23 Comments
19 hrs agoLiked by Sheila Moeschen, Ingrid Haring-Mendes

Finally finished the show which means I can also finally dive into this discourse. This is great, love all the observations and dialogue around the show!

The tokenism and toxic sibling relationship are Problems for sure. But the show is so delightful that I mostly didn't mind? It's weird. I think my biggest complaint was how Noah is just the most perfect guy ever. On one hand, it's nice to see a religious figure who lives according to his stated ideals. How very rare! But also, he's way too good. Unless the show is saying his pursuit of Joanne is his flaw? A troubling idea.

Expand full comment
author

Right? It turned out to be a surprisingly meaty show! I’m really looking forward to see how they develop season 2. I feel the same about Noah: he’s too perfect…too let it all roll off his back kind of thing. And now that I’m thinking of it, in relation to what you said, I don’t love that Joanne bares the brunt of “can you handle my messiness? is my too muchness TOO MUCH for you?” It would be nice if we saw some of that elements in Noah’s character. Sort of like Jimmy in Shrinking…he’s a hot mess and a half, but working on it….we’ll see!

Expand full comment

Having <whispers> not seen the series yet, I'm intrigued, and a little disappointed about the age thing you mentioned. I watched the trailer and just assumed the characters were in their 40s, so not only was it a show about interfaith relationships, but also a show about the ordeal of finding true love in mid-life, with its associated baggage.

Expand full comment
Oct 10Liked by Beth Lisogorsky, Ingrid Haring-Mendes

I’m half way through and it’s a 50/50 for me. I’ll keep watching because it’s well acted, well produced and — refreshingly different for a romantic-comedy like you ladies mentioned. I found it similar to Hello Ladies and Master of None in tone and production. I’m so so glad you noticed and discussed the age/ maturity issue. It’s really hard to watch at times due to this issue. Maybe pluses override the negatives though.

Expand full comment
author

The way age is portrayed often throws me off when watching. It's a pet peeve of mine. So once I noticed it and then calculated Adam Brody's age from OC days, it kind of pulled me out a little. It's the same when I watch a film with someone who's obviously had a lot of work done on their face. It just distracts me, and then that's all I can see.

Expand full comment
author

The age thing is hard to get past. Bell and Brody apparently were challenged by it too per this:

“Bell, for her part, revealed during an episode of the “Armchair Expert” podcast in September that her character was “30 … 12.” Bell added, “I think we were both maybe in the same boat of going, ‘Is anyone going to acknowledge or are we going to talk through that we’re probably 10 years too old to be doing this particular character duo?’”

Expand full comment
Oct 10Liked by Ingrid Haring-Mendes

That’s interesting. I’m glad they are self aware and yes, the story makes more sense for early 30s. I think we are all looking past it because there’s a charm to both Bell and Brody -as well as the nostalgia factor.

Expand full comment
Oct 10Liked by Beth Lisogorsky

*many

Expand full comment
Oct 9Liked by Beth Lisogorsky, Ingrid Haring-Mendes, Sheila Moeschen

Yes to more panels! It was great watching the three of you riff off of one another.

I haven't seen the show yet, but tbh, just knowing Jonah from Veep is here is a big draw. Nice to see Adam Brody is aging nicely, but to me he'll always be Seth Cohen.

Expand full comment
author

HAAAA! It's worth a watch for sure. The writing is pretty good--smart, funny. I have to say that it is not a leap from Jonah to Sasha here....better ethics..but yeah..dig in and report back! :)

Expand full comment
Oct 9Liked by Sheila Moeschen, Ingrid Haring-Mendes

Spot on comments. While I noticed the Jewish stereotypes and mistakes (a Rabbi would never play Basketball on Shabbat and Jews do not proselytize) I was thrilled that Netflix produced a show about Jews— in this climate!

Expand full comment
Oct 9Liked by Sheila Moeschen, Beth Lisogorsky, Ingrid Haring-Mendes

Yes to these panels in the future🙌👏

I’m a fan of romcoms so I definitely loved it, and I definitely thought the chemistry between Kristen Bell and Adam Brody was palpable! I’m not really a fan of Morgan, the sister. She was a bit too abrasive for my tastes, although generally I like these types of characters/personalities - kind of like Amy Schumer’s assertiveness?

I’m starting to like Esther, and I really like Sasha!

Purely as a form of entertainment, it’s funny and fresh and bingeable.

Expand full comment
author

Thank you! 😊

You’ve come to the right place for romance since it’s my top genre in this Substack. Thx for the feedback on the panel. We had fun!🤩

I hear you on the Amy Schumer comparison of being the more direct and sometimes raw delivery character. But I’ll say that even so she does it with such humility and self-effacement that it works. For Morgan not to so much. Though this actress was in “The Big Door Prize” and playing “the other woman” character so I have preconceived ideas

Expand full comment
Oct 9Liked by Beth Lisogorsky, Ingrid Haring-Mendes

Yay! And I agree, I like it on Amy Schumer (she is THE archetype), but Morgan not so much.

Expand full comment
Oct 9Liked by Beth Lisogorsky, Ingrid Haring-Mendes

The show itself is well produced, but there's a constant antisemitic sentiment to it, if by the stereotypes or by the character's' actions (eating prosciutto in hiding cause you can't really enjoy life unless you go un-Jew...) that I, just, can't even....

Expand full comment

I hear you. That scene was silly. But I overlooked some of these cliches in the name of comedy.

Expand full comment
Oct 9Liked by Sheila Moeschen, Beth Lisogorsky, Ingrid Haring-Mendes

Alright first of all, you did not disappoint with this review and this is only part 1!!!

I have to say I also really liked Sasha's character. I was slightly confused with where they were going at some point with his relationship with Morgan but I'm soooo happy it remained a friendship. I think there is so much potential for them as a friends duo.

I can't wait for part 2!

Expand full comment
author

The Sasha and Morgan thing confused me too. If they make a Season 2, and develop Morgan and Sasha's relationship into something more, it's going to take the show from romcom to drama.

Expand full comment
Oct 9Liked by Beth Lisogorsky, Ingrid Haring-Mendes

Oh hell no! This would be crossing the line for me. I hope they keep it as a friendship because we rarely see cool male + female friendships in RomComs. Morgan deserves her own hot rabbi 😂

Expand full comment
author

Yeah that would be fifteen shades of a bad move and ruin a lot of their dynamic. Though it's clear that their friendship is going to cause a lot more turbulence for Esther at least. If the writers are smart they will use that dynamic to also advance her character as we already saw in the way she ends helping Miriam at the Bat Mitzvah.

Expand full comment
author

Agreed!

Expand full comment
author

Thx! Sasha’s character is an interesting one. I found him grating at times which was to be expected but also helping to calm the waters a lot. I wondered how much of his “putz” persona was also just an attempt to be the joker and make his tense and uptight family laugh a little even if he often misfired!

Expand full comment
Oct 9Liked by Beth Lisogorsky, Ingrid Haring-Mendes

Yeah I think that's what I liked about him. I can totally see people act like this in real life to defuse tension. He felt like less of a stereotype to me for some reason since the whole cast of characters is a bundle of big stereotypical personalities :D.

Expand full comment