Never Have I Ever
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After its emotionally explosive penultimate episode, theNever Have I Everfinale has a lot of work to do.
All of the relationships central to the show have been severely damaged over the course of the season.
Devi moves out of her house and in with unexpected ally Ben, leaving Nalini and Kamala alone.
Despite their kiss, Paxton is pulling away from Devi.
Its an episode thats low on jokes, but it still finds humor in unexpected places.
On the surface, Devis life at Bens looks pretty nice.
He has a big house and pool, and she has a room to herself.
She wont return home unless Nalini promises not to move them to India.
Ben realizes how serious the whole situation is when Devis little run-away-from-home stint starts to look more permanent.
Nalini has an emotional breakthrough when she visits Dr. Ryan, her initial resistance to therapy eventually relenting.
Dr. Ryan encourages her to let Devi see her break a little.
Devi needs to see her mothers weakness for embrace her own.
This show is consistently good at making the emotions of its characters fully seen and felt through little details.
Nalini remembers buying the house with Mohan and how thrilled he was.
Sendhil Ramamurthy is truly so freaking charming in this role.
Phones really do love to remind us of traumatic things, dont they?!
Shes still initially stern with Devi, and Devi shuts down a bit because of that.
She tells her that she and Kamala will leave for Malibu at five if Devi wants to join.
Devi does not want to join.
Shes quick to anger and slow to apologize.
This show unearths the messiness of grief through Devi, a wonderfully flawed character.
She sees her moms attempt at getting her to spread the ashes as emotional manipulation.
But theres more to her hesitation.
She isnt ready to say goodbye.
Ben has to tap in some backup, reaching out to Eleanor and Fab.
She even apologizes to them.
Its meaningful and genuine, but its also yet another attempt by Devi to avoid her own problems.
Still, with things mended with Fab and Eleanor, they urge her to go.
Im not ready, Devi says through tears, but Eleanor and Fab convince her of her own strength.
In this case, its Devi rushing to her mother.
Then he offers to drive her all the way to Malibu.
So John McEnroe shows up.
Devis Oh fuck moment is also perfectly executed.
Its funny and weird, and then the scene crashes into a true emotional whirlwind.
Devi apologizes to her mother, and her mother apologizes to her.
They both know they said hurtful things, and they both love each other despite any of it.
Nalini finally does have her breakdown, and admits that she herself sometimes wishes she had died.
It is all so brilliantly written and acted, making for a perfect emotional climax for the series.
Beautiful Day plays, and its the best musical cue of the show.
Devi and Nalinis relationship arc ends up being the shows finest.
She has implicitly learned that you cant force romance, though.
Instead, what has unfolded between her and Ben is something she never could have planned or predicted.
