Never Have I Ever is one of the latest teen shows to join the ever-expanding genre. In its debut season, the series utilizes another beloved (relatively new) teen show, Riverdale, to further its narrative and appreciate the universality of the teen genre. Though Riverdale is often overlooked as a formidable player in the teen show space, there's no denying that the series knows precisely what it is and what it wants to do. That sentiment is something Never Have I Ever's protagonist Devi can align herself with -- most of the time. Despite Devi being in Riverdale's target audience, she isn't the only one affected by the drama's narratives; her older cousin Kamala Nandiwadal comes away directly inspired by a Riverdale binge-watch.
Never Have I Ever, the Netflix dramedy from Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, follows Devi Vishwakumar, a 15-year-old Indian-American girl who navigates everything from the ups and downs of high school to family drama and love triangles. Finding shows without a supernatural twist is more challenging as the teen drama landscape evolves. However, Never Have I Ever defies those common odds with a grounded story featuring a diverse cast, cultural representation, complicated and thoughtful family dynamics, interesting romantic pairings, and necessary journeys of self-discovery. As a result, it's a perfect addition to the genre.
Kamala moved from India to live with Devi and her mother, Nalini Vishwakumar, to get her Ph.D. in Biology from CalTech. Regardless of the move, Kamala's family back home wants to set her up in an arranged marriage. That plan becomes increasingly complicated since Kamala started seeing a man named Steve sometime after her move. The Season 1 episode, "...gotten drunk with the popular kids," finds Kamala and Steve broken up because of Kamala's arranged marriage. Though she believes she has a choice in the matter, Kamala doesn't want to disappoint or shame her family in rejecting their offer -- until she watches a lot of Riverdale.
When Devi suggests the pair watch Riverdale, she tells her cousin, "Buckle up for some steamy teen romance," signaling that Devi can find what she's looking for in the teen drama. For much of the first two seasons, Devi uses her high school romances to distract her from confronting her grief after losing her father prematurely. So, of course, Devi would find some solace in the entertainment Riverdale provides in that regard, especially considering the series is targeted toward an audience her age for that reason. As Devi experiences things for the first time as a teenager, so do Archie, Betty, Jughead, Veronica and co. on Riverdale.
Riverdale has some eccentric twists and turns, but the genre's foundation within its narratives remains the same. That emotional core drives the intense fandom around the series and its "ships." In its own right, Never Have I Ever garners quite the conversation online when fans discuss whether they prefer Devi and Paxton or Devi and Ben. Regardless, Riverdale shouldn't be sidelined because of its creative choices to carve out a unique space for itself in the genre. It's stylized, and its fans enjoy that content -- Devi and Kamala enjoy that content. In fact, Kamala takes it upon herself to binge-watch the entire series to understand the characters' journeys because their trajectories matter.
Of course, Never Have I Ever makes a few meta-jabs at the genre it participates in via Riverdale, like casting older actors to play teenagers. This dig is especially funny and self-aware considering the initial pushback Never Have I Ever received regarding the age gap between actor Darren Barnet and his character Paxton Hall-Yoshida. It's almost as though the series anticipated a reaction. Regardless, Kamala is inspired by Riverdale's Betty's assertion to her mother Alice that she loves Jughead and will be with him no matter what Alice thinks. Betty's courage pushes Kamala to make the choice she believes is best for her at that time -- Steve. Soapy teen dramas impact their (target or otherwise) audiences because of their universality.
Teen shows are universal because of their coming-of-age stories. After all, people never stop growing, even after those incredibly formative young-adult years. Hence, the success of Degrassi: The Next Generation and Euphoria. This truth is also represented in This Is Us through its dedication to fleshing out the Big Three's teenage years. Furthermore, even if Kamala isn't the target audience of Riverdale, she once was, and that matters. Everyone grows up and experiences a first kiss, first love, first loss, first day of school or whatever else may fall under the umbrella of that exciting time in one's life. Like Riverdale and Never Have I Ever, teen shows can inspire changes in the future or create space for formative hindsight. It's an influential genre that deserves significant consideration in the TV space.
The first two seasons of Never Have I Ever are available to stream on Netflix. Season 3 premieres on August 12.