The first two seasons of Master of None focused on Aziz Ansari's Dev as he navigated family, dating and his career in his 30s. Created by Ansari and Alan Yang, the show was a sharply observed comedy about figuring out who you are and what you want out of life, even when life makes other plans. Now, after a four-year hiatus, Master of None is back with a third season subtitled Moments in Love that shifts the focus from Dev to his close friend Denise (Lena Waithe) and her relationship with her wife Alicia (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's Naomi Ackie). It's another smart, observant batch of episodes, although much of the comedy has been traded for a stirring poignancy that reflects the challenges the characters are dealing with.
Master of None has never been afraid to experiment with its form or narrative approach, including in "Thanksgiving," the standout Season 2 episode that used a series of Thanksgivings from throughout Denise's life to tell the story of the character recognizing her sexuality and coming out to her family. The episode was written by Ansari and Waithe, who won a Writing Emmy for their efforts. The pair have now re-teamed to write Season 3, with Ansari taking on directing duties on all five episodes, causing the season to feel both like a continuation of "Thanksgiving" and another experiment by the creative minds behind the series. Denise is the same character fans got to know in previous seasons, but Moments in Love represents an evolution for both her and Master of None.
When the audience catches up with Denise, she is living in the country in upstate New York with Alicia and working on her second book after becoming a bestselling author with her first. Professional and personal success have both settled her down and made her feel more pressure to maintain everything she's achieved. Meanwhile, Alicia is attempting to build a career as an interior designer and starting to feel the ticking of her biological clock. The five episodes follow them through years of their lives, with some covering only a brief period of time and some covering much longer as they work to build the lives they want, both together and separately.
While the first two seasons of Master of None included a wide cast of characters, including Dev's parents and long-time friends, Season 3 is laser-focused on Denise and Alicia. The deep dive into their lives makes these episodes feel incredibly intimate, so when they suffer painful disappointments or devastating losses, they're all the more heartbreaking. This is enhanced by the way Ansari has directed the episodes. Shot in a 4:3 aspect ratio, each outing mostly consists of a series of carefully framed, lingering wide shots. As a result, individual scenes unfold in single long takes, like a play as opposed to a traditional episode of television. This highlights the rich nuance of Waithe and Ackie's deeply felt performances while also drawing attention to the ways they interact with each other and their environments.
Of course, if you're still curious about Dev's story, especially after Season 2 ended his relationship with Francesca on a cliffhanger, you'll be happy to know that he shows up briefly in a couple of episodes of Moments in Love. While he doesn't have that much screen time, he sticks around long enough to catch fans up on where his character is now and hopefully provide a bit of closure to his previous storyline. And even though Dev is now a supporting character, the series is still interested in the quirks of relationships and the unique experiences of marginalized groups. For Denise and Alicia, their identities as Black and queer present specific fertility challenges, and Season 3 does an admirable job diving deep into issues like finding a sperm donor and the physical, financial and emotional costs of getting pregnant.
Master of None reaches new levels of authenticity in its third season. Although it's not nearly as funny as the first two seasons, there's a certain wry weariness that feels appropriate for the characters' older and more experienced stage in life. This isn't the first screen story centered on marriage and fertility, but Moments in Love breaks new ground by offering a genuine, no-frills depiction of a Black lesbian couple going through these common experiences in all their complexity. In the process, the show movingly brings out the universal human emotions embedded in Denise and Alicia's specific circumstances.
Season 3 of Master of None, starring Lena Waithe and Naomi Ackie, will premiere on Netflix on Sunday, May 23.