We’re all hot for good chemistry 

The universal thirst for Amelia Dimoldenberg’s Chicken Shop date with Andrew Garfield was palpable. Watching them banter back and forth felt intimate, like something we shouldn’t be privy to. This date was the culmination of years of flirting at awards shows, on red carpets, at star-studded celebrity events. Those moments were the breadcrumbs that led us down the rose-petaled path to true romance… or popcorn chicken. Which is essentially the same thing.

Together, Andrew and Amelia, are the perfect balance of sarcasm and earnestness. For every one of Amelia’s sarcastic quips, Andrew is open and honest. A game of kiss, marry, avoid – featuring Tom Holland, Tobey Maguire and Dimoldenberg – gets a hearty guffaw from Garfield who, after much deliberation, decides it’s the latter he’ll have to ghost. “This is called flirting Amelia,” the actor grins cheekily. 

me if I was Amelia Dimoldenberg leaving that chicken shop date with Andrew Garfieldpic.twitter.com/eK0mACs3xQ

— T (@teewatterss) October 18, 2024

At certain points, Garfield breaks the so-called fourth wall – tapping on recording equipment, and mentioning how they should “really do this again sometime”, just off-camera. Is this a gimmick or could this be… real? “This is either a masterclass in acting or a public declaration of true love, there’s no in-between,” reads one comment under the clip on YouTube. I’d tend to agree

amelia dimoldenberg and andrew garfield interviews are very important to me pic.twitter.com/a3u5o2iTqd

— uly (@sairated) January 12, 2023

For the not chronically online (what’s that like?!), the pair first met at the GQ Men Of The Year Awards where Dimoldenberg interviewed Garfield on the red carpet. “I think you’re great,” he told her before she could even open her mouth. Less than two months later, they reunited again at the Golden Globes. Both encounters left onlookers a little hot under the collar. This October, after almost two years of anticipation, we finally got what we were waiting for; a date with The One™ (which premiered online to over six million views). Garfield was supposedly there to promote his new project, We Live in Time, but neither mentioned the film once. As a journalist who also gets her interviews based on what other people are peddling, I’m impressed – I’ve never gotten to speak to an A-list celebrity without promising my firstborn child and at least seven mentions of said celebrity’s most recent work. 

amelia dimoldenberg and andrew garfield interviews are very important to me pic.twitter.com/a3u5o2iTqd

— uly (@sairated) January 12, 2023

Chicken Shop Date – this episode, in particular – is a microcosm for the wider dating world… which judging by the many, many think pieces on the matter, is somewhat of a minefield at the moment. In real life encounters aren’t delivering on romance right now, nor are big-money blockbusters. In fact, many have argued that there’s an ongoing “chemistry recession” in Hollywood, brought on by production companies’ preoccupation with franchises and making as much money as possible. Before you jump straight to blaming Marvel though, I don’t think superhero films are necessarily the problem – Spider-Man’s upside-down kiss with Mary Jane Watson lives on as one of the most memorable in history. However, there seems to be less focus on casting the right people and more on casting people who will get bums on seats which doesn’t always equate to good chemistry. So, films may be box office successes but that doesn’t mean they’re actually good.

I loved Kaos – the recent Netflix series about Zeus and the rest of the Greek Gods – but the actors who played Orpheus and Eurydice had about as much sexual tension as a pair of mismatched socks. There was no spark. None. They may as well have been siblings. I didn’t believe their dynamic for a second which made it difficult to buy into the story at large. This so-called recession has also been attributed to changes in film production trends, where there is little room for will-they-won’t-they-tension. Chicken Shop Date is a refreshing departure in a genre rarely given the resources it deserves. 

Then of course there’s Nobody Wants This, the new rom-com that’s reestablished Adam Brody as the internet’s sweetheart. Brody plays a rabbi, Kristen Bell a sex-positive podcast host with a history of dating the wrong men. They meet at a mutual friend’s dinner party, Brody escapes the friend zone and well, you’ll just have to watch the series to see how it plays out. Usually, I’m reluctant to watch something after hearing it hyped up too much – it makes me overly critical and though this series is not without its faults, it definitely lived up to expectations. My boyfriend did that thing where he pretended not to like my show but ultimately ended up on the couch beside me, more invested in the story than anyone. “It looks stunning. The lighting and the angles, they look so good.” That is a direct quote from him, but I digress. 

Most rom-coms tend to follow the same well-worn path; you know how the story is going to pan out pretty much from the beginning. Nobody Wants This managed to give things a fresh, new take. It’s sweet but smart with grown-up protagonists (key in a world where we’re constantly being shown bikini-clad 21-year-olds who seemingly “can’t find love”). No, it’s not reinventing the wheel but it is light, funny and most importantly, the romantic leads actually have chemistry! Brody and Bell make this series what it is and though I know they’re not together IRL (Bell is married to Dax Shephard while Brody is married to Leighton Meester), I was able to get behind their on-screen relationship. Sure, it’s fun to binge-watch reality rubbish with enough red flags to sew together to make a quilt, but there’s also lots to be said for a series about a mature, healthy relationship. 

In her analysis of the series, writer Rachel Levin writes, “Seeing Adam Brody chase after Kristen Bell — several times — to communicate honestly and openly is the kind of TV we need. Watching Bell work through her insecurities, while being met with support and appreciation, is powerful. Even watching an accurate portrayal of a breakup, where neither party is the villain, was desperately needed. It’s a good reminder to women, and men, that we *should* strive for more, from ourselves, and our partners. Especially in a society that has long shamed women not only for consuming romance, but for aspiring to those relationships we consume.” Turns out there are quite a few people who want this, actually.

Can we attribute this collective lust for affection back to the pandemic? Perhaps our longing for good chemistry is a byproduct of not being able to touch each other for so long. Yes, Covid happened years ago but the consequences of that period of isolation are still revealing themselves, most notably where our social—and thereby dating—lives are concerned. The fear of what might happen if we’re around people has dissipated and now it’s good old-fashioned connection we’re craving both in our own lives and in the content we’re consuming. 

Me – I watch Nobody Wants This for the plot
The Plot – pic.twitter.com/MGyHP9ONy0

— soph ?? (@sophmccarthy91) October 31, 2024

The allure of Amelia and Andrew’s flirty banter on Chicken Shop Date, and the resounding success of shows like Nobody Wants This prove we’re all hot for good chemistry. Real romance resonates deeply, especially in an era where big franchises tend to overlook it… and we’ll take any opportunity to ogle Adam Brody.