--- title: "Never Have I Ever: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/never-have-i-ever-2020/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/never-have-i-ever-2020" critics_score: 71 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Never Have I Ever (2020): what the critics said Critics' score 71 from 10 reviews: 7 positive, 1 mixed, 2 negative. Most critics warm to Never Have I Ever, and seven of the ten reviews are positive. The praise gathers around Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, whose lead performance is called charismatic and vulnerable, and around the show’s portrayal of an Indian-American family, with the mother-daughter relationship and the handling of Devi’s grief singled out repeatedly. Several reviewers say it takes familiar teen-comedy conventions and makes them feel fresh, and the second season is generally thought as good as or better than the first. The reservations are more scattered. Some find the early episodes overpacked and awkward. The narration divides opinion: Variety calls the McEnroe and Hadid voiceovers flat and unnecessary, while NME finds McEnroe charming. The two negative reviews, from Digital Spy and Paste, both cover the third season and say the romances lose their tension and Devi’s growth is told rather than shown. The AV Club, reviewing the final season, thinks it ends well. The spread is wide. ## Vulture — Kathryn VanArendonk Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 23 April 2020. The critic finds the series a fantastic, welcome teen rom-com, with one early plot point as a distracting misstep. She especially praises Devi’s complexity and the show’s deft, nuanced portrayal of her Indian-American identity. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2020/04/never-have-i-ever-netflix-review.html) ## The AV Club — Saloni Gajjar Rating B+. 8 June 2023. Gajjar finds the final season joyful and charming, bringing the series to a fitting close. She especially praises its nuanced, multigenerational portrayal of South Asian family life, while criticizing Jeff Garlin’s stiff performance. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/never-have-i-ever-season-4-review-netflix-1850510835) ## IndieWire — Kristen Lopez Rating B. 17 April 2020. Lopez finds the series an awkward but emotionally resonant comedy that becomes magical once it finds its stride. She particularly praises Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s charismatic performance, while criticizing the show’s handling of disability as a gimmick. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/never-have-i-ever-review-mindy-kaling-1202223251/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Inkoo Kang Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 21 April 2020. Kang finds the series smart, moving and nuanced, though its early episodes feel exhausting and overpacked. She praises the emotional depth of Devi’s grief and the slow-building romantic relationships. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/never-have-i-ever-review-1291074/) ## Variety — Caroline Framke Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 20 July 2021. Framke finds the series an entertaining teen comedy, though its voiceovers are a frustrating flaw. She particularly faults McEnroe and Hadid for flat, unnecessary narration that undercuts the stronger performances of the young cast. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2021/tv/reviews/never-have-i-ever-netflix-season-2-voiceover-hadid-mcenroe-1235023152/) ## Collider — Carly Lane Rating A-. 15 July 2021. Lane finds the second season just about as excellent as the first, balancing heartfelt emotion with humor. She especially praises Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s vulnerable performance and the thoughtful exploration of grief. [Read the review](https://collider.com/never-have-i-ever-season-2-review/) ## Den of Geek — Louisa Mellor Rating 4/5. 14 July 2021. Mellor finds the second season funnier, more confident, and emotionally deeper while retaining its comedic heart. She especially praises Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s charismatic lead performance and the show’s fresh, culturally specific take on familiar teen-comedy conventions. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/never-have-i-ever-season-2-review-this-netflix-teen-comedy-could-run-and-run/) ## NME Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). The critic finds the series a sharp, thoughtful comedy that rises above familiar teen-drama conventions. They single out John McEnroe’s charming narration and the poignant mother-daughter relationship for praise. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/never-have-i-ever-review-john-mcenroe-mindy-kaling-netflix-2654699) ## Digital Spy — Janet A Leigh Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 12 August 2022. The critic finds season three underwhelming, despite its continued fun and quirky characters. The main complaint is that the romantic relationships lose the tension that once made them engaging. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a40866560/never-have-i-ever-season-3-review/) ## Paste — Kaitlin Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 12 August 2022. Thomas finds the season entertaining but underwhelming, criticizing how it tells rather than depicts Devi’s growth. She praises the show’s complex mother-daughter relationship and its subtle handling of grief. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/never-have-i-ever/never-have-i-ever-season-3-review-spoilers) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/never-have-i-ever-2020.md