The Dilemma of “Never Have I Ever”
The Netflix original series “Never Have I Ever” premiered in 2020 and has gained widespread popularity ever since. This show follows the life of Devi Vishwakumar, an Indian-American girl who struggles through high school as well as with her family. The series is loosely based on the childhood of Mindy Kaling, the producer of the show and a famous actress. This show does give some much-needed representation to the South Asian population in the U.S. through her experiences as an Indian-American. However, at the same time, it fails in its representation of different cultures and experiences.
While not everyone in a community is the same, this show’s portrayal of Devi’s religion, Hinduism, and culture goes beyond individual differences, becoming almost disrespectful. It consistently makes fun of Indian religion and culture. Even in the beginning we can see the show's issue with representation when we are introduced to the white narrator, John McEnroe. This is not necessarily a bad thing and is explained as something she bonded over with her father. However, it can be problematic when the experiences of a woman of color are being narrated through the words of a white man. Another prominent example is in the episode “...felt super Indian” where Devi and her mom attend a Ganesha puja at a high school. In this episode, there is an oversimplified, somewhat caricatured version of a religious priest who constantly makes jokes without properly addressing the rituals. This episode does delve into the issues Devi has with not feeling Indian enough, but it does not give her an excuse to make fun of her culture. During the puja, she mocks these traditions in front of some other Indian children. Though these kids do get offended, she never really feels bad about what she said. It is possible that this is just a character flaw within Devi that will eventually be solved with a character arc, potentially in the show’s upcoming fourth season, but until then, the choice to write her behavior like this comes off as disrespectful.
Furthermore, the only Jewish character, Ben, is riddled with older stereotypes. He is an incredibly rich and stuck up kid, which are traits commonly used throughout history to discriminate against Jewish people. Additionally, Devi makes a risky holocaust joke, “I wish the Nazis would kill you.” which she repeats in a louder, clearer voice. “I said I wish the Nazis would kill Ben.” Later on she does apologize for the joke and Ben easily forgives her. However, the writers should never have added this joke in the first place. Furthermore, there are instances where the old Jewish stereotype of being good with money comes up. “Jewish people know how to save,” this is what Devi’s mom says followed by, “Us Indians, we get a little bit of money, we go straight to Home Depot to buy a cement fountain.” Further ‘proven’ by how rich his family is. Throughout the show Ben is really the only one defined by such stereotypes, and his identity is constantly brought up. This wouldn’t be as much of an issue if they properly dissected his identity, but most of the time it is brought up as a joke.
This show masterfully shows a teenager struggling with family, school, and romance, and the storyline and characters are well-rounded enough to engage the audience. However, “Never Have I Ever” is still a flawed show that is overshadowed by the series’ clear lack of proper representation. If the creators take steps to subvert stereotypes and respect various cultures in the following seasons, the show would help many marginalized communities feel seen.
