There’s a reason this show is one of my all-time favorites. The following are my thoughts on the final season of Never Have I Ever (spoilers below).
Initial thoughts
First of all, right off the bat, you can tell everyone has grown up from sophomore year. Even just by observing the characters’ clothes and hairstyles, everyone glowed up. Nalini has also grown a lot as a mom, and although she is still tough on Devi sometimes, I think she has loosened up a lot since we first saw her.
The final episodes had me tearing up for real. I loved that Ben was there for Devi when she got waitlisted from Princeton, and how he encouraged her to write the additional essay. Even though he was her arch-nemesis, he always knew how to push her to be her best self :). I also loved how Devi and Kamala got to perform a surprise dance in front of everyone and slay it. Kamala and Devi got so much closer over the years and have such a deep sisterly relationship.
When the season closes, everyone is on their respective journeys. Nalini and Andres are dating, Patti just married Len, Kamala and Manish are settled in Baltimore, Eleanor and Trent are dating and working together, Paxton is dating Lindsay, the other teacher, Fabiola is enjoying the robotics program at Howard, and Ben and Devi, who are now dating, are at Columbia and Princeton, respectively.
Reflections
I just can’t help but think how much this show parallels my life in its timing and journey. Nalini mentions in Episode 8 how happy she is that Devi wants her to date again. She says that it just shows her how maybe they are coming out of their dark place. This show came out at such a vulnerable time. In April 2020, colleges had moved online, and everyone was home, and trying to stay safe and afloat. Amidst all of the personal turmoil, Never Have I Ever released. It offered me not only true South Asian representation, but also so many aspects to relate to, like dealing with grief and trauma, getting close to my cousin here from India and my mom, or even having multiple crushes in school. Just like Devi’s journey, my journey these past few years has also not been linear. For example, she struggled in Season 2 having two boyfriends who didn’t know about each other, and got jealous when Ben started to get closer to Aneesa. In Season 3, Des’ mom even told her son not to date Devi because she was too unpredictable.
But one thing I loved about Season 4 is how they highlighted how far Devi and her family have come. We see this throughout Season 4, in the way Devi reacts to her college admissions journey, her mom being interested in someone, and even how she deals with rejection. It makes me think about where I was when the show was first released and where I am now. In a way, I think we were all in a bit of a dark place when COVID began, and now we are all learning to come out of it. I loved this show so much because it’s been with me through so much, from COVID transitions to the medical school application process to starting and finishing my first year. I am grateful that it has been there for me through it all and once again thank Mindy Kaling for helping me to feel so seen.
Life of an Aloo 