Thoughts on Never Have I Ever: The Good and The Bad

Introduction

It has been over three months since Mindy Kaling's Never Have I Ever has launched on Netflix. The comedy-drama has been loved by people all around the world and was even ranked #1. It shows the life of a first-generation Indian American teenager in the San Fernando Valley. The main character, Devi, has faced a series of challenging events in the past year and is looking forward to a new school year. However, she encounters many obstacles with her friends and family, culture, and mental health. She tries to navigate her place between two different worlds. She wants to have a boyfriend, get invited to high school parties, yet she still has to stay true to her Indian roots at home. The show also incorporates the lives of many of the other characters, like Devi's friends, Fabiola and Ramona, her enemy, Ben, her love interest, Paxton, as well as her cousin and mom, Kamala and Nalini.

South Asian Culture

Many parts of the show portrayed Indian culture. For example, Episode 4, titled "...Felt Super Indian" was all about Devi's experience at the Hindu event, Ganesh Puja. All the little details in that episode allowed us to connect to our South Asian roots. The aunties, the dancing, the praying—it brought a sense of Indian culture to an American setting. Towards the end of the episode, we see Devi being frustrated about how "Indian" she's supposed to be. This really sparked a connection, because sometimes, it just seems so confusing. In front of relatives, (especially in India), it's difficult to fit in. Indian American kids often get portrayed as outcasts. However, on the other side of the world, we don't fit in enough. Some of us get made fun of for the clothes we wear, while others are bullied for what they eat. Some people even go as far as making fun of our religious beliefs. The scene truly brought the whole episode together. We also see the Indian culture at Devi's home. For instance, at the beginning of the first episode, Devi prays to the Hindu Gods for her ideal sophomore year. Her cousin, Kamala, faces a dilemma when her family gets her ready for an arranged marriage proposal. We also see Nalini, Devi's mom, show her Indian roots through the way she thinks and acts.

On the other hand, many South Asian teens think that there wasn't an accurate representation of culture in the show. Throughout the course of Season 1, Devi acted irrationally on numerous occasions, which confused many viewers. The consequences of these actions weren't as harsh as we expected either. In the 10 episodes, we see her get drunk, become violent, and even run away from home. Every time, we were expecting severe punishments from Nalini but were disappointed by how easy Devi had it. She was either yelled at, grounded, or given the silent treatment. In real life, however, most of our parents would seriously consider something way worse, maybe even boarding school! Not to mention, Devi dislikes her culture. For instance, in Episode 4, we see that she strongly dislikes going to Ganesh Puja and talks to her college friend about it. Many viewers were hoping to see the main character embrace her culture, yet it wasn't present this season.

The "American High School Experience"

On the other hand, Never Have I Ever also represents an American high school experience. In particular, Devi's is somewhat different compared to others' because she faced a lot of trauma in her freshman year. Everyone knew her as "the girl whose dad died in the middle of a band concert". This caused her to act out unintentionally just so she could fit in, she simply hadn't gained closure from her dad's death. The major trauma Devi faced from this made her start unnecessary fights, be completely dramatic, and rebellious. For example, she got bit by a coyote after getting drunk because she thought it was her father. She distances herself from her friends, Fabiola and Eleanor because she thinks she's the only girl with problems. She spreads rumors about her "hanging out" with Paxton, the popular kid. (Shh, my parents read this. :)) To summarize, the show presents typical high school events [like Model UN and parties] where Devi embarrasses her delusional self. Additionally, her personality makes her very apathetic towards her friends and family, which doesn't sit well with a lot of viewers.

Regardless of Devi's personality, the common western aspect was still represented. One part about the show that many viewers enjoyed was the fact that Devi was not the only one who's life was shown on screen. We still got to see parts of Fabiola and Eleanor's life as well. In fact, there was a whole episode on Ben Gross's (Devi's enemy) life. Some say it was even their favorite part of the show.

A Touching Moment

Nalini and Devi are constantly arguing throughout the episodes. The humongous amount of tension between them led Devi to run away from home. We're left to wonder when and how their relationship will heal. In the final episode, we see Devi, Kamala, and Nalini reunite to immerse Mohan's (Devi's dad) ashes. As Nalini poured the ashes, the sense of togetherness and closure felt like the perfect fit. In the past episodes, we had seen Devi, Nalini, and Kamala have their own issues that brought up conflict in their family dynamic. Seeing them finally gain closure from trauma was putting a bow on a gift well wrapped, the ideal ending to Season 1.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Never Have I Ever portrays the life of an Indian American somewhat accurately. Even though some characters have different experiences and personalities which break the average family dynamic, they still bring together a balance and hope for future character development. Many hope to see a teen embracing her Indian culture, rather than being embarrassed by it. By bringing in unique characters, however, Never Have I Ever shows that every family is different, that every family has its challenges, yet every family is special.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. If there's anything you'd like to add about the show, please comment below! Also, as you know, the world is currently going through many challenges. Please remember to sign petitions and donate to bring justice to individuals who deserve it. Your voice matters. Thank You!