Never Have I Ever season 3 review: A shameless new rom-com set in high school
The final season of Never Have I Ever is quite far from any novel in terms of story and plot. However, the series’ characters and tech features look fresh by comparison.
Despite lacking many elements of the new season, such as more mature character arcs and a focus on the characters’ sex lives, the previous two seasons were nonetheless fresh from a narrative standpoint.
On August 12, 2022, the ten-episode season premiered on Netflix, picking up Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s long-awaited story of Devi Vishwakumar after finding her “true love.”
The new season is distinct and more experienced, just like the characters in the series. The conflicts have changed and Devi has become a much more whole person.
Never Have I Ever season 3 review: This always-enjoyable high school drama puts more emphasis on romance
It’s admirable how Never Have I Ever has gradually evolved into a more mature version of itself, with the focus gradually shifting from a girl who’s been damaged by her father’s death to a girl trying to find her place among the many difficulties of contemporary society, including the inscription of his name on Cupid’s list.
While the story of Devi and her late father may have been genuine, the show wouldn’t have worked without it moving forward, and the following season’s plot benefited greatly from this apparent improvement. No one expected Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher’s online series to rank among the best comedies of the current generation. The series has won over viewers over time.
It’s very similar to the third season. At first glance, this may not seem like the ideal sequel or a significant improvement, but as the writers and characters mature, viewers will quickly see just how different the second season is.
The popularity of Devi’s relationship with Paxton Hall-Yoshida, played by Darren Barnet, and the reactions of others established the season’s high point (negatives of dating the sexiest guy).
However, the story quickly changes as new characters are introduced, Devi jumps around, and there are many romances all around. The focus of this season is on portraying romances. While it’s wrong to claim that the show has given enough attention to each character’s story, everything it has achieved can be considered a sincere effort.
Another benefit of this season was that it never felt uninteresting or unoriginal. The beginning is explosive, the middle is condensed and the conclusion is beautiful. With three fantastic seasons that cover everything from heartbreak to the loss of innocence, it would be fair to say that Never Have I Ever has now officially established itself as one of the most relevant shows online.
The less culture-focused approach in this season may not be to everyone’s taste, but that doesn’t necessarily make it terrible. A show stands out when it is culturally focused. But it also prevents characters of color from being considered unique; instead, it turns them into stereotypical representations of community.
Of course, the cultural identity of a character cannot be dissociated from it. Moreover, the culture of Devi and her family was already fully represented in the first two seasons. Maybe this moment is a good opportunity to see Devi as another high schooler who struggles with boys.
The entire third season of Never Have I Ever is currently available on Netflix to watch.