanor herself may also seem familiar to those who have seen the loudmouthed Joanne inNobody Wants This, making for another overlapping quality between the two shows.
Gilmore Girls
In the fictional town of Star’s Hollow, single mother Lorelai Gilmore raises her high-achieving teenage daughter Rory. Mother and daughter rely on each other throughout their own life changes, romantic entanglements, and friendships.
Gilmore Girlsis another great show for those looking to delve into 2000s nostalgia. While the show focuses on the relationship between Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter Rory, the series has its fair share of romance throughout its seven seasons. In a similar vein toVeronica Mars,Gilmore Girlsalso had a second life years after the show initially wrapped. This wasGilmore Girls: A Year In the Life, which ran as a miniseries for four episodes in 2016.
In addition to the similar vibe thatGilmore Girlshas with parts ofNobody Wants This, the shows have an additional connection.Nobody Wants Thisstar Brody was in nineepisodes ofGilmore Girlsin 2002 and 2003, playing a season 2 character named Dav Rygalski. Audiences interested in Brody’s other performances can appreciate this early role from him, which is worth checking out alongsideThe O.C.
6Burning Love
A Parody Romance Comedy Spoofing The Bachelor
Burning Loveis another Brody romantic comedy. It is much less serious thanNobody Wants This, as the series is a parody of reality dating shows, poking fun at series likeThe Bachelor.This series is great for those wanting to see more of Brody, and especially for those who enjoy more of the comedy side ofNobody Wants This. It features a leading cast including Brody, Michael Ian Black, June Diane Raphael, Ryan Hansen, Ken Marino, Abigail Spencer, Joe Lo Truglio, Janet Varney, and Rob Huebel.
Shows likeThe BachelorandThe Bacheloretteare still popular today, soBurning Lovestill remains a relevant series. It is an underrated romantic comedy series for those who like a goofier show. It ran for three seasons, but with 22-minute long episodes,Burning Loveis a breezy watch, making for easy viewing for the next step afterNobody Wants This.
5Billy & Billie
A 2015 Comedy About Taboo Romance
Billy & Billieis another overlooked romantic comedy TV series starring Brody. In the show, Brody plays Billy Jone, who is trying to navigate a dicey romantic relationship with Billie Smith (Lisa Joyce), who is his step-sister.Billy & Billieonly ran for one complete season, which aired in 2015. This season was fairly favorably reviewed by its fans, who gave the series a 7.5 on IMDb. The show was created by Neil LaBute and features a leading cast including Brody, Joyce, Gia Crovatin, Phil Burke, and Li Jun Li.
Though the nature of Billy and Billie’s relationship in the series is far different from that ofNobody Wants This,this series also deals with a taboo relationship.Of course, being of two different religious backgrounds cannot be compared to dating one’s step-sibling, but both shows see their main characters face judgment because of the nature of their relationships.
Bad Monkey
A former Miami detective turned health inspector, Andrew Yancy, discovers a severed arm while working in the Florida Keys. Determined to solve the mystery and reclaim his former position, he navigates through a web of quirky locals and corruption, all while dealing with a troublesome monkey.
Bad Monkeyis one of the most different shows genre-wise from anything else on this list. While it is a comedy,Bad Monkeyis a mystery series based on the popular novel of the same name by Carl Hiaasen. It tells the story of detective Andrew Yancy as he attempts to look into the death surrounding a rich man named Nick Stripling. It is anApple TV+ showthat recently premiered.
ThoughBad Monkeymay not be that inherently similar toNobody Wants This, it does have some overlap in the fact thatthere are a lot of unconventional romances in the series.Andrew Yancy at one point enters a relationship with someone of a Catholic background, showing one difference in religion. Spirituality also plays a huge role inBad Monkey, sometimes reaching mystical levels. The presence of religion and spirituality, as well as the series' unconventional romances, may be of interest to those who have seenNobody Wants This.
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window stars Kristen Bell as a lonely, heartbroken woman who lives the same events every day. But all of that changes when a handsome man moves in. The only problem is Anna thinks she may have seen a murder take place across the street.
While neither Bell nor Brody is inBad Monkey, the former actor got her chance at the mystery genre in the seriesThe Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window. Released in 2022, this cumbersomely titled TV miniseries is a satirical mystery take on films likeThe Woman in the WindoworThe Girl on the Train. LikeBad Monkey, it exists in the dark comedy space, which might appeal to viewers who like the more cynical, humorous side of Joanne inNobody Wants This.
Bell plays Anna, the lead inThe Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window, in a hysterical lead role. It is only a single season, but in these few episodes, Anna has some similarly humorous qualities to Eleanor or Joanne. Those looking for more Bell but not quite ready to fit in all four seasons of eitherThe Good PlaceorVeronicaMarsshould definitely considerThe Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window.
Gossip Girl
Set in New York, 2021’s Gossip Girl chronicles the lives of a new generation of private school teenagers who navigate social dynamics and scandals. Through the pervasive influence of social media, their secrets are exposed, while the anonymous titular blogger reveals the complexities of their intertwined relationships.
Gossip Girlsees Bell star in a very different kind of role than she does inNobody Wants This. In this series, Bell plays an unseen narrator.Gossip Girloriginally had six seasons, before getting a two-season reboot that ran from 2021 to 2023. Bell reprised her role as the narrator for the revived version ofGossip Girl.
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Even though Bell is not physically on screen inGossip Girl, there is a lot of character in her voice acting performance. With voice alone, she delivers a performance that is key to the show’s central mystery. Beyond Bell’s role in the show,Gossip Girlitself is replete with drama and romancethat will entice viewers interested in this intersection of genres. It is not nearly as comedic as many of the other shows on this list, but is nonetheless a binge-worthy show for those who likeNobody Wants This, Bell in general, or romance shows.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Created by and starring Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girfriend is a comedy series about Rebecca Bunch, a high-powered New York City lawyer who suddenly decides to uproot her life and move to small-town California after a chance encounter with her ex-boyfriend Josh, played by Vincent Rodriguez III. As Rebecca begins to build her new life in West Covina and attempts to win Josh back, she must contend with several obstacles to her dreams including Josh’s current girlfriend, the disapproval of her mother, and the ever-evolving idea of what she actually wants her life to look like.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriendisa CW show that is at once a musical, a romance story, a comedy, and a gripping drama.When Rebecca Bunch is working hard at a New York job, she runs into an old summer camp fling, Joshua Felix Chan, and remembers the moment when their romance began. In awe of this reverie, she moves to West Covina, California, where she has to make brand-new friends and a new career, and what ensues is a four-season romantic odyssey.
While it might be shrouded in song,Crazy Ex-Girlfriendactually does overlap withNobody Wants Thisby way of including religious elements. Rebecca was raised Jewish, whereas her love interest Josh has Catholic roots and considered joining the priesthood at one point. The series also featuresNobody Wants Thisactor Tovah Feldshuh, so people who liked her role in the Netflix series can also appreciate her guest appearances as Naomi Bunch inCrazy Ex-Girlfriend.
