![]() ![]() It felt like a direct rebuke to the issues Jewish viewers raised about how Ben is portrayed, a doubling down of what Never Have I Ever has clearly decided is one of the most important aspects of his character. When I saw this image - which, it’s important to note, is the very first featured in a series of threaded tweets as well as the primary photo on an Instagram post Kaling shared - I had a visceral reaction. But on the left, we see that one of Devi’s listed pros for dating Ben is that he’s “hella rich,” and one of her cons is that he has “hairy forearms.” On the right, we see fairly benign descriptions attributed to Paxton - he’s popular, but also bad at school. In the first of a series of promotional images released last week in advance of the show’s second season, Devi is shown displaying a pros and cons list designed to help her decide between her two love interests. If you’re excited for the new season, we have a lot in COMMON /27z4NEymIw However, early indications hint that this will not be the case. It’s why it was especially disappointing to see a show that gets so much right regarding representation and reflecting new perspectives on screen revert to tired tropes in its depiction of Judaism.Ī second season marks the chance for Never Have I Ever to course-correct, to further develop Ben Gross into a multi-dimensional character and acknowledge that the complaints from Jewish viewers have been heard. Stereotypes surrounding Jewish people and money are pervasive and have taken an especially sinister turn with the rise of the alt-right and an increase in antisemitic hate crimes the past several years. ![]() The show makes Ben’s wealth one of his defining characteristics - in a standalone episode following his life, Ben worries aloud that he’s afraid his Jewish girlfriend, Shira, is only dating him for his money. There’s a nasty Holocaust joke - at one point, after Ben insults her, Devi whispers under her breath, “I wish the Nazis would kill you.” Ben’s dad is an absent entertainment lawyer, and Ben talks frequently about his over-the-top bar mitzvah - Blake Griffin showed up, if you hadn’t heard. Much has been made of the way Never Have I Ever handled Ben’s Jewishness in the first season - it often feels as though whatever Jewish identity the show carves out for him is either surface level or rooted in lazy stereotypes. ![]() ![]() This sets up the conceit for a second season: Will Devi choose Ben, who she has more in common with, or Paxton, the guy she’s been crushing on for most of the first season?īen Gross is the show’s central Jewish character - Jaren Lewison, the actor who portrays him, is also Jewish. The first season ends on a cliffhanger, with Devi and Ben kissing as Paxton calls her on the phone - the two previously shared their own kiss as well. Towards the back half of its first season, Never Have I Ever develops its central love triangle, with Devi torn between her popular kid crush, Paxton Hall-Yoshida, and Ben Gross, her one-time nemesis. In one episode, Devi celebrates the Indian ritual of Ganesh Puja, and her world is created with the deft touch you’d hope for in a Netflix show from a creative team led by co-creators Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher. It’s also been celebrated for its intersectionality and diversity - the Indian heritage of its main character, high school sophomore Devi, is an integral part of its fabric. The show is a welcome entry in the teen rom-com canon, winking to its John Hughes-ian influences while breaking new ground in the genre. Netflix’s Never Have I Ever premiered last April to universal acclaim. ![]()
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