Source: Elle
Coming of age comedy-drama television series Never Have I Ever is returning to Netflix for a second season.
The first season of the series has a total of 10 episodes and premiered on April 27 of 2020, at the height of COVID-19 induced quarantine. Less than a month from its release, the show has already amassed an impressive 40 million views on the popular streaming platform Netflix.
It centers around the story of Devi Vishwakumar, a 15-year-old Indian-American high school student and her journey of coping with the loss of her father. At the same time, she embarks on the wonderful albeit stressful journey of growing up. Expertly melding comedy and drama, the series creatively depicts how the teenager tries to navigate various experiences with her family and social group. It also skillfully highlights the dynamic Indian culture and family values.
Never Have I Ever breaks barriers by being one of the first shows that showcase Indian-Americans as its main characters, ending the long-overdue and much-needed representation of South Asians in mainstream media.
The show has received overwhelmingly positive reviews across the board, with many lauding its lighthearted yet genuine approach. On the American review-aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the series received an approval rating of 96% based on 51 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8 out of 10.
When asked about the immense success of the show, one of its creators, Mindy Kaling, shared, “There’s obviously heavy stuff, but it’s fun, and it has a very pop tone, and I think that was very welcome at that time. It was one of the most gratifying feelings to have it come out during that kind of dark time where there was so much uncertainty.”
Because of its large-scale success, the second season of Never Have I Ever is slated to return to screens all over the world this month. Reprising the lead role is actress Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. In addition, Poorna Jagannathan is also coming back as Dr. Nalini Vishwakumar, a dermatologist and Devi’s mother.
The second installment picks up right where the story left off in the finale of the first season. The protagonist is at a crossroads in the new season and needs to choose between two potential love interests. Fans and viewers will be taken on an exciting ride as Devi Vishwakumar weighs her options and makes an important decision.
Many are already curious to know whom the young girl will end up with. Will she choose Paxton Hall-Yoshida, played by Darren Bar, the school heartthrob and Devi Vishwakumar’s longtime crush, or if she’ll choose Ben Gross, her rival since the first grade turned friend, played by Jaren Lewison. Then, of course, there is the possibility of a third option, where she does not choose either of the two.
Co-creator Lang Fisher admitted that even the show’s writers are divided on which guy Devi Vishwakumar should choose. So for now, fans will simply have to wait and watch as the show unfolds.
Catch the worldwide premiere of Season 2 of Netflix’s Never Have I Ever showing on July 15.
