Review: The Final Season of 'Never Have I Ever'

When Never Have I Ever hit the Netflix scene in April of 2020, it was exactly the kind of show I needed in my life, and I think many people felt the same for a long list of reasons. Similar to shows like Ted Lasso, which debuted the same year, it provided a welcome place to process all of our feelings and escape for a while. Never Have I Ever follows the life of Devi Vishwakumar, a teenage girl navigating the loss of her father, high school, friendships, family, and love. It’s hilarious, it’s real, and it hits deep. I was recently able to get an early look at the final season of the show, and let me tell you, these last episodes prove why so many fans have continued to love these characters over the years.

…watched a season that is so real, bittersweet, and magical

The show was created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, who clearly poured their hearts into it. I have always loved Mindy Kaling from her work on The Office to her iconic role in The Mindy Project, and so many others. Her work always, always makes me laugh and cry, sometimes at the exact same time. I find that while her stories are often based in reality, centering around imperfect characters that we love to root for, there is also something magical about them.

This last season of Never Have I Ever is no exception. There’s a magic spark in every element of the final season. And aside from the incredible writing, a huge piece of this magic is due to the cast. Each episode has that ensemble feel, as if every actor and member of the crew are working together to make sure the show ends on the high note it deserves.

…rooted for so many characters

I don’t know how they did it, but they managed to pack in a new storyline for each and every one of our favorite characters in the final season. I felt satisfied by each story arc, but also was left wanting more in the best way. The theme of this season is all about moving forward, and we get to see how Devi, Eleanor, Fabiola, and all our favorites like Paxton, Trent, and Ben handle the pressure that comes with leaving high school. If you had a favorite character in the previous seasons, I guarantee you’re going to fall in love with them even more.

And, without getting into any spoilers, you’re going to meet some new characters that somehow manage to fit right into the story, exactly where they belong. You’re also going to see some classic Trent moments (who might be one of my favorites) as well as funny and heartwarming family moments, as per usual. Best of all, we all get to watch Devi’s collegiate future and love life unfold in the only way we would want it: with lots of drama, laughing, and reflection.

…felt so seen by the portrayal of losing a parent

This show has always meant so much to me because it helped me heal over the loss of my mother. The show addresses this topic with such care because both Mindy and Lang have experienced the sudden loss of a parent, and the creation of the show honors that experience. Watching Devi and her family go through their own grief over the seasons felt so personal. Each season addresses a different stage of grief, but not in the mechanical “these are the stages of grief” way that so many shows do. The first season shows us the pure uprooting and profound loss of such a life changing event at a young age, and also tackles the pain and conflict that comes with only having one parent left.

While the first season captured my heart, the final season was the bookend that I didn’t know I needed in my own journey through grief. In the last episode of the first season, Devi meets her mother on the beach to say goodbye to her father in a moment that I will say I had to pause for a moment (several moments) because I was crying so much. It was a cathartic release I’m sure many viewers who could relate needed. The last episode of the final season did the same thing for my feelings, but for different reasons. It showed how something so devastating can help us move forward with perspective, bravery, and even hope.

…watched high school friendships run so deep

On top of all of this, in the final season, Devi and friends are dealing with the stress of high school, college admissions, and the huge life milestone that is graduating and potentially moving away from home. The creatives behind Never Have I Ever not only understand the experience of moving beyond high school, but they know how to convey it in a real way. In this season, the bond between Devi, Eleanor, and Fabiola gets tested as they all decide what they want their futures to look like. We also get to see the fabric of high school life as the other seasons have always been so great at, with returning characters (looking at you, Eric) that really give life to the high school experience.

…loved and liked a family more

We don’t really know how our lives will change, and the dynamic of our families will constantly evolve over time. Family will move, couple up, break up, and pass on. As Devi focuses on preparing for life after high school, it causes a shift in the lives of her tight family unit as well. Characters like Devi’s mother Nalini, her grandmother Nirmala, and her cousin Kamala provide a generational overview of how this tide is constantly shifting, and how powerful a family unit can be when they support each other through change. There are plenty of heartwarming moments, conflicts, and conversations that will increase your love for the Vishwakumar family even more.

…had such vivid flashbacks to the college application process

In this season, it’s senior year and college admissions are on the brain. I definitely had some flashbacks to my own senior year, and the anxiety that taking extra classes, applying to college, and waiting to hear back from applications produced. The words “early decision” are used in a few episodes and it literally gave me chills. I had honestly kind of forgotten this time in my life, and Devi’s college endeavors are a good reminder of the pressures that teens are going through in the increasingly competitive market that is college. There is also exploration of the expectations vs. reality of college as the students explore where they want to go, and that will really hit home for anyone who’s gone through the experience.

…felt more convinced that therapy is good

I love therapy. I love therapy even more after watching this series. Recently I’ve noticed a lot of fan-favorite shows that involve a main character going to therapy. It’s great to see these shows normalizing therapy and the importance of addressing our emotions and facing our fears. The final season of Never Have I Ever would not be complete without the presence of Dr. Jamie Ryan, played by the incredible Niecy Nash. Just as we’ve watched the previous seasons unfold under the watchful, truthful eye of Dr. Ryan guiding Devi in therapy, the final season completes the arc of the therapy journey Devi has been on in a beautiful way.

…wanted someone to narrate my life more

The narration is alive and well in the final season, with surprises as always. I wish John McEnroe could narrate my life. Actually, if literally any character from Never Have I Ever would narrate my life, that would be amazing. While many shows have used voice over as a tool to tell the story, none have quite done it so well as Never Have I Ever.

At first it might seem like the hotheaded tennis player (who frankly I wasn’t aware of until this show) was a weird choice to narrate the life of a teenager, but within seconds it’s hard not to be immediately invested in it, and the parallels that are created between Devi, her father, and the tennis player are brilliant. And that’s the thing about this show. It takes storytelling as we know it and does something different, whatever it wants in fact, and somehow it all makes perfect sense.

…been more inspired

I think this final season feels so real and magical because the people telling it gave a piece of their own experiences to the narrative. It’s storytelling at its finest—there are so many characters across cultures and identities and generations and personalities. There’s something for everyone to relate to, and something for everyone to learn from. And most of all, the final season of Never Have I Ever made me root for Devi, and anyone who is moving into the future with uncertainty and a lot of hope.