Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) is a sophomore at Sherman Oaks High School. She’s a first-generation Tamil-American who is so dynamically awkward she would put any teen to shame. Devi has two loving parents Nalini (Poorna Jagnnathan) and Mohan (Sendhil Ramamurthy), who only want the best for their daughter. When Mohan dies suddenly, Devi suffers temporary paralysis, making her more of a misfit than she already is.
Dealing with her father’s sudden death isn’t at the top of her list; instead, she puts all her energy into trying to fit in and look like a “normal” teenage girl, but embellishments on basic information become a big, unmanageable mess. To top it off, competition with her nemesis Ben (Jaren Lewison), coyotes (yes, you heard that right), and her Indian culture also come into play to confuse her even more. Along with her ride-or-die besties Fabiola (Lee Rodriguez) and Eleanor (Ramona Young), and her tough but loving mother, Devi has her gorgeous cousin Kamala (Richa Moorjani), and her wise therapist Dr. Jamie (Niecy Nash) to help guide her through messy life lessons. And then there’s Paxton (Darren Barnet), her seemingly unattainable and handsome crush, and John McEnroe (yes, that John McEnroe) to narrate Devi’s train-wreck life. Who knew alienating your friends and family and avoiding your feelings could be so funny?
As the brainchild of Mindy Kaling based on her teenage years, Never Have I Ever was an instant hit with fantastic writing and performances.There’s so much heart you’ll find yourself laughing and crying along with these fully realized characters.
