Have you checked out Never Have I Ever, Netflix’s charming new teen sitcom?
If not, you’re in for a treat.
Series one is now available to stream. Here are five reasons to give it a go this weekend.
It’s relatable
Never Have I Ever follows the exploits of Devi, a teenage girl obsessed with casting off her awkward rep and moving up the food chain in her high school. If you ever got drunk to impress someone you fancied, got caught in a lie that grew beyond your control, felt boxed in by your family or struggled with your sexuality, you’ll vibe with this.
The show’s co-creator Mindy Kaling (The Office, The Mindy Project) has said that it was inspired her own experiences growing up which is probably why Never Have I Ever is so grounded in reality.
The cast is solid
The show’s lead, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, has never acted professionally before but completely steals the show. She’s supported by plenty of well-rounded – and mostly female – characters, like her mum Nalini (Poorna Jagannathan), best friends Eleanor and Fabiola (Ramona Young and Lee Rodriguez) and her therapist Dr Jamie (Niecy Nash).
Also, we never thought we’d want to hear John McEnroe narrating a teenage girl’s life but it works brilliantly here.
It’s an easy watch
You’re not starting a complicated crime drama with four seasons – there are just ten episodes of Never Have I Ever, each no more than 30 minutes in length. It’s silly, funny, safe enough to watch with your parents and one you can binge in all at once or in a few sittings. Happy days.
It’s surprisingly touching
We won’t give anything away except to say that you might shed a tear while watching. No shame in it.
It’s garnered serious buzz
If reviews are your thing, you’ll be happy to hear that the series has earned a 97 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and plenty of critical acclaim.
Forbes called Never Have I Ever Netflix’s “best teen comedy to date” and the Guardian described it as “a moving and original portrait of a teenage girl”, while Vulture’s reviewer said that it was “a TV show I didn’t realise I badly needed until I’d finished it and instantly wished for more.”
