Warning: This article contains spoilers for Nobody Wants This!
D’Arcy Carden appears in Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, reversing her most famous character in a way that will thrill fans. The streaming giant’s Kristen Bell rom-com centers on an agnostic podcaster named Joanne (Kristen Bell), who falls for a charming rabbi named Noah (Adam Brody). As they start a romantic relationship, they realize the drastic differences in their families and cultures, an increasingly significant barrier.
Nobody Wants This’ characters include a vibrant mix of Joanne’s raunchy, secular world and Noah’s more traditional, family-oriented world. A standout character from Joanne’s social circle is Ryann, one of her close friends, played by D’Arcy Carden. Ryann is one of Joanne’s biggest supporters, encouraging her relationship with Noah even when everyone else thinks the couple is weird. However, outside of being supportive, Carden’s Ryann completely flips the script on her best-known character in an entertaining way.
D’Arcy Carden Is Best Known For Playing Janet In The Good Place
Janet Becomes A Main Character By The End Of The Good Place
While she’s appeared in numerous movies and TV shows like Nobody Wants This, comedian D’Arcy Carden is best known for playing Janet in NBC’s The Good Place. Janet is an informational assistant who has all the knowledge in the world and can instantly manifest any object. Even though she’s a Good Place Janet, Michael steals her and takes her to the Bad Place for his neighborhood.
Though she started out playing a supporting character and was eventually transitioned to a primary character, Carden appears in every episode of The Good Place. Since Kristen Bell appeared in the show alongside D’Arcy Carden, it was a pleasant surprise when Nobody Wants This gifted viewers a surprising The Good Place reunion, bringing five actors from the show together. Most notably, Bell and Carden play best friends.
Nobody Wants This’ Ryann Is The Antithesis Of The Good Place’s Janet
Ryann Is More Similar To The Good Place’s Eleanor
Though Ryann only appears in three episodes of Nobody Wants This, it quickly becomes apparent that she has the exact opposite personality of Janet in The Good Place. Though Janet is hilarious to watch, it’s not because of her character’s sense of humor – at least not until toward the end of The Good Place. Instead, Janet plays the comedic straight man for Michael and the humans, which contrasts with Ryann, who is hilarious because of the jokes she makes. She has boisterous mannerisms that increase the impact of her witty dialogue.
Additionally, Ryann enjoys gossiping and talking about people she hates, though she and her friend group initially say they don’t like discussing individuals they hate in front of strangers. As soon as Noah says that they should tell him who to hate, she and the others happily proceed. Ryann also has a cynical and judgmental view of the world, which is probably why she gets along so well with Joanne. Many of her comments are also snarky. Lastly, she’s very open about her sex life, demonstrated by her advice about using the obliterator.
Ultimately, the differences between Ryann and Janet benefit
Nobody Wants This
because D’Arcy Carden doesn’t feel like she’s there just as fan service.
This is a stark contrast to Janet’s personality, which is unbearably bubbly, friendly, and positive. She doesn’t initially possess the ability to feel negative emotions, and she rarely displays them even after she evolves. She finds it difficult to say anything negative about anyone when she pretends to be the Bad Place Janet, so she would likely never engage in gossip. Additionally, despite trying to figure out how to have sex with Jason, she’s biologically incapable of this. Ultimately, the differences between Ryann and Janet benefit Nobody Wants This because D’Arcy Carden doesn’t feel like she’s there just as fan service.
D’Arcy Carden’s Nobody Want This Role Highlights Her Acting Range
D’Arcy Carden Is A Top-Notch Comedian
D’Arcy Carden established herself as a phenomenal comedic actress when performing as Janet in The Good Place, gaining a 2020 nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the Critics Choice Awards and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmys. However, Nobody Wants This really cements this fact because the polarity of the two characters requires very different comedy skills.
Janet falls into the comedic archetypes of “the naive optimist” and “the straight person,” while Ryann is “the cynic,” verging on “the neurotic.” Not every actor can play such different archetypes, so the fact that D’Arcy Carden can proves she has what it takes to be an A-list comedic actor. Moreover, D’Arcy Carden’s Ryann steals every scene when acting next to Kristen Bell and Sherry Cola in Nobody Wants This, which is shocking and impressive considering both actresses are generally scene-stealers themselves.
