(This is a re-post from 2021 to recognize Never Have I Ever’s fourth and final season which Netflix just released on June 8th. It’s a cute, satisfying show if you haven’t checked it out yet. Season four is ten episodes, each running about 30 minutes. As with some other high school shows (Sex Education, for instance), the cast has aged into their 20s (one lead actor is early 30s). But they pull it off because you’re having too much fun with them to notice. And now there’s a new bad-boy heartthrob on campus…just what Devi needs.)
Never Have I Ever is a Netflix coming-of-age comedy-drama loosely based on show creator Mindy Kaling’s childhood. Devi is an Indian-American high school student in Sherman Oaks, CA. Played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Devi had a horrible freshman year; her loving father died, and her grief was so severe that she lost the use of her limbs for three months. As she comes out of her grief, she wants to shake up her social status as a sophomore. She dreams of a boyfriend, being a member of the cool kids, and independence from her family. These dreams collide with the realities of high school and Indian traditions.
Her Mom, Dr. Nalini (played by Poorna Jagannathan, The Night Of), is strict, traditional, and conservative. Devi’s new life plan runs right into this brick wall. Devi’s cousin, Kamala, lives with them while she attends Caltech. She has beauty, brains, and struggles with her arranged marriage and lack of opportunity in the boys club of Caltech. In the second season, Devi’s grandmother leaves India and moves in with them bringing with her a lifetime of Indian customs.
As if the roadblocks at home weren’t enough, navigating the social circles of high school is too much for Devi. She leaves a trail of broken friendships in her wake as she makes one bad decision after another. Her two besties, Eleanor and Fabiola, have lost patience with her. For a girl who longed for a boyfriend, she ends up with two…at the same time: Ben, her wealthy scholastic nemesis, and Paxton, the junior star of the swim team. Needless to say, she doesn’t juggle the situation well at all. And, just as she’s making some headway in affirming her identity as the Indian girl, in walks new student Aneesa; smart, pretty, oh so effortlessly cool…and Indian.
John McEnroe Narrator. First, just the idea of a narrator. Often, an unnecessary copout to advance the story. And second, John McEnroe? Okay, great tennis player, but narrating teen drama and humor? If you haven’t seen the show you’re crossing this one off your list right now. And, if you do watch the show, you’re still trying to figure out what you think about the narration and before you know it two seasons (20 episodes) have gone by and you… like the show! The reason John McEnroe is the voice of the show is disclosed and actually makes sense. He makes fun of his voice-over, gets out of character as a parent and tennis player, and thanks to the writing delivers some good laughs.
Devi is an A-student, destined for a major university and stellar career. Her temper and impatience get in the way, however, and she’s in trouble again and again (Eleanor to Devi: “You really ‘Devi-ed’ up this one”). You feel for her as she tries to make it better with a grand gesture, but that only makes the situation worse. Her self-made predicaments are hilarious and painful. She’s more than “the Indian girl” and that’s what fosters the show’s real mix of emotions. Poorna Jagannathan puts it best, “the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete.” The show “is a tightrope between outrageous comedy and intense grief.” ¹ There you have it.
¹Lorraine Ali, Television Critic L.A. Times interview with Poorna Jagannathan July 18, 2021
D² Rating ◼◼◼◩☐
Trivia: Mindy Kaling is known for her work on The Office and creating and starring in what romcom about the life of an OB/GYN in New York City?
Answer: The Mindy Project