The latest season of Never Have I Ever is fairly far far from anything novel in terms of story and plot. However, the show’s characters and technical features appear fresh in comparison.
Despite lacking many of the elements that the new season possesses, such as more mature character arcs and a focus on the sexual lives of the characters, the prior two seasons were nonetheless fresh from a narrative perspective.
On August 12, 2022, the ten-episode season made its Netflix premiere, resuming the eagerly awaited tale of Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s Devi Vishwakumar after she had found her “true love.”
The new season is distinct and more experienced, much like the show’s characters. The conflicts have changed, and Devi has developed into a much more whole person.
It may be for the best to follow about brown folks and not be reminded of their race at every chance, despite the criticism that the program has abandoned the cultural representations and connections that made the previous two seasons great.
For a thorough analysis of Never Have I Ever season 3, continue reading
Review of Never Have I Ever season 3: This always enjoyable high school drama puts more of an emphasis on romance
It is admirable how Never Have I Ever has gradually evolved into a more mature version of itself, with the emphasis gradually shifting from a girl who has been damaged by the death of her father to a girl who is trying to find her place amid the many difficulties of contemporary society, including getting her name on the cupid’s list.
Even if Devi and her late father’s story may have been genuine, the show wouldn’t have worked without advancement, and the plot of the next season benefited greatly from that apparent improvement. Nobody anticipated that the online series from Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher would rank among the best comedy of the current generation. The series won over viewers over time.
It’s very similar to the third season. At first sight, it might not seem like the ideal follow-up or a significant improvement, but as the authors and characters mature, viewers will quickly see how different the second season is.
The popularity of Devi’s relationship with Paxton Hall-Yoshida, who is portrayed by Darren Barnet, and the reactions of others set the season’s high point (negatives of dating the hottest guy).
However, the story quickly shifts as new characters are introduced, Devi jumps around, and there are numerous romances all around. The focus of this season is on portraying romances. Although it would be incorrect to claim that the show gave each character’s story enough attention, whatever it accomplished may be seen as a sincere effort.
Another plus for this season was that it never felt uninteresting or unoriginal. The beginning is explosive, the middle is condensed, and the conclusion is lovely. With three fantastic seasons that cover everything from grief to the loss of innocence, it would be fair to say that Never Have I Ever has now formally established itself as one of the most relatable shows online.
The less culturally focused approach in this season may not be to everyone’s taste, but that does not necessarily make it terrible. A show is distinctive when it is culture-driven. But it also prevents characters who are people of color from being seen as unique; instead, it turns them into stereotypical representations of the community.
Of course, a character’s cultural identity cannot be divorced from them. Moreover, Devi and her family’s culture was already fully portrayed in the first two seasons. Maybe this moment is a good opportunity to see Devi as just another high school student who struggles with boys.
Everything else about Never Have I Ever, including a strong script, expert camerawork, and a fitting soundscape, pretty much made me impressed. For instance, the sixth episode’s exploration of Ben’s life had some excellent camera work. Such situations were prevalent throughout the entire program, especially in the second half.
The scriptwriting for Paxton and Ben’s slowly developing friendship was excellent. The hospital scene also had a strong cinematic quality, and a fantastic background score elevated the action.
In numerous moments throughout the sixth and seventh episodes, the camera helped to highlight Ben’s envy of Des. Devi’s epiphany and the conclusion were both expertly portrayed. Additionally, the tempo was excellent, keeping the show engaging at every turn. It makes for a wonderful weekend binge and is well worth watching.
The entire third season of Never Have I Ever is currently available on Netflix for watching.