‘Nobody Wants This’ creator Erin Foster addresses criticism of the show amid controversy

Nobody Wants This creator Erin Foster has responded to the criticism, claiming that the Netflix series perpetuates stereotypes about Jewish women and makes them “villainous.”

The recently released romantic comedy follows an unexpected romance between Joanne (Kristen Bell), an agnostic series actress, and Noah (Adam Brody), a progressive rabbi who has just ended a long-term relationship.

As they navigate intense chemistry and different values, Joanne is faced with the decision of whether to convert to Judaism to be with Noah.

In the show, viewers see Joanne and Noah face frequent criticism of their relationship, particularly from his mother Bina, his sister-in-law Esther, his ex-girlfriend Rebecca, and all of Rebecca’s friends, who are also Jewish.

In one scene, Esther confronts Joanne and calls her a “wh**e” while her friends display cold behavior towards Joanne.

Following the criticism, Foster, who based the series on her own love story with husband Simon Tikhman, expressed concerns about the show’s portrayal of Jewish stereotypes.

When asked about this, she told the LA Times: “I think we need positive Jewish stories now.”

“I think it’s interesting when you have a rabbi at the helm, people focus on, ‘Oh, this is a stereotype of the Jewish people.’ A hot, cool, young rabbi who smokes weed.

“That’s the opposite of how people see a Jewish rabbi, right?”

Foster then discussed the challenge of balancing creativity with accurate character portrayal.

She continued: “If I made the Jewish parents like two granola hippies on a farm. Then someone would write: ‘I’ve never met a Jewish person like that.’ You obviously don’t know how to write about Jewish people, you don’t know what you’re doing, and that doesn’t represent us well.’”

Although Foster’s husband is a music manager rather than a rabbi, the plot draws heavily from her own love story. The author converted to Judaism before her marriage to Tikhman and came up with the idea for Nobody Wants This during her conversion process four years ago.

Foster also emphasized in the interview that she consciously worked with Jewish authors when creating the series to ensure authentic representation.

As the show climbs into the streaming service’s top 10 worldwide, Glamor’s Jessica Radloff said in a review of the show, “I can’t imagine a man watching this show and then saying, ‘I really want to date a Jew.’ .’ Girl!’

“We seem like controlling, marriage-hungry women who plan dinner parties and want to alienate anyone who doesn’t share those dreams.”

In a Time review, Esther Zuckerman wrote that she “couldn’t help but feel disappointed” after watching the show.

“While the series expresses the fantasy of the ideal Jewish man in Noah, it appears to abhor Jewish women, portrayed as whiners, harpies, and the ultimate villains of this story,” Zuckerman wrote. “I wanted to be swept away by a romantic comedy. Instead, I was faced with the reality that maybe this show actually hates me.”

Bloomberg News tech reporter Dina Bass wrote on X: “So do I want to watch Nobody Wants This? I love the two main characters – Veronica Mars and The OC are two of my favorite shows.

“But I’m not dying to be bombarded with Jewish stereotypes, and certainly not evil and lazy stereotypes centered around Jewish women.”