In this new era of quirky, coming-of-age shows, “Never Have I Ever” takes the cake with its comedic and melodramatic flare as the series reaches its new season. We are invited into a world filled with drama, friendship and self-growth with teenager Devi Vishwakumara (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) at our center, whose only goals, aside from academics, are to date hot guys and be less nerdy, all while trying to heal from the traumatic death of her father. These experiences bring about a mixture of love and loss that Devi learns and grows from.  

The series was released onto Netflix on April 27, 2020 and since then has reached the three-season mark, with a fourth season already confirmed and planning underway. The series was directed by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, and Kaling’s childhood was a part of the foundation for this exciting and fun show.

While some viewers prefer the rockiness of the first season or the chaos of Season Two, Season Three proved that the third time is always the charm, with a solid rating of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. In Season Three, we’re given a deep look into Devi’s emotions and romantic approaches. We see Devi enter two different relationships throughout the season, which both end in broken hearts and lessons learned. She finally allows herself to feel again after the events of the past two seasons, and we see Devi come to terms with who she truly is under her confident and bubbly guise: your average teenage girl with insecurities who is learning to accept herself for the way she is. 

Compared to Season One Devi, who was entering her sophomore year of high school, we can finally see the amount of progress she has made in processing her emotions (especially watching her actually take the advice of her therapist). Part of Devi’s development lies heavily in her accepting and embracing her identity as an Indian girl, especially after being one of the only South Asians in school. As Season Three comes to a close, we see Devi end her junior year by taking charge of her future. She realizes that while friends, self-identity, finding love and a pursuit of higher education are all things she cares about; she learns to lean on her family just a little bit more.

 “Never Have I Ever” tackles relatable topics like mental health, the desire to fit in and navigating love, high school, family and everything in between. Through its characters, the show established well-needed representation for people of color, specifically with South Asian, Asian and Black characters, and the members of the LGBTQ community. In this season, we get to know the powerful Vishwakumar family a little bit better — a household made up of four Indian women who aren’t afraid to speak their minds and come to learn a thing or two from each other. 

With the jaw-dropping cliffhanger that is the Season Three finale, we can only attempt to predict what Kaling and Fisher have in store for us in Season Four. Filled with new relationships, characters and aspirations, Season Three solidifies “Never Have I Ever”’s reputation of being the comedic, lovable and binge-worthy series it has turned out to be. As we wait for more episodes to come and look forward to a fourth season, it’s safe to say “Never Have I Ever”’s Season Three earned a glamorous four out of five goats!