There’s something to be said about watching teenage TV series as an adult.
I know plenty of people who have turned on their favourite television shows that they used to watch during their teen years to bring comfort during such an unprecedented time.
From Gossip Girl to The OC and even Dawson’s Creek — there’s certainly something about watching dramatic teens navigate their way through high school, love triangles and the trials and tribulations that only raging hormones can bring.
That’s why Netflix’s new teen series Never Have I Ever is the perfect comfort food for anyone who wishes to switch off from the world and simply enjoy something fun.
Created by The Office and The Mindy Project alum, Mindy Kaling, the ten-episode series tells the story of Indian-American teen Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), a teen whose father dies during her first year of high school and is desperate to move forward with her life.
As she begins the new school year, all she wants it to be cool and get a boyfriend — more specifically the hottest guy at school Paxton Hall-Yoshida — played by 29-year-old (I kid you not) Darren Barnet, who plays the role of a teen heartthrob better than most.
Then there are Devi’s friends Fabiola (Lee Rodriguez) who is struggling with coming out and Eleanor (Ramona Young) who is head of the drama club and is dealing with parental issues of her own.
Throw in Ben (Jaren Lewison), the annoying yet misunderstood rich kid who longs for a loving family unit, and Devi’s cousin Kamala (Richa Moorjani), who is destined for an arranged marriage.
The series is based loosely on Kaling’s own teenage years and while it’s not 100% clear how much is fact from fiction, it does make for some good storytelling and some pretty clear drawcards.
Firstly, the episodes are only 30-40min long so you can get through the entire series in about six hours — which, if you’re not visiting another household this weekend, is perfect bingey -viewing.
Then there’s the culturally diverse cast which gives the series a little more depth — which is more than I can say about our favourite shows of yonder and while in some parts it’s pretty obvious that it’s Ramakrishnan’s, 17, first rodeo, she did beat out 50,000 other teens who auditioned for the role and manages to make it work.
The best part (or the worst, depending on which way you look at it) is the fact that the characters could be anyone you knew at your own high school — and if you don’t find yourself getting a little doe-eyed nostalgic, did you even go to high school?!
Overall, if you take Never Have I Ever for what it is — a light-hearted teenage comedy — then add it to your must-watch binge list.
Never Have I Ever is now streaming on Netflix.
WATCH: The official trailer for Netflix’s Never Have I Ever.
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