Why You're Gonna Want To Watch 'Never Have I Ever' With Your Teens

If you haven’t seen Never Have I Ever popping up in your Netflix queue, you definitely aren’t checking in with Netflix often enough. Because in the week since the show dropped on April 27, it has shot up to #1. For good reason too. Because, as the kids say, this show is lit. (Now that I think about it, do kids still say that? Whatever.)

Produced and co-created by genius Mindy Kaling (along with Lang Fisher), this coming-of-age story about a 15-year-old, Indian-American teen dealing with the aftermath of a tragedy has it all. Teen drama. Complex family dynamics. Diversity. And some whip-smart humor. If you haven’t already yet, here are just a few reasons why you’re gonna want to add Never Have I Ever to your binge list ASAP — especially if you have teens. It’s so good you just might forget you and your angsty teens are stuck in a house together 24/7 for the foreseeable future.

1. It has Mindy Kaling’s magic all over it.

Everything Kaling touches is comedic gold, but this adds the shiny veneer of relatable authenticity, diversity and vulnerability. 💯

2. John McEnroe as the narrator is both hilarious and … dare I say, endearing?

Sure, the tennis legend known for his ragey emotional outbursts might seem like an odd choice for a narrator, but trust me on this one. Interesting fact…his role as narrator was actually based on Kaling’s dad’s affection for another well-known (and polarizing) sports star – Tom Brady.

3. You can watch with your teens and older tweens.

We watch it with our 10- and 13-year-old sons right now and we were all hooked. In fact, our 10-year-old was legit bummed when he found out that there wasn’t another season ready and waiting for us after the last show of the season.

The sexual references are a little mature and there are some sexual innuendos that can get awkward at times. But it’s a great conversation starter for issues facing teens today – everything from sexuality and alcohol to grief and friendship.

3. It is diversity at its finest.

The central family is an Indian-American family, and the show is ultra-inclusive without feeling token-ish. The show centers non-white, LGBTQ, and differently-abled persons in a way rarely seen in the media.

“My coming to terms with my Indian-ness is a big part of the show. I was born in the US, raised in a pretty white area, without speaking any Indian languages, so culturally I always felt I straddled the lines of two cultures,” Kaling told Press Trust of India.

4. Teens can relate, and parents can get some insight into their teens.

Not only is it filled with teen drama, but it also has a hefty dose of relevant AF teen lingo. And considering I just learned that “at at” is new slang and not a typo, I can definitely use some help in this department. I’m guessing many other parents of teens could too. And with John McEnroe narrating the show, there’s a healthy dose of references to our own childhoods.

5. It’s the perfect quarantine binge.

With ten 30-minute episodes, you can binge this show in a weekend. Or if you’re really committed, a night.

6. It’s filled with delicious eye candy.

No words needed.

Interesting side note: Darren Barnet who plays Devi’s crush, Paxton, is actually 29 years old and has played young Jack Pearson on “This Is Us.”

7. The show literally (and figuratively) lifts people up.

Not only does the show lift viewers’ spirits, but it is also lifting some as-yet-unknown actors into household names. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan who plays the main character Devi Vishwakumar was plucked from an open casting call of 15,000 other actors. It isn’t just her first big role; it’s her first job, period.

“This is my first job ever,” Ramakrishnan told Variety. “I never had a job before this. Mindy is my first boss.”

8. You can have all the feels. Literally ALL OF THEM.

You laugh. You cry. You cringe with embarrassment. And then you come back for more.

Seriously, Netflix, we need to come back for more. Can we speed up Season 2? Please?