The Netflix original series Never Have I Ever released its second season in mid July and it’s steadily gaining in popularity. The coming of age “dramedy” follows first generation Indian American teenager Devi Vishwakumar (played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) as she attempts to balance high school life, the unexpected loss of her dad, and boy troubles. After watching the first season in 2020, I personally was thrilled to start binging every episode of the second season as soon as it came out! This show has exceeded my expectations in many ways and here are a few reasons why you should start watching too (TV-14)!
Minority Representation
There are many TV series that throw in one minority character as an afterthought simply to gain points for diversity. This is why seeing a minority as the main character is very refreshing! Never Have I Ever features main characters from a wide rage of cultural backgrounds. Not only is the cast diverse, but the characters don’t fall victim to harmful stereotypes often seen in film.
Passes the Bechdel Test!
The Bechdel test is a way of determining if a movie or TV show depicts women in a sexist light. In order for a piece of work to pass the Bechdel Test, it has to contain a scene where at least two women engage in a conversation about something other than men. Though the Bechdel test isn’t the determining factor when assessing a film’s feminist nature, passing the test is definitely a good sign!
#GirlBosses
Never Have I Ever does not disappoint when it comes to #GirlBoss characters. For example, Devi’s mom, Dr. Nalini Vishwakumar (played by Poorna Jagannathan), is a single mom who runs her own dermatology practice. Devi’s older cousin, Kamala Nandiwadal (played by Richa Moorjani), is getting her PhD in biology from CalTech! In season two, viewers begin to see the struggles she faces while being a woman in her field. Despite having sexist coworkers, she ensures that she gets recognized for her work. One of Devi’s best friends, Fabiola Torres (played by Lee Rodriguez), is one of the only girls on her robotics team. She’s never afraid to be her authentic self, even if it means being different. These are just a few of the many #GirlBosses featured in Never Have I Ever, honestly them alone make the series worth watching.
Final Thoughts
Never Have I Ever does many things that few other shows have done before. This makes it groundbreaking in my opinion. I highly recommend it to anyone (14 or above) who values the importance of my previously mentioned points!
