Never Have I Ever … said goodbye.
This is the title of the final episode of the Netflix series, and sadly it means that the time has come to say farewell to Devi Vishwakumar and the rest of the Sherman Oaks crew for good.
From the start, this series has been a journey. Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Turning Red) has only dreamt of being a popular, straight-A student with tons of friends, a boyfriend, and the world at her feet. After her father passed away in front of her eyes, Devi has had to learn to cope with this loss, connect with the rest of her family, become a good friend, and learn of her true interests and strengths, and how they may not be limited to the dreams she once made for herself.
Devi’s growth is exciting to see in many ways. Going back to the first two seasons, it was certainly doubtful whether or not she could reach a point where she felt comfortable in herself and able to put her ego aside for the love and happiness waiting for her. At the same time, Devi has been through a lot and watching her experience – along with many of the other characters we have come to know and love – has been both entertaining and unpredictable.
From Fabiola (Lee Rodriguez, The Good Doctor) and Eleanor (Ramona Young, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), to Nirmala (Poorna Jagannathan, Big Little Lies) and Kamala (Richa Moorjani, Fargo), to Ben Gross (Jaren Lewison, Tag) and Paxton Hall-Yoshida (Darren Barnet, Love Hard) – the cast of characters has been interesting and fleshed out in their own ways. Some, sadly, did not get as much screen time – like Aneesa (Megan Suri, Missing).
It would have been nice to have tied Aneesa’s character into Never Have I Ever Season 4 in a more significant way. Never Have I Ever sometimes has a pattern of bringing up new characters and then subsequently forgetting or under-developing them, which is a bummer, especially considering a spotlight on Aneesa and Devi’s friendship could have further transformed the ideas Devi held previously about friendships with other South Asian women.
Of course, there are a few other things to think about, both in terms of Devi’s academic and romantic ending in Never Have I Ever Season 4. Viewers’ opinions may also vary when it comes to who Devi ends up with, as people have rooted for different characters (or, like this writer, more than one at many different points throughout the show). After four seasons of growth, is the overall ending the best possible outcome for Devi? Does it reflect how she’s changed?
Truthfully, she has grown to be happy for her friends’ achievements, focus on areas other than relationships with boys, and let go of the past. Although she has more growing to do, it’s satisfying to see. For Devi’s ending as a whole, it’s nice that she did get to achieve what truly makes her happy and closes the chapter on a high note, even if it may not be the most exciting conclusion. The ending reflects what many viewers thought was coming, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The other characters also get their own exciting conclusions, even fan-favorite Trent (Benjamin Norris, Superstore). It’s great to see Fabiola and Eleanor express themselves, Paxton discover his calling, and the romances wrap up. Yours truly would have changed a couple of things or fixed some missed opportunities – a few storylines are rushed and details are thrown in here and there. The romance with Ethan honestly (Michael Cimino, Love, Victor) deserved a bit more time to develop on screen. While there are some lines that are definitely cringy or parts that are awkward or over-dramatic, it represents the style the show has taken for the last few years and that fans have come to know.
Never Have I Ever Season 4 feels like a solid-enough ending. It has tear-jerking moments and a few full-circle call-backs, along with a good laugh. Personally speaking, Never Have I Ever is a show that would have stood out growing up. Seeing someone that looks like you and shares your culture has immense value. From season one’s Ganesh Puja episode to seeing Devi and Kamala dance at their grandmother’s wedding in the final episode, the importance of representation cannot be stated enough. Although many people have different experiences, it is special to see a main character represent your culture.
Although the show is not perfect, it has always been an enjoyable watch that will have you constantly have you clicking “next episode.” Reaching the final season, it seems we’ve clicked that button for the last time, and it’s honestly sad to see it go.
Never Have I Ever said goodbye? Now, we finally have.
