Why Fans Are Buzzing About ‘Nobody Wants This’ Reference to The Handmaid’s Tale
Season 2 of Netflix’s Nobody Wants This cleverly referenced Timothy Simons‘ role in The Handmaid’s Tale.
In the sophomore season, which premiered on Thursday, October 23, Esther (Jackie Tohn) and Sasha (Simons) discussed his mother Bina’s (Tovah Feldshuh) desire for them to expand their family again.
Esther remarked, “She is f***king nuts if she thinks she is in charge of me having a whole ass baby. Is this The Handmaid’s Tale?”
She added, “I never saw past season 1, but I doubt it gets any better for the gals.”
Based on Margaret Atwood’s book, The Handmaid’s Tale depicts a dystopian future where women are assigned to men for childbirth due to declining fertility rates. Premiering in 2017 and concluding in May, the series featured Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley, and Amanda Brugel.
The reference to the hit Hulu series was notable, especially given Simons’ portrayal of Commander Bell in the final season, who met a brutal fate before the revolution.
“He literally plays a commander on The Handmaid’s Tale. This is the humor I like,” one TikTok comment read, while another user noted, “He was such an awful character in The Handmaid’s Tale, yet he’s so likable here.”
Simons’ return as Sasha in Nobody Wants This received significant praise as fans were eager to see the beloved character once more.
“Entering season 2, we wanted to portray Sasha as the unlikely great husband who knows how to support his wife,” creator Erin Foster told Netflix’s Tudum earlier this month.
Season 2 unveiled that Sasha and Esther’s marital problems were even more severe than anticipated. After a pregnancy scare, the couple realized they were on different paths, leading to their decision to separate by the season’s end.
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“Holding on tighter isn’t going to solve anything. It won’t make her happier,” Simons, 47, shared with Tudum regarding the characters’ future. “He must give her the space she needs, and ultimately, he does.”
Tohn, 45, provided insight into Esther’s mindset.
“She starts to question, ‘If given the chance, would this be the person I would’ve chosen? I’m not sure. I love him, and we have something special, but I also feel pent up, angry, and want to explore as Esther,’” Tohn explained. “There’s something lacking, and it might require personal work on her part. But she can’t reach that conclusion while they’re together.”
Nobody Wants This is available for streaming on Netflix.
