Adam Brody’s role in Netflix’s new romantic comedy show Nobody Wants This is a sad reminder of how much potential his character Dave Rygalski had on Gilmore Girls. Nobody Wants This stars Kristen Bell as relationships podcast host Joanne and Adam Brody as Rabbi Noah. The show’s 10-episode run follows the ups and downs of Joanne and Noah’s relationship, which becomes quite complicated because of their distinct religions, careers, and families.

The rom-com’s popularity has been staggering, with Nobody Wants This season 2 already confirmed just a few weeks after the show’s debut and critics and audiences alike singing its praises on Rotten Tomatoes. Given how successful the show has been, it’s a bit surprising that Nobody Wants This was Adam Brody’s rom-com comeback after nearly two decades, as he’s clearly so brilliant in a role such as this one. It is precisely Brody’s excellent performance in Nobody Wants This and his massive rom-com hiatus that reveal one of Gilmore Girls’ biggest missed opportunities.

Nobody Wants This’ Noah Feels Like A Grown-Up Dave Rygalski From Gilmore Girls

On Gilmore Girls, Adam Brody played Dave Rygalski, a character not all that different from Noah in Nobody Wants This. Although he only appeared in season 3 of Gilmore Girls, Dave quickly became and then remained a fan-favorite character because of his sweet demeanor and his love for Lane Kim. He was introduced as a guitarist looking for a drummer to join his band, making him the perfect love interest for music lover Lane, who did develop feelings for Dave.

When Dave revealed that he reciprocated Lane’s feelings, the two began to date, although they faced challenges when it came to Lane’s mother, Mrs. Kim. Mrs. Kim didn’t approve of Dave for a number of reasons, one of them being her staunch Christian values. What won many viewers (and Lane) over, though, was the genuinely precious way Dave approached this hurdle; he read the entire Bible in one night, just for Lane.

These similarities between Noah and Dave only reveal that much more what a loss Adam Brody’s departure was for Gilmore Girls .

None of Noah’s romantic gestures in Nobody Wants This may be quite that grand, but Noah and Dave do share a number of traits. Both are kind, thoughtful, charming, and a bit dorky, and both exert considerable effort to make their respective relationships work despite various obstacles, particularly religious and familial ones. These similarities between Noah and Dave only reveal that much more what a loss Adam Brody’s departure was for Gilmore Girls.

Why Adam Brody’s Dave Rygalski Left Gilmore Girls

Dave Rygalski was introduced in season 3, episode 3 of Gilmore Girls, titled “Application Anxiety.” It was in this episode that he and Lane met, and it didn’t take long for the two to reveal their true feelings and begin dating (although they initially did so in secret). Despite that strong start and the popularity of their relationship among viewers, Dave’s run on the show also ended in season 3, with episode 20, “Say Goodnight, Gracie,” being his final episode.

Dave’s name is mentioned a few times in later seasons, but it was genuinely a shame to see this relationship come to an end, particularly because the couple had been one of Gilmore Girls’ best. Dave and Lane’s relationship was cut short not because of anything to do with their story but because Adam Brody was cast in The O.C. as Seth Cohen. It was this role that many consider to be the one that made him famous, so while this might have been the best move for Brody’s career, it was a disappointing change for Gilmore Girls.

Dave Rygalski Was Gilmore Girls’ Biggest Loss

The loss of Adam Brody had implications far beyond just Lane and Dave breaking up. Arguably, this relationship could have changed Lane’s extremely controversial fate in Gilmore Girls, had Brody stuck around. It’s impossible to say whether Lane and Dave would have worked out long-term, but the show may very well have taken Lane’s story in a different direction had her rather popular boyfriend not been written off the show.

After Dave exited the show, Lane ended up with her bandmate, Zack, who was considerably less well-liked by most viewers. Lane and Zack end up getting married and having twins all while Lane is still in her young 20s, which, from what has been revealed on screen, prevented Lane from pursuing the musical career she had long hoped to have. Audiences were largely disappointed in this ending for Lane, to say the least, as she really did deserve so much more as a character.

Audiences were largely disappointed in this ending for Lane, to say the least, as she really did deserve so much more as a character.

While Dave remaining in the picture doesn’t guarantee that Lane’s character would have had a better ending, there was considerable potential left on the table following Brody’s exit. It’s conceivable that Gilmore Girls had other plans for Lane that were scrapped once Dave and Lane’s story needed to end. Particularly in light of how successful Adam Brody’s role in Nobody Wants This has been, this really was a major missed opportunity for Gilmore Girls, and one that may have entirely changed the trajectory of Lane’s character for the worse.