(Credits: Netflix)

When Nobody Wants This wrapped its first season with a quiet kiss instead of a declaration of forever, audiences were left intrigued and deeply invested. What many Netflix viewers do not know, however, is that the original ending was drastically different. According to creator Erin Foster, the season almost ended with a proposal or even a wedding.

The plan was to have Joanne and Noah conclude their whirlwind journey by getting engaged. It would have been a bold choice, one that framed their love as triumphant despite the glaring lifestyle differences between a sex-positive podcaster and a newly single rabbi. However, Netflix stepped in and requested a more ambiguous close. Foster revealed that the streamer encouraged her to rethink the resolution, prompting a shift toward emotional complexity over tidy closure.

What resulted was the now-famous final scene. Noah and Joanne, fresh off a heated argument and a breakup, find their way back to one another in silence. No grand speech, no vows, no final answers. Just one lingering kiss and a whispered, “So how does this work?” It was an ending that dared to sit with uncertainty and one that arguably captured the show’s tone better than any fast-track proposal ever could.

Had the original plan gone ahead, the series might have leaned into conventional rom-com territory. An engagement would have signalled resolution, a sense of wrapping up. Instead, the revised ending mirrored the show’s core tension: love caught between personal identity, cultural expectations, and emotional timing. Choosing ambiguity over clarity made space for richer storytelling and deeper viewer interpretation.

Erin Foster also revealed that multiple versions of the ending were filmed. Some versions featured more affection, some pulled back further. In the end, the decision was made collectively, with the creative team opting for restraint. Rather than forcing resolution, the finale left room for character growth and opened the door for a more grounded season two.

Audience reactions were mixed. Some viewers praised the maturity of the open-ended conclusion. Others expressed frustration at the lack of closure, especially after emotionally investing in Joanne and Noah’s unlikely relationship. Online forums lit up with debates about whether love alone could carry a relationship between two people with such wildly different worldviews.

Critics have suggested that the original proposal ending may have undermined the narrative tension. Jumping from relational chaos to romantic certainty within ten episodes might have felt rushed, especially for a series that prided itself on slow emotional build-up. The final scene that aired, stripped of a definitive future, preserved the show’s emotional realism. It asked the harder question: not just “Can they be together?” but “Should they?”

This shift also created momentum for season two. With the central couple still figuring things out, there is room for new dilemmas, deeper character arcs, and the continuation of their evolving dynamic. The decision not to resolve everything in one season gave the show longevity and avoided the common rom-com trap of peaking too early.

The original ending of Nobody Wants This may have delivered shock value, but the revised version delivered emotional weight. It stayed true to the spirit of the characters and the modern complexities of relationships. Joanne and Noah did not get a ribbon-tied ending. What they got was a question mark, and sometimes that lands harder than a happily-ever-after.

Netflix’s choice to step in and reshape the ending of Nobody Wants This may have disappointed those hoping for a more romantic payoff. But from a storytelling perspective, it ensured the show remained grounded, emotionally intelligent, and more reflective of how complicated love often is.