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Never Have I Ever is a popular Netflix original tv show starring a young Indian girl as the lead. The show follows Devi Vishwakumar, a sophomore in high school, navigating all the challenges of a typical high school girl. Devi has just recovered from paralysis after the sudden death of her father at the beginning of season one. She is determined that sophomore year will be better than her freshman year of high school and does everything she can to make it so with her two best friends by her side. In addition, she is determined to find a boyfriend in her long-time crush, Paxton Hall-Yoshida. Never Have I Ever is a typical high school comedy with a refreshing cultural twist.
Being an Indian girl myself, I was extremely excited for this show to come out as I have not heard of or seen any other popular “American” shows that star a brown character as the lead. The show did not disappoint. From the effortless comic relief to the serious moments that made me cry, it pulled me in from the very first episode. Devi Vishwakumar is a complex character to who I found myself relating. She has had a pretty rough life. From her father passing away unexpectedly to her sudden paralysis, she has been through a lot in both seasons of Never Have I Ever. From her relationship with her best friends, mom, and even herself, Devi has grown from a somewhat naive, selfish young girl to someone who considers and puts others before herself.
What Happens In Season One Of Never Have I Ever?
In season one of Never Have I Ever, the audience learns that Devi’s father passed away from the start. Not only that, but this event was so traumatic that Devi lost the use of her legs for three months and was confined to a wheelchair. For this reason, she hopes to make her sophomore year better than freshman year was. The way she thinks this can happen is if she and her two best friends all get boyfriends. At the same time, the audience is introduced to Devi’s academic nemesis, Ben. The two have always bumped heads, but Devis’ mom invites Ben over for dinner, Devi begins to see him differently.
As Devi gets caught up in her high school crush, Paxton Hall-Yoshida, her friends realize that Devi has not been there for them like they have been there for her. Although Devi is left excited after Paxton kisses her, she is also sad that her friends are no longer speaking with her. Once Devi’s mother becomes suspicious of her relationship with Paxton, she tells Devi that they will be moving back to India. Devi refuses and runs away to Ben’s house for a while.
Ben eventually enlists Eleanor and Fabiola to help Devi reconcile with her mother, specifically when her mother goes to spread Devi’s dad’s ashes at the beach. Devi’s relationship with her mother, Nalini, becomes tense after her father’s passing. She had always been close with her dad, and once he is gone, Devi does not know how to live with her mother. The two constantly argue throughout season one, neither one willing to understand the other. Both say things they regret. However, they are extremely similar in that they are both stubborn and refuse to admit it and ask for help from each other when they need it.
However, by the end of season one of Never Have I Ever, Devi joins her mom at the beach to spread her dad’s ashes and her cousin, Kamala, who lives with them. She realizes that although she is fighting with her mom, it is important that they do this together. So, she puts aside her pride and joins her mom and cousin at the beach to participate in this ceremonious moment. Even though her mom still wants the family to move back to India by the end of the season, Devi has reconciled with her mother and has accepted it, although she still does not want to move.
Devi’s Antics Continue In Season Two
Season two of Never Have I Ever picks up right where the first season ended. After Devi joins her mother and Kamala at the beach to spread her dad’s ashes, their relationship seems to have gotten better. Still, as the season progresses, their relationship is once again tested. In addition to her rocky relationship with her mother, Devi finds herself in a love triangle between Ben and Paxton. Both boys show interest in her, and instead of picking one, she chooses to date both of them secretly. All is going well until both boys show up at a party at Devi’s house and find out about one another. Paxton storms out after finding out, and Devi runs after him, leaving a heartbroken Ben behind. Unfortunately, Paxton gets hit by a car outside, and after that, neither boy wants to talk to her.
Soon after this fiasco, the school gets a new student. Not just any new student, though, a new Indian student. Aneesa seems to be everything Devi wishes she was. She’s effortlessly cool and funny, and everyone immediately takes a liking to her. At first, Devi is jealous because she had always been the only Indian girl at school. However, after a spontaneous night out with Aneesa and her other friends, Devi realizes that Aneesa is actually fun to be around. That is until she sees her flirting with Ben. After that, Devi is determined to sabotage any relationship they have.
This is where Devi’s selfishness from season one comes back in. Just like in season one, when all she cared about was herself, now she wants to sabotage Aneesa’s growing friendship with Ben because she still wants Ben for herself. Her sabotaging turns serious when Devi unintentionally starts a rumor that Aneesa is anorexic. The rumor spreads quickly, and Devi sees Aneesa crying the next day and asks her what’s wrong. Aneesa tells her about the rumor, and Devi says that it was just a rumor, but Aneesa admits that it was true, and that is why she had to move schools in the first place.
Devi is left feeling incredibly guilty and ashamed. There are many opportunities for her to tell the truth, but as time goes on, she does not. Nobody is on Devi’s side once the truth does come out, not even her own mother. Devi gets suspended from school, and she asks her mom for help, but her mom tells her that she has to face the consequences of her actions. Everyone at school begins calling Devi “crazy Devi,” and now Devi seriously considers if she is crazy.
Devi continues to see her therapist in both seasons of Never Have I Ever. Her therapist tries her best to provide Devi with some grounding and guidance. She reassures Devi that she is not crazy but just going through many things as a teenager when emotions are high. Eventually, Devi apologizes to Aneesa, and Aneesa is able to forgive Devi, although her mother still wants Aneesa to change schools. Devi asks her own mom to talk to Aneesa’s mom. At first, Nalini refuses. Soon after, Nalini remembers a conversation with a colleague about being there for your children when they ask, and she consents. After talking with Aneesa’s mother, she agrees that Aneesa can stay at the school.
Relieved that she has fixed her relationship with Aneesa, Devi and Paxton have also gotten closer again since Devi started helping Paxton with his school work to get into college. Before he got hit by the car, he hoped to get into college with a swimming scholarship. Unfortunately, this is not possible after the accident, and so Devi is enlisted by the school counselor to tutor him. The two grow close again, and eventually, Paxton begins sneaking into Devi’s room through her window to see her.
Devi wants to go public with their relationship, but Paxton doesn’t because he’s embarrassed by being played by Devi. At first, Devi is ok with this, but by the end of season two, she tells Paxton she either wants to be with him publicly or not at all. Paxton decides not at all, and viewers are left shocked and heartbroken until the season finale, that is. Paxton shows up to the dance, and he and Devi walk in holding hands, announcing to the world that they are back together. Ben is left heartbroken, but the audience is teased that this is not the end of Ben and Devi. Could there be hope for Ben and Devi in the next season of Never Have I Ever?
Never Have I Ever… Had A Good Relationship With My Mom?
Like mentioned before, Devi’s relationship with her mother is complicated. The two have never seen eye to eye. Devi misses her dad after his passing and is still dealing with the trauma of losing him in season two. Devi and Nalini’s relationship is rocky from the start. Nalini has always been hard on Devi, expecting the best out of her, whereas her dad was loving, kind, and patient with her, calling her his “perfect girl.” Once her dad passes away, Devi does not know how to interact with her mother. From the first episode of Never Have I Ever, things are awkward and tense with them.
In season two of Never Have I Ever, Devi and Nalini’s relationship appears better than in season one. Devi has accepted that they will be moving to India, and she is trying to listen to her mother more. But, once again, things quickly escalate. Nalini starts developing feels for her rival colleague turned crush, Dr. Jackson. The two bond over an event with a mutual mentor. After that, the two become cordial with one another. Dr. Jackson even gives Nalini advice on interacting with Devi since he also has a son he is raising alone.
Devi grows suspicious after seeing her mother in Dr. Jackson’s car outside their house as the two become close. She follows them on a date in Dr. Jackson’s house, where she ends up falling in the pool, and her mom finds her. Nalini denies that it was a date, and Devi is embarrassed as Dr. Jackson comes out to see her. Nalini takes her home angrily, and once Again, Devi is left questioning if she really is crazy.
After Devi enlists Nalini’s help to try to get Aneesa to stay at her school, their relationship once again seems to be getting better. Nalini talks to Aneesa’s mother and manages to convince her to let Aneesa stay at the school. Devi is ecstatic and even hugs her mom, much to Nalini’s surprise. The two also bond over a video Nalini shows Devi after Devi loses a voicemail left by her dad. The video shows a pregnant Nalini and Mohan, Devi’s dad, in a vlog-style video. The two are talking about what to name their daughter. Devi and Nalini are both left in happy tears at the video.
This small victory is short-lived, though, because in the season two finale of Never Have I Ever, Nalini goes to see Dr. Jackson and tells him that she isn’t ready to start dating again yet. The two kiss goodbye, but Devi is waiting outside of the office for her mother, and she is mad after finding out her mom was lying to her this whole time. So, once again, viewers are left wondering what Nalini and Devi’s relationship will be next in a potential third season.
Devi’s Relationship With Herself
Over the course of two seasons, Never Have I Ever has made viewers laugh, cry, and scream at the screen. Although primarily a comedy, it does not stray away from serious topics such as death, mental health, eating disorders, misogyny, and many more. Devi struggles to balance her dual identities as both an Indian and an American, along with all of this. This is something I found myself relating to as growing up; I was often embarrassed by my Indian identity or never felt “Indian enough.” I saw a lot of myself in Devi, especially when I was a sophomore in high school. Devi reacts to situations like a typical girl her age would. She reacts highly emotionally and doesn’t really see the world that exists without her. This is especially apparent in Never Have I Ever season one, where Devi is still freshly dealing with the loss of her dad, her favorite parent.
She is adjusting to living with only her mother, who she does not get along with, maybe because they are both similar. So although she is a little selfish in season one, it is understandable since she is dealing with a lot of emotions. Devi sees a therapist in both season one and season two who seems to be her voice of reason. Once again, viewers see the importance of sustaining mental health through Devi’s visits to her therapist.
In season two of Never Have I Ever, Devi starts in a better place, but more things come up as the season goes on. She unintentionally starts a hurtful rumor that ends up being true, and she feels more alone than ever as both Paxton and Ben broke up with her, and her friends also don’t want to be around her after finding out about the rumor. Devi can always count on her dad, though, to show her the right path. She sees visions of her dad that guide her to what she needs to do. She apologizes and takes accountability for her mistakes, and at the end of the season, Devi finally is happy to be by herself. The season two finale of Never Have I Ever teases more about Devi and Paxton’s relationship and Devi and Ben’s.
Why Representation Matters In Never Have I Ever
Never Have I Ever is a unique show. It is one of the first to star a dark-skinned Indian girl as the lead of the show. This representation is precious and important, especially in today’s day and age. Being a dark-skinned Indian girl myself, there were never any shows like this when I was growing up. I never had a funny Indian-American show I could watch to relate to. That is why this has become one of my favorite shows. It balances the dual identity of what it means to be both Indian and American at the same time. It helped me feel seen.
Never Have I Ever‘s intentional casting is also something important. Many Indian movies/shows will intentionally cast lighter-skinned Indians to portray characters. However, Mindy Kaling did a fantastic job ensuring that the minorities who are underrepresented were seen. Instead of adding to the existing hierarchy of colorism within the Indian community, Kaling’s show introduces a new actress, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. Ramakrishnan embodies the role of Devi perfectly from the start and gives viewers like myself someone to relate to and look up to. If I had access to a show like this growing up, I could only imagine the confidence it would give me in being myself.
Never Have I Ever provides the representation and relatability that minorities like my own lacked growing up. It allows us to feel seen and supported. Representation matters as I never saw anyone like myself starring in shows or movies. Children must grow up with the knowledge that they have the opportunity to be anything and everything they want to be. That is what shows as this provides. An opportunity to work towards your highest goals. Because if we see someone who looks like us in a position we want, we know that we can get there too.
