There are very few shows that can garner as much love for a sexually-frustrated, self-centered, short-tempered, stubborn teen like Devi Vishvakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) as Never Have I Ever can. The third season in this teen dramedy showcases the pinnacle of its genre by crafting a story full of heart, charm, and plenty of hilarious mishaps.
The show follows Devi Vishvakumar, an Indian-American teenager who is hell bent on making her mom’s life a living hell by disobeying every rule she has in place — having a boyfriend being the primary one she is set on breaking. Torn between two boys, Paxton Hall Yoshida (Darren Barnet), every teenage girl’s dream man, and Ben Gross (Jaren Lewison), the only one smart enough to compete with her for the title of valedictorian, Season 3 introduces a new love interest — Des (Anirudh Pisharody). Not only is Des a perfect combination of Paxton’s chiseled looks and Ben’s inflated brain, but he is also Indian, further complicating Devi’s already messy love life. That combined with her turbulent relationship with her mother, her severe grief over her father’s death, and the tragic fact that she’s still a virgin, Devi really is put through it all this season.
The show’s first two seasons showed a lot of promise. It filled a void in the market for a coming-of-age story that was diverse but could also expand upon its diverse characters and instill in them a voice that was independent of their cultural stereotypes. Yet, the show felt stuck in its comedy and seemed overly dependent on its unique factors to keep the viewers laughing in the first two seasons. However, Never Have I Ever truly blossoms, along with all its characters, in the third season. Viewers can now finally understand what it must feel like in Devi Vishwakumar’s head as they are forced to undergo an array of different emotions in each episode.
In the episode “... had a breakdown”, Andy Samberg, guest narrates what is a snippet into Ben’s inhuman daily schedule. His obsessive desire to live upto his dad’s expectations leads him to adopt intense study techniques that strip him of a teenage experience. As a stomach-pain-ridden Ben crumbles to the floor, Paxton comes to his rescue to create an incredibly funny and exciting moment where these two characters collide unexpectedly. As Paxton scoops Ben up effortlessly, Ben doubles over in pain and says, “Can you please carry me in a less emasculating way?”. The episode is a beautiful representation of how intune the show is with the teenage psyche. Even in moments of weakness, the first thought on Ben's mind is his masculinity. If this isn't an accurate representation of a teenager then what is?
In season 3, Devi is more mature than ever but equally as unhinged in her plethora of desires. One can never get tired of her sarcastic comments and far-fetched, exaggerated lies to get out of situations. When she attempts to sneak out of her house to attend a party, the explanation she provides to her mother as she is one foot out the window is that her contact-lenses dropped from her eye and blew out onto the windowsill. Ramakrishnan’s ability to showcase Devi’s mental state crumble while she puts on an ironic smile is endlessly entertaining. While her one-line insults to Ben are the peak of this show’s comedy, her moments of bonding with her mother are unmatched. The season’s wrap up of the two’s relationship breaks your heart then stitches it back together.
This season is full of heart-wrenching moments that make you question if the tears on your cheek are residues from laughing so hard at the previous scene or bawling your eyes out at the current one. Paxton’s storyline is another one that warms the heart as it tracks his growth and self-actualization. The season moves away from tying him solely to his relationships and gives him the space to define himself without ever becoming boring or deflecting from the chaotic nature of the show. The same, however, cannot be said for all the character arcs. Fabiola (Lee Rodriguez) and Aneesa (Megan Suri) are defined solely by their relationship status, primarily Fabiola. With Aneesa, it almost feels like the writers are grappling for straws with her plot and her existence in the show is fading.
The show’s greatest achievement is its spot-on representation of Indian culture. Everything from the well-meaning, yet argumentative grandmother to the highly competitive Golu display for Navratri, Never Have I Ever captures the spirit of being Indian-American in a respectable and celebratory manner. What is perhaps most important is its representation of an underrepresented ethnicity as desirable. After all, Devi does have three men pining after her. So, the only question that remains is — what wacky decision is Devi Vishwakumar going to make next?
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