Netflix’sNobody Wants This, created byErin Foster, is a word-of-mouth hit thanks to the chemistry betweenKristen Bell’s Joanne andAdam Brody’s Noah. It’s rare to see a great television rom-com with hilarious and exciting plot turns that keep the audience wondering if this relationship can make it.Nobody Wants Thishas been renewed for a second season, but unfortunately a release date hasn’t been announced yet. While waiting for Season 2, fans ofNobody Wants Thisshould tryanother gripping rom-com:FX’sYou’re the Worst, available onHulu.You’re the Worst, created byStephen Falk,also features a sexy romance between two complicated people.
Airing from 2014 to 2019,You’re the Worstfollows Jimmy Shive-Overly, played byChris GeerefromModern Family. Jimmy is a bitter novelist living in Los Angeles. In the pilot, he meets Gretchen Cutler, played byAya CashfromThe Boys, at a wedding. Jimmy and Gretchen immediately hook up, but both of them are determined to keep things casual. Throughout the series, their feelings for each other develop despite their reservations about love. Although it never became a phenomenon likeIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiaor got the awards buzz ofLouie,You’re the Worstwas a critical darling. Its third, fourth, and fifth seasons all achieved a 100% onRotten Tomatoesand, in its debut year,The A.V. Clublisted it as one of the best TV shows of 2014.
‘You’re the Worst’ Mastered the Rom-Com Format
You’re the Worstdevelops Jimmy and Gretchen’s relationship over five seasons andproves thatrom-coms can work in the television format. Even though the audience knows Jimmy and Gretchen have to stay in each other’s lives in order for there to be a show, the plot is so well-done that it always stays surprising. This is because the show is full of turns that are hilarious, disastrous, and, most importantly, weirdly romantic. For example, in the Season 1 finale, after Jimmy works up the courage to ask Gretchen to move in with him, she says no at first, deciding they should take it slow – only to immediately discover that her apartment has burned down and she needs a new place to live. Both of the main characters are self-involved and reckless in different ways, and that makes for edge-of-your-seat moments when it feels like their relationships will never recover.
You’re the Worstis unique among rom-coms because there’s no tangible obstacle to Jimmy and Gretchen being together. WhileJoanne and Noah onNobody Wants Thisstrugglewith the difficulties of a rabbi dating a non-Jewish woman, Jimmy and Gretchen simply struggle with their own internal issues.Fear of commitment and mental illness are strong recurring themeson the show, as Jimmy and Gretchen sabotage their own happiness and wonder if they can be with each other – or anyone – long term. On a lesser show, the lack of a clear obstacle would be a problem, butYou’re the Worstis so cleverly written that it still works. The reason that Jimmy and Gretchen struggle, even after Gretchen accepts Jimmy’s marriage proposal at the end of Season 3, will leave audiences stunned. The scene directly after Jimmy’s proposal is one of the most memorable sitcom scenes ever.
I Can’t Stop Thinking About That Epic Kiss in ‘Nobody Wants This’
Adam Brody showed us that a swoon-worthy kiss can be gentle and intentional.
‘You’re the Worst’ Features a Strong Supporting Cast
LikeNobody Wants This,You’re the Worstis rounded out by a hilarious supporting cast. WhileNobody Wants Thishas the great banter between Joanne’s sister Morgan (Succession’sJustine Lupe) and Noah’s brother Sasha (Veep’sTimothy Simons),You’re the WorsthasJimmy’s best friend Edgar (Desmin Borges)and Gretchen’s best friend Lindsay (Kether Donohue). Edgar and Lindsay are all-time sitcom characters who often steal the show. They have goofier personalities than Jimmy and Gretchen that lead to big laughs.Kether Donohue, in particular, has some masterful line deliveries. Lindsay and Edgar have a romantic subplot of their very own, and the first time they hook up is a jaw-on-the-floor moment because of how weird it is.
Nobody Wants Thisshows that television is embracing the rom-com format. If you’re impatient waiting for a second season, it’s a great time tocheck out the best television rom-com to ever do it. The five seasons ofYou’re the Worstare not only worth watching on their own merit, they also provide a road map for how other rom-com shows likeNobody Wants Thiscould sustain their will-they-won’t-they narrative over multiple seasons.
You’re the Worst
You’re the Worstis available to stream in the U.S. on Hulu.
Watch on Hulu
