The new series by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher follows 15 year-old Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) an Indian-American teen, who tries to raise her social status while she copes with her father’s recent, unexpected passing. The series is partially based on Kaling’s life growing up in Boston.
In today’s age of countless teen comedies being streamed on Netflix, it is hard to find one that isn’t too frivolous. This series, while slightly cheesy, just works.
The difference between this series and other corny shows is that it knows what it is because it doesn’t pretend to be serious, unlike similar shows on the platform that are too hard to watch, giving viewers a good laugh and a connection with its characters.
Devi is a first generation American, but she can’t relate to her mother’s traditional Indian culture. Generational and cultural differences are real struggles.