Never Have I Ever season 2 on Netflix is a teen dramedy done right

Never Have I Ever is created by executive producer Mindy Kaling, with Lang Fisher serving as executive producer, showrunner, and writer. In Season 2 of the coming-of-age comedy Never Have I Ever, Indian American teenager Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) continues to deal with the everyday pressures of high school and drama at home, while also navigating new romantic relationships. It features Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Devi), Ramona Young (Eleanor), Lee Rodriguez (Fabiola), Poorna Jagannathan (Nalini), Richa Moorjani (Kamala), Jaren Lewison (Ben), Darren Barnet (Paxton), and Megan Suri (Aneesa).

Her quests in season 2 are interesting, and self-discovery aside, it also lets her grow and that comes from a place of having a better understanding of things. In order to keep away from giving out any spoilers, all that you must know is that season 2 does bring Devi to interesting crossroads and how she comes out of it, makes up for an interesting plot. There's a little of everything - comedy, romance, a bunch of themes, and of course, drama.

Apart from Devi, we also have her best friends, her mother Nalini, cousin Kamala, each dealing with various problems at their own levels. It is these things that actually add a little more depth to the story and not render it to just another teenage drama.

Performances

Maitreyi as Devi continues to be an absolute treat to watch. If you ask me, a lot could have gone wrong, but she does balance it out well. We love how along with Devi, she too, has matured and got into the skin of the character well. Poorna and Richa are just as believable as one would expect them to be, while Jaren and Darren do what they are expected to. I like Common's addition to the cast and the sass that he brings along on-screen. Megan is a great addition as well and manages to strike a chord with the audience.

Come to think of it and the cast of Never Have I Ever Season 2 does pull off a successful show after all. 

The Good

For starters, we must give due credit to the writers for putting together some really complicated issues and yet, not make them look small. Apart from the strong sense of writing that season 2 boasts of, there's also an impactful narrative that supports the premise here. Among other things, what I also like is how the story is majorly about its women, while also exploring so many different aspects to it, along with the cultural backgrounds, which is also as varied as ever.

Also, the performances are good and the cast of Never Have I Ever rises up to the occasion once again. When I first watched the show, it was only because we were in the middle of a pandemic and there was nothing I had to do. But this time around, I am glad I stuck around, and well, I'd say that we can expect at least one more season from the makers.

The Bad

It would be a little harsh to call what I did not like bad, but I do think that some of the Indianness here is a problem. For example, Nalini's mother being decked up in a saree and all that Gold jewelry? While the show does multiple things to break out of the stereotypes surrounding Asian characters we see, it also deepens some of them further.

Verdict

Never Have I Ever Season 2 actually gets better from all that we saw earlier. If you couldn't stop bingeing the first time around, this time is going to be all the more difficult. The Netflix series is relevant, relatable, and also important for more reasons than one. It surely mixes up a teen drama and comedy perfect with layers of emotions and relevant issues.

Ratings: 3.5/5 stars