So I haven’t done a post on a show in a while, but after watching Season 1 of Never Have I Ever, I felt motivated to re-invigorate this section.
After seeing buzz on Instagram about an actress named Maitreyi Ramakrishnan being in Toronto, it piqued my curiosity about who she was and that is how I stumbled upon the show.
With how saturated all streaming platforms are with new shows being added all the time, it becomes challenging, to say the least, to keep up with all the latest additions, which is probably why I completely missed the boat on this show when it debuted in 2020. The show is set to air its fourth and final season next month.
But as they say, better late than never.
I have a tendency to become interested in shows when they are about to end. This was the case with Friends. I never watched the show for its entire 10 seasons when it was on (I know, crazy right?), but as soon as the last season and more so the last episode aired, I became hooked and retroactively started watching from season 1.
To be fair, I probably would not have appreciated the show while it was on because I was younger and might not have really understood or been able to relate to many of the storylines, but once I started watching later, I didn’t miss a beat.
Anyways, back to Never Have I Ever. I just finished the first season on Netflix and it’s rare for a show to capture my attention enough for me to binge-watch the whole season in a couple of days, let alone want to continue watching into the next season.
After watching season 1 thus far, I was immediately taken in by the authenticity of the show. I found the comedy to be highly entertaining and relatable at times.
If you’re unfamiliar with the show, Never Have I Ever depicts the life and struggles of 15-year-old Devi Vishukumar, the protagonist, portrayed by Ramakrishnan, as she navigates teenage life in Los Angeles while trying to cope with the sudden passing of her father.
Devi has two close gal pals, Fabiola and Eleonor (pictured above), who both have their own familial struggles. The three share a special bond which does get tested a few times throughout the season.
After Devi’s father’s death, the stress of the ordeal leads to her losing the use of her legs for months. However, upon discovering her intense attraction to Paxton Hall-Yoshida (pictured above) – the school’s lead heartthrob – Devi is miraculously able to walk again. From that point, we see Devi navigate the complicated waters of coping with the loss of her father with the help of her therapist, Dr. Jamie Ryan, who does her best to give Devi an ear. We see Devi deal with the strained relationship with her mother and the silent competition she feels with Kamala, her live-in cousin from India, along with trying to fit in as the “cool kid” at school, be a good friend to Fabiola and Eleanor, all the while trying to win over Paxton’s attention.
If you’re way ahead of me and were already enjoying the show since its debut when the pandemic had just started, then kudos to you. If this is as new to you as it is to me, then I highly recommend watching Seasons 1-3 before the final season airs on June 8, on Netflix.
Share your thoughts on the show in the comments below.
Sarah Warsi 