Nobody Wants This proves why the secondary couple deserve their moment
Warning: This article contains spoilers for the third season of Nobody Wants This
Everyone’s favourite rabbi and podcaster are back, as the new season of Nobody Wants This has finally dropped on Netflix - but a different couple is finally getting their chance to shine.
The fan-favourite rom-com, which started in September 2024, follows an unconventional love story between newly single Rabbi Noah Roklov (Adam Brody) and agnostic sex podcaster Joanne Williams (Kristen Bell).
The hilarious but emotional show follows the duo as they navigate their differences, family interference, and everything in between.
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In the latest instalment, their relationship is as smooth-sailing as it’s ever been. Despite some difficulties with wedding planning after Noah’s surprise engagement, the show’s main couple are pretty much on cloud nine. Joanne is converting to Judaism, and they’re going to live happily ever after.
But fans will know there’s been another love story, slow-burning and unfolding for some time now, and it finally came to a head.
Noah’s brother Sasha (Timothy Simons) and Joanne’s sister Morgan (Justine Lupe) have had some serious will-they, won’t-they chemistry ever since they met.
In season three, following Sasha’s separation from his wife Esther, they finally started looking at each other in a romantic light, which ended with sparks flying during a magical night away in New York City.
The burning romance didn’t last for long, though, as it came crashing down almost as quickly as it began, with Morgan struggling with vulnerability, and Sasha feeling rejected.
The series ended on a cliffhanger over whether they’re really going to end up together or not, but that hasn’t stopped fans from absolutely obsessing over their romance and completely forgetting about Joanne and Noah.
One social media user wrote: “MORGAN AND SASHA >>>>> Noah and Joanne #NobodyWantsThis,” while a second added: “I’m honestly just seated for Morgan and Sasha #nobodywantsthis.”
Even though their romance isn’t supposed to be the centrepoint of the show, it’s completely taken over - and this is a tale we’ve seen happen many times before.
When watching Bridgerton, we’re always interested in what the other siblings are up to in the background and when their romances are coming.
The Summer I Turned Pretty became just as much about Taylor and Stephen as it did Belly’s love triangle with Jeremiah and Conrad, while Sterling Point fans were way more into Ramona and Oona’s romance than Annie’s. And don’t even get me started on Allie and Dean in Off Campus.
There’s one thing that’s for sure - we love the secondary couple, most of the time, more than the first.
To break down this phenomenon, Tyla spoke with psychologists who explained that secondary couples often don’t have the ‘main plot's burden’ so we can ‘enjoy’ their relationship more.
Dr. Nick Bach outlined: “The show's lead actors carry the show's major queries; therefore there's typically drama and delay in between the two. The secondary couples are lighter, funnier, and more stable, which is a breath of relief watching them.”
Also speaking to Tyla, Dr Tracy King echoed that secondary couples give us ‘something unknown in the background to work out’
The expert explained: “ We notice a look, a touch, a change in tone and begin to wonder if something more is going on or might go on.
“We begin gathering evidence and looking to see if we have read the situation correctly. The fact that secondary couples are in the show less is also a factor, as we don’t know when we will get a chance to join the dots, so we obsessively watch, waiting for that moment. Episodes without them can actually feel disappointing.”
Dr King continued: “The main characters in shows carry the key plot. Their actions are built around the main obstacles and overall storyline.
“Secondary couples offer smaller everyday moments of connection. These are much more familiar to us.
“It's a kind of show-it-not-tell-it principle. Main characters ‘just are,’ we know they are together. Secondary characters bring wonder and what-ifs.
She revealed that we’re also more likely to recognise ourselves in their situation; for example, Taylor’s longstanding crush on Steven in The Summer I Turned Pretty can be relatable to many who have developed feelings for a friend.
Dr King concluded: “When we recognise that longing, we can start hoping for the characters and thinking about our own lives too. Seeing someone else go through it can make our feelings seem valid and maintain hope for us in our real-life situations.”
So move over, Joanne and Noah, we can’t wait to see what’s next for Morgan and Sasha!
Topics: Netflix, Entertainment, TV And Film, Sex and Relationships
Madison Burgess