It all started with an Instagram post.
A friend who watched the Netflix series Never Have I Ever posted about American actor Darren Barnet, who instantly caught my attention because he's so guwapo.
Add to this: three of my friends told me it has a very relatable coming-of-age story.
One of them even told me that she finished the series in five hours.
So, one rainy Saturday afternoon, I finally watched it and, I must say, I finished the 10-episode series in just one sitting.
Here are the reasons why I think Never Have I Ever, a Netflix original series, is so binge-able.
1. The lead character is flawed, but her struggles make you want to root for her.
Never Have I Ever tells the story of 15-year-old Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrushnan), an Indian girl living in the United States, who is one of the best students in her class.
Devi experiences a typical teenager's family problems, friendship fights, a first relationship, and sexual encounters.
But with all this, and the death of her father besides, she is traumatized. As a result, her legs are paralyzed for an entire school year.
She has a solid support system from her two besties: Fabiola (Lee Rodriguez) and Eleanor (Ramona Young).
But at home, she yearns for the love of her mother Nalini (Poorna Jagannathan), who favors her seemingly perfect cousin, Kamala (Richa Moorjani).
The series is created by writer/producer/actress Mindy Kaling and writer-producer Lang Fisher.
One factor that has me hooked is that Devi, the protagonist, is flawed.
She may excel in school, but being a top student doesn't mean she doesn't have her crazy moments, like being sent to the principal's office.
Devi is also gutsy.
After the period of trauma, becoming cool and popular in school becomes her goal in life.
For her love interest, she picks the hottest boy in school and the man of her dreams: Paxton Hall-Yoshida (Darren Barnet).
She even asks him to have sex with her.
But, I'm not going to tell you whether Darren says yes or not.
Devi's flawed character makes her more interesting, although there are moments when I want to strangle her because of her life choices.
Well, she is just a 15-year-old teenager whose choices—no matter how questionable—are part of her growth.
2. The friendship story reminds me how important it is to choose your friends well.
I praise Never Have I Ever for depicting such a realistic friendship between Devi and her friends Fabiola and Eleanor.
After all, in real life high school is one big friendship experiment.
I also like the way the story delves into the individual plight of her friends and how they help each other solve their individual problems.
Moreover, the trio in their light moments truly provide comic relief.
3. The series sheds light on the struggles of Gen Z-ers.
Watching this on a Saturday afternoon, I can't help but remember my favorite Pinoy youth-oriented flicks from the past—from GMA-7’s TGIS and Click to ABS-CBN’s Gimik and Abt Ur Luv.
But Never Have I Ever definitely has its own identity as a teen drama-comedy series.
People of all ages can relate to it, too, because it tackles universal issues: friendship problems, parenthood, forbidden love, teenage rebellion and discovery, LGBT, and self-acceptance.
These problems do not only involve Devi and her teenage friends, but also the people around them, particularly their parents.
I think the show also does a good job of giving glimpses of Indian culture.
Devi's cousin Kamala (Richa Moorjani), for instance, is set up in an arranged marriage with a guy from India whom she has not met ever.
Despite these serious issues and dramatic moments, Never Have I Ever, overall, is entertaining.
The narrations provided by American Tennis player John McEnroe also deserve a shout-out.
4. The story is engaging.
Its storytelling does not spoon-feed the viewer.
The serious issues, which give depth to Devi's character, are tempered with the right dose of fun.
The pace is not mabagal, and the tone is not mabigat.
The cliffhangers also keep me pressing the “next episode” sign.
It helps that each episode only runs for 30 minutes, giving that good bitin factor.
5. Never have I ever been torn between two love interests for the lead character!
Every time I watch a series, I always root for the lead character’s first crush or first love. In this case, it’s Paxton for Devi.
And why not? Paxton is really a cutie.
Personally, he's the reason I watched this show.
In the series, you'll see that there's more to his good looks, besides being Devi’s knight in shining armor whenever she needs someone by her side.
But in episode six, the second love interest emerges—and the kilig is doubled!
Both guys will have a good effect on Devi.
And the last episode is such a cliffhanger that I can’t wait for Netflix to announce Never Have I Ever’s next season!
I just wish the series would dedicate an episode detailing Paxton's backstory.
BONUS: Darren Barnet reminds me of this Filipino actor.
While it may be a matter of taste, Elle did just call Darren Barnet everyone's new Internet boyfriend.
And why not? His character is charming, and his smile can really sweep you off your feet.
I don't know if you agree with me, but Darren actually reminds me a bit of James Reid—the voice, the gestures, and the facial reactions.
Whenever Paxton smiles at Devi, in my mind, I get quick replays of kilig scenes from James Reid and Nadine Lustre’s movie, Diary ng Panget, and their TV series, On The Wings of Love.
And after browsing through his Instagram feed and reading his witty captions, I also think that he's a funny guy in real life.
I should also mention Maitreyi Ramakrushnan who plays Devi in the show. According to reports, this is the first time she is playing the lead—and she does not disappoint.
Lastly, Never Have I Ever is not your typical series for high-schoolers.
It has bits of profoundness and some droll sense of humor. It has its share of kagagahan, kababawan, and kakiligan.
Indeed, five hours fly by pretty quickly.
Never Have I Ever started streaming on Netflix on April 27, 2020.
And I’m sure, just like me, everyone who watched the first season is excited for the next!
Ed's Note: The PEP REVIEW section carries the views of individual reviewers, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the PEP editorial team.
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