A Heartwarming Love Story Between an Agnostic and a Jewish Man Transforms Into Netflix Hit Nobody Wants This
Netflix’s comedy series, *Nobody Wants This*, has returned for its second season, highlighting the unlikely love between an agnostic podcaster, Joanne, and a progressive rabbi, Noah. The show, inspired by Erin Foster’s real-life romance, explores themes of religion and family dynamics.
A Journey of Love and Differences
Erin Foster, the show’s creator, drew from her own experience when crafting this narrative. She fell in love with Simon Tikham, a Jewish man, after they met at a Los Angeles gym in 2018. They were engaged the following year and married on New Year’s Eve in 2019. Foster, who remembers little of her religious upbringing, has a unique perspective on love and happiness.
“This show is based on the only good decision I ever made: falling for a nice Jewish boy,” Foster shared in an interview with Netflix’s *Tudum* in January 2025. She emphasized that finding happiness often presents more challenges than being unhappy, which influenced her storytelling.
Contrasting Backgrounds
In *Nobody Wants This*, the characters grapple with their contrasting backgrounds. Joanne represents Erin’s upbringing in a more unconventional setting, while Noah reflects Tikham’s traditional Jewish family expectations. Tikham, the son of Russian immigrants, was raised with the belief that he should marry within his faith.
- Erin Foster grew up in the entertainment industry.
- Her parents, David Foster and Rebecca Dyer, are divorced.
- Similar to the storyline, Foster faced skepticism from Tikham’s family due to her outspoken nature.
The Path to Acceptance
The initial resistance from Tikham’s parents stemmed from Foster’s candid personality rather than her agnosticism. “His parents weren’t really used to someone being so unfiltered,” she noted in a September 2024 *Harper’s Bazaar* interview. However, they eventually embraced her vibrant nature.
Conversion to Judaism
While Joanne’s journey with faith is tentative, Foster’s real-life experience includes formally converting to Judaism before her marriage. Although she approached the conversion process with indifference, her perspective shifted through participating in conversion classes at Wilshire Boulevard Temple. This experience became foundational for the development of *Nobody Wants This*.
This second season of *Nobody Wants This* premiered on Netflix on October 23, 2023, allowing audiences to delve deeper into the complexities of love across different faiths and backgrounds. Both seasons of the series are available for streaming, providing a blend of humor and heartfelt storytelling.
