NEVER HAVE I EVER (Season 3) -- The Newest Addition To Mindy Kaling's Stellar Teen Drama

Review by Tatiana Miranda

Mindy Kaling's Netflix coming-of-age series Never Have I Ever is returning for its third season. The series tracks Indian-American teenager Devi Vishwakumar as she navigates high school after the unexpected death of her father. While that seems to be a heavy and emotional topic at the show's center, Never Have I Ever is more comical than depressing. Yet, it allows room for heartfelt moments as Devi grieves and grows closer to her family and heritage. Even more so, the driving force for many of Devi's actions revolves around her love life, with season two ending as she finally gets with her dream guy. ​

This seemingly perfect relationship is what sets the stage as season three begins, yet it is quickly lost in the chaos of the show's fast-paced storytelling. Never Have I Ever's quick jumps through time are nothing new. Still, this season, they feel especially jarring as Devi continues to move from problem to problem in swift succession, never entirely slowing down in order to let the audience or characters process what is going on. 

Similar to the show's previous seasons, the primary characters in Never Have I Ever seem to jump from one relationship and character-building moment to the next, never taking time to let the dust settle. In season three, this bleeds into the actions of secondary characters as well as the main ones, as is the case with two of Devi's best friends, Aneesa and Fabiola. The fast-paced nature of the character development of these two characters in this season is especially striking since they take the back burner, so any abrupt shifts in their attitude or storyline feels unwarranted because they never had time to develop properly. 

The cast of Never Have I Ever grows bigger in season three, with the new addition of private school student Des and his mom, who each get close to Devi and her mom, respectively. Along with Des' introduction, the show also introduces his friends Parker and Addison, who is the show's first confirmed nonbinary character. The addition of these characters brings a whole new world to Devi's life, providing plenty of mishaps for her to navigate. 

Season three of Never Have I Ever ends on the perfect note to prepare the audience for the next and final season. With Devi's upcoming senior year and the promise of newly kindled relationships, season four will likely be the ideal end to what has proven itself to be a one-of-a-kind teen drama. 

Never Have I Ever season three begins streaming on Netflix August 12. All ten episodes reviewed.​

Rating: 4/5