Never Have I Ever (2020)
The plot developments may follow recognisable territory, but what’s different about Never Have I Ever is that the leads are all women of colour. We follow Devi, a charming but ill-tempered teen as she reclaims her reputation following her Dad’s death. Her father died suddenly from a heart attack and the stress physically manifested for Devi, meaning she couldn’t use her legs. She’s sick of being the object of pity amongst her classmates and along with her two best friends, Eleanor and Fabiola,
she will win the ultimate high school experience by way of getting them all hot boyfriends. Of course, this plan goes to absolute shit. Devi has set herself up for failure by setting her sights on the school’s most eligible bachelor, a sporty and strangely serious guy called Paxton.
Never Have I Ever is a diverse teen show without seeming forced (I’m looking at you Glee). Devi is Indian American and goes home to a house full of woman, with her mother, Nalini, and her cousin, Kamala, who is studying abroad from India. The scenes at home are as fun as the scenes at school. The relationship between Devi and her mother is effectively played for comedy. At one point, Devi’s mother pulls her aside to make her cover her shoulders in a revealing dress while filming a tiktok video. It reminded me of my own mother commenting on the length of my dresses growing up. The cultural differences feel less acute in this interpretation of an immigrant family. The characters are fleshed out and their concerns are relatable.
I don’t know the firsthand experience of trying to make sense of living within two cultures. Devi is still at a stage in life where she feels some embarrassment towards her Indian background and wants to embrace all things American. I may not know this tension from my own life, but I can empathise with Devi.
I feel that as a viewer I’m getting to a point where I side with mothers over daughters, which feels very strange. I know that Devi perceives her mother’s tough love as contempt. In reality, Nalini is just trying her best to raise Devi as a single mother. Devi’s interactions with her family are worth the watch. The episode set during Ganesh Pooja and the frank discussions of arranged marriage were particularly strong as they provided genuine cultural insight.
A series highlight for me was Devi’s arch nemesis, Ben. Both Ben and Devi are constantly disrupting classes with their efforts to be the best and the brightest. Ben initially comes off as a privileged jerk, calling Devi ‘David’ and teasing her about her *ahem* quiet dating life. Then the series does a complete 180 and we get to see the story from Ben’s perspective. I was completely here for it. It’s revealed that Ben’s bragging is the result of loneliness and insecurity. Ben’s story was the cherry on top of show full of interesting characters.
I haven’t even gotten into the back stories of Kamala, Eleanor and Fabiola, but I won’t spoil the surprises. There’s a lot on offer in this show in just ten episodes. If I feel like it I might do a series of recap posts. I have the time for it!
I admit that I’m biased, I love a teen comedy or drama series. There’s also a reason why the coming of age stories are popular. We have all experienced growing up, and there’s a lot of story potential therein. Never Have I Ever is no Sex Education, but it’s still high quality. Shows that effortlessly weave diversity into their scripts should be celebrated. So, you can watch this show to feel good about yourself, but stay for the juicy teen drama.
she will win the ultimate high school experience by way of getting them all hot boyfriends. Of course, this plan goes to absolute shit. Devi has set herself up for failure by setting her sights on the school’s most eligible bachelor, a sporty and strangely serious guy called Paxton.
Never Have I Ever is a diverse teen show without seeming forced (I’m looking at you Glee). Devi is Indian American and goes home to a house full of woman, with her mother, Nalini, and her cousin, Kamala, who is studying abroad from India. The scenes at home are as fun as the scenes at school. The relationship between Devi and her mother is effectively played for comedy. At one point, Devi’s mother pulls her aside to make her cover her shoulders in a revealing dress while filming a tiktok video. It reminded me of my own mother commenting on the length of my dresses growing up. The cultural differences feel less acute in this interpretation of an immigrant family. The characters are fleshed out and their concerns are relatable.
I don’t know the firsthand experience of trying to make sense of living within two cultures. Devi is still at a stage in life where she feels some embarrassment towards her Indian background and wants to embrace all things American. I may not know this tension from my own life, but I can empathise with Devi.
I feel that as a viewer I’m getting to a point where I side with mothers over daughters, which feels very strange. I know that Devi perceives her mother’s tough love as contempt. In reality, Nalini is just trying her best to raise Devi as a single mother. Devi’s interactions with her family are worth the watch. The episode set during Ganesh Pooja and the frank discussions of arranged marriage were particularly strong as they provided genuine cultural insight.
A series highlight for me was Devi’s arch nemesis, Ben. Both Ben and Devi are constantly disrupting classes with their efforts to be the best and the brightest. Ben initially comes off as a privileged jerk, calling Devi ‘David’ and teasing her about her *ahem* quiet dating life. Then the series does a complete 180 and we get to see the story from Ben’s perspective. I was completely here for it. It’s revealed that Ben’s bragging is the result of loneliness and insecurity. Ben’s story was the cherry on top of show full of interesting characters.
I haven’t even gotten into the back stories of Kamala, Eleanor and Fabiola, but I won’t spoil the surprises. There’s a lot on offer in this show in just ten episodes. If I feel like it I might do a series of recap posts. I have the time for it!
I admit that I’m biased, I love a teen comedy or drama series. There’s also a reason why the coming of age stories are popular. We have all experienced growing up, and there’s a lot of story potential therein. Never Have I Ever is no Sex Education, but it’s still high quality. Shows that effortlessly weave diversity into their scripts should be celebrated. So, you can watch this show to feel good about yourself, but stay for the juicy teen drama.
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