If you haven’t watched Never Have I Ever on Netflix, what are you waiting for? But if you’ve seen it already, you’ll know how good it is.
It’s one of my favorite teen dramas. The popular show is about Devi Vishwakumar, a high school student who’s always getting into a ton of trouble at school or with her friends and family. After making a mess of her love life, Devi finally learns to confront her feelings and figure out whether she wants to date the hottest guy in school. One good thing is that she has her friends Eleanor and Fabiola to count on as they help support her through those chaotic and awkward moments.
To those who go to her school, Devi seems like the kind of girl who is smart but always getting herself into trouble, underneath it all she is dealing with the grief of losing her dad and going to therapy to work through it.
Created by Mindy Kaling, Never Have I Ever is a relatable show about being a teenager and dealing with the pressures from society and parents. It is loosely based on Kaling’s own experiences growing up as an Indian teenager in a strict household.
From the very first episode, we watch Devi figure out what she wants from life, deal with the consequences of her messy actions, and navigate her complicated relationships with both Paxton and Ben.
The show will keep you hooked, and you’ll love it just as much whether you’re Team Paxton or Team Ben.
The cast of Never Have I Ever
There are a plethora of characters that burst onto our screens from season 1 all the way to season 4. The main cast of the show includes:
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Devi, our crazy and relatable lead.
Poorna Jagannathan as Nalini, Devi’s mom.
Richa Moorjani as Kamala, Devi’s cousin who’s juggling family expectations and her own dreams.
Jaren Lewison as Ben, the smart and sometimes annoying classmate.
Darren Barnet as Paxton, the high school jock with his own complicated life.
High school romances
Spoiler alert.
Devi deals with A LOT during her high school years. Just before going off to college, she was forced to figure out whether her thing for Paxton could work out. Or if she loves Ben more. And thankfully she does.
Devi and Ben’s relationship is a rollercoaster of emotions. They start off as enemies, but a spark between them keeps them coming back for more. Their connection is filled with tension but they can never get on the same page. Yet, despite all the ups and downs, they’re always drawn to one another.
Devi and Paxton’s relationship is a mix of awkward yet sweet moments. However, there are times that Paxton questions whether Devi likes him for him or just his body. Despite this, the pair keep coming back to each other as they share a number of heartfelt moments in the show.
Never Have I Ever Quotes
“High school’s a d*ck.”
High school hasn’t been easy for Devi, and like many of us, there have been times when she just wanted to crawl into bed, hide under the covers, and never step foot in the hallways again.
“Hot people don’t have problems. I mean, I’ve seen the people in your waiting room. No offense, but they’re mostly uggos.”
Devi says this line in Never Have I Ever in Season 1, Episode 9 when she’s talking to her therapist, Dr. Ryan. She jokes that attractive people don’t have problems, pointing out that the people in the waiting room aren’t very good-looking, trying to make light of her own issues.
“Devi, you’re holding that pen like a knife again.”
Dr. Ryan always has some hilarious one-liners, and this time, she noticed that Devi was taking her frustration out on her school supplies.
Devi: “I was just trying to be a normal teenager.”
Nalini: “Normal teenagers end up in prison. Or worse, working at Jersey Mike’s.”
Nalini and Devi have a difficult relationship. Unfortunately, Nalini feels like she can’t care for Devi the way her husband did. While Nalini can come across as strict, Devi’s father is shown as having a softer, more caring side toward her.
“I don’t want to be a perfect Indian wife. I want to be an imperfect Indian scientist.”
In the first season of Never Have I Ever, we meet Kamala Nandiwadal, Devi’s cousin. Unlike her traditional cultural practices, Kamala dreams of living an independent life and focusing on her career.
“Peace out, Virgin.”
Devi is always eager to prove Ben wrong and in an attempt to show she has a love life, she flaunts the fact she is about to have sex. Devi isn’t afraid to speak her mind, even if it often gets her into trouble because of the things she says.
“My mum doesn’t tell me how to live my life. Megan Thee Stallion does.”
Devi is never too scared to show off her rebellious side, whether or not it lands her in trouble.
“Are you kissing? Your father’s ashes have barely shifted out to sea. Get out this car. It’s always the short ones.”
Nalini Vishwakumar always speaks her mind. After Devi leaves home, she stays with Ben for a while. Ben takes her to the beach to spread Mohan’s ashes. Devi is thankful for his support and kisses him. Nalini sees them from the car and is left speechless and completely stunned.
“You can tutor him from far away. It’s studying not tango class.”
Another hilarious line from Nalini. She walks in on Devi and Paxton studying after Devi agrees to tutor him. However, she tells the pair to sit further apart as she sets boundaries.
“Whoa. I’m not just a hot dummy.”
This is said by Paxton realising he has more to offer than just his looks.
“What up, nerds?”
Ben is known for his sharp wit and this is a classic line he says whenever he sees Devi and her friends.
“When they see you, they’re not gonna think obsessive depressive. They’re gonna think impressive successive” Eleanor.
Another Eleanor line: “Good friends don’t hold each other back.” Eleanor is one of Devi’s closest friends as well as Fabiola. The trio are able to get through anything high school throws at them.