Nobody Wants This has officially returned to our screens, with the Netflix show’s highly-anticipated second season released this week. And from the sweet behind the scenes anecdotes to theories around a third instalment, the critically acclaimed comedy series is making non-stop headlines.
It is the show’s casting that has made the most news, with a host of new faces from Seth Rogen to Joe Gillette coming onboard for season two. Not to mention, Leighton Meester, with the Gossip Girl star and IRL wife of Adam Brody officially joining the series as a guest star.
And while Adam Brody and Kristen Bell are at the show’s helm, starring as rabbi Noah and sex podcaster Joanne, it is Brody and Meester’s onscreen moments that have been making the most headlines.
Meester appears in episode five as Abby Kaplan, Joanne’s high school nemesis turned mum blogger. And when Noah [Brody] is invited to officiate Kaplan’s ‘Brit Bat’, a Jewish baby naming ritual, they all come face to face.
“The story came first, and then we were thinking of who to cast in that role," show creator Erin Foster has previously recalled to Deadline. "And I think I had just seen Leighton maybe at the People’s Choice Awards. She’s so cute. She’s so adorable and funny and quirky and cool, and they have a sweet relationship. And she was really on my mind after that, and I think she’s obviously so talented.
"We asked Adam first how he felt [about Meester joining the cast]," she continued. "And he was like, 'I love it. If it’s funny, see if she responds to it.' And so I quickly went into the scenes and tried to beef up the character as much as I could and give her as much fun. And there’s an extra scene now."
“They didn’t have any scenes alone with each other originally," she recalled. "And so then I went in and I was like, 'OK, I’m going to give them a scene alone and kind of throw in a couple moments that people would grab onto and have fun with.'"
Viewers have been quick to spot some of these hidden onscreen moments, particularly one subtle joke as Joanne comments on how pretty Abby is to Noah, and he responds that his wife’s character “isn’t his type”.
This is something that Foster is almost certainly behind, with the show creator previously telling E! News: "I intentionally put a few fun little lines in there that I think people are going to enjoy.”
Nobody Wants This season two is available to watch now on Netflix.
We will continue to update this story.
