Audiences fell forRabbi NoahinNobody Wants This, suggesting one character from the highly popular showFleabagshould be revisited.Nobody Wants Thishas been remarkably successful since its September 26th, 2024, release date. The show has consistently maintained a 93-95% score onRotten Tomatoessince its release, andNobody Wants Thisseason 2has already been announced.
This popularity is no doubt due to the star-studdedcast ofNobody Wants Thisin general, althoughviewers took a particular liking to Adam Brody’s character, Noah, who plays the love interest of protagonist Joanne (Kristen Bell).Joanne and Noah’s relationshipis complex in the show, but Brody and Bell share great chemistry on screen, and both are charming characters in unique ways. In Brody’s case, this has led to the character being described as a ‘hot rabbi,’ a description that shares a striking resemblance with one ofFleabag’sfan-favorite characters.
Why Fleabag Season 2’s “Hot Priest” Is Perfect If You Like Nobody Wants This' “Hot Rabbi”
Similar in nature to Noah inNobody Wants This,inFleabagseason 2, Andrew Scott plays a priest who ultimately becomes a love interestfor Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s character, the titular Fleabag. While neitherNobody Wants ThisnorFleabaginvented the idea of an attractive religious figure, both employ this character type in compelling ways. In both shows, these characters subvert audience expectations of religious men, particularly those who hold such important positions, and offer unique portrayals of those roles.
These characters subvert audience expectations of religious men, particularly those who hold such important positions.
The romantic arcs in bothNobody Wants ThisandFleabagare complicated in realistic ways, particularly highlighting how fraught such relationships can be. In Noah and Joanne’s case, this becomes a deciding factor in their relationship intheNobody Wants Thisending. When Noah is offered the position of Head Rabbi, which has been his aspiration for quite some time, he faces a difficult decision. He must either decline the offer, or Joanne must convert to Judaism.
InFleabag, the priest (as he’s known in the show) and Fleabag have considerable sexual tension, although initially he is clear that, because of his role, he cannot ever cross that physical boundary. Ultimately, the couple does end up sleeping with one another, but the priest walks away from the relationship in the season finale, choosing God over Fleabag. Nevertheless,both relationships represent romance, complex dynamics, and heartbreak in ways not typically associated with religious leaders.
Nobody Wants This & Fleabag Both Take Their Religious Romances In Fascinating Directions
As mentioned,both Noah inNobody Wants Thisand the priest inFleabagmust confront the expectations of their religious rolesand the way those rules may conflict with their romantic feelings and desires. In Noah’s case, he is permitted to have romantic and sexual relationships in his role, but he cannot become Head Rabbi if he is with a woman who is not Jewish. ThroughoutNobody Wants This, Noah also grapples with what it means for him to be a rabbi when his girlfriend is a sex and relationships podcast host.
The priest’s love life is arguably much more restricted, as priests are not meant to engage in romantic or sexual relationships whatsoever. This is precisely why the priest ultimately walks away from Fleabag; having a relationship with her is diametrically opposed to the life of a priest. He cannot have both simultaneously. While each character faces unique restrictions and obstacles, both are complicated in profound and meaningful ways, making each plot line satisfying.
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How Nobody Wants This' Religious Romance Is Different To Fleabag’s
Although Noah has been referred to as a ‘hot rabbi’ andFleabag’spriest has been called ‘hot priest,’ the two do share distinctions, particularly in the nature of the relationships shown on screen. InFleabag, the relationship between the priest and Fleabag develops over time because Fleabag is seeking genuine guidance. This grows into something romantic and, eventually, sexual, but that was not the relationship’s initial dynamic. This is very different for Joanne and Noah inNobody Wants This.
Noah and Joanne had an immediate connection at the party of a mutual friend, and it was clear from their very first interaction that the two had a romantic interest in one another. Neither Noah nor Joanne hesitated to acknowledge this connection, and Noah in particular pursued Joanne.This difference is likely in part due to the respective rules for rabbis and priests.
While rabbis can have relationships, priests are meant to abstain from all romantic and sexual connections. It wouldn’t have been in keeping with his role for the priest inFleabagto have expressed such a desire. It makes sense that this relationship would have been more incidental, whereas Joanne and Noah’s relationship was romantic from the very beginning. Despite these differences, the relationships in bothFleabagandNobody Wants Thisoffer unique perspectives on these religious figures in ways that proved incredibly popular.
Nobody Wants This
Cast
A loud, agnostic sex podcaster and a newly single rabbi unexpectedly fall in love, forcing them to navigate the complexities of their clashing beliefs, families, and careers. Their relationship faces constant tension as they balance their personal lives with societal pressures, leading to a series of humorous and heartfelt challenges.
Fleabag
Created by and starring Pheobe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag follows its titular main character through her life in modern-day London. After the death of her best friend and the imminent demise of their joint business venture, the show deals with Fleabag’s grief over the loss, her struggle to maintain the business, and her complicated relationships with her immediate family. The show is known for its use of the fourth-wall break and is based on Waller-Bridge’s award-winning one-woman show which debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2013.
