Never Have I Ever S3 Review: A Marked Downturn!

This term dramedy by Mindy Kaling had become one of my favourites on Netflix. However, with it’s last season, Never Have I Ever S3 has seen a marked downturn. Much of Season 3 is devoted to Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) learning to navigate romantic relationships. It’s hard because being in relationships because they require a good deal of self introspection. At her age most people don’t have the presence of mind for it. In fact, one of the most important lessons Devi learns is that in order to be in a relationship and feel secure in it, she first has to love herself. Oddities, flaws and all.

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It’s quite funny to me how there are always good-looking guys just around the corner in these shows. If only it worked like that in real life… I must say though, this formula that showrunners have for using 80s tracks to depict high-school dramedies really works. We’ve seen it especially with shows like Sex Education. There was far less emotional substance this season in Never Have I Ever S3 and it was a lot less funny. I believe this is in part due to them sidelining a lot of the characters or reducing their roles this season. Devi’s character works best when she has other characters to bounce off of. Not when she’s obsessing over Paxton or some other boy.

The main problem with Never Have I Ever S3 though is that it focuses far too much on teenage romance and entanglements. Where before it was generously sprinkled in, this entire season was about everyone’s love life. As if it’s the only problem teen girls face. In previous seasons we were shown the girls’ academic aptitude. We were given the juxtaposition of their adult counterparts in Nalini and Kamala in their own academic settings. While I agree that teen female sexuality should be explored, I don’t want to watch an entire show about it. It becomes old and soapy very fast. It got to the point where I was glad they took a detour for Ben’s episode.

For me there has been a marked downturn in Never Have I Ever S3. What a fall it’s been for a show I once considered a 9/10. If Netflix released this as a weekly show (which is what’s they’re planning to do with their shows going forward) I doubt very much I would’ve finished it. It quite simply lacks much of the depth of previous seasons. It might be for the best that it’s ending after Season 4 after all.

‘Never Have I Ever S3’ Rating – 2/5

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