Season 2 of Never Have I Ever was released earlier this year on Netflix and shamelessly I admit to binge-watching then ten episodes of season 10. After all, does Devi choose Paxton or Ben?
Never Have I Ever is a teen-comedy series that came out last year and kept a number of us occupied through lockdown. The series follows the modern-day life of an Indian-American teenage girl as she navigates today’s world whilst aligning with her cultural traditions.
In Season 1, Devi is desperate to form a “romantic” connection with Paxton; the most popular boy in their school. Despite her best efforts, and Paxton’s apparent willing participation, they develop sincere feelings for one another. Devi also has another interest that started as a rivalry in the form of Ben.
As well as the usual teen drama, Devi is also struggling with the recent loss of her father, which led to a multitude of issues for her. We see her struggle to fit in in her school and maintain healthy relationships with those around her. That follows into Season 2 where we watch as Devi makes some very bad choices in relation to Ben and Paxton.
As well as being an entertaining teen show, there were various heavy topics touched upon in a delicate way. One example is when Devi makes a dig at someone that she’s jealous of, but doesn’t think twice about it because she’s stressed. That dig then spread around the school as a rumour which then turned out to be true. In an eloquent way, we remember that we should be kind to everybody, even if they seem perfect as e never know what’s going on underneath the surface.
There were a number of elements that I loved about this season. Each episode felt packed with interesting and important parts of the story. It took some unpredictable turns quite early on which made it more interesting to watch through and find out what happens. The comedy is great (but I’ve always been a fan of Mindy Kaling’s work) but it doesn’t make light of serious situations. There’s a lot to be learned no matter what age you’re watching it at.
My only real criticism is that I wished there was a little more screen time of Devi and her love interests. There felt to be a number of missed opportunities for her and Paxton to connect. If I recall correctly, I felt similarly in Season 1. It feels like the main storyline is about Devi and Paxton. Of course, there are other plot points but it feels like the Paxton storyline is introduced at the start strongly then neglected until the last episode. Nevertheless, it’s still a great show.
My rating - 7.5/10
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