Summary
Episode 10 ends the season strongly, with the mother-daughter relationship being the crux of the ending.
Episode 10 of Never Have I Ever Season 1 ends strongly. By leaving things open, the finale manages to secure a potential Season 2.
After the blowout with her mother Nalini, Devi has moved into Ben’s house as she has few options. Ben is quite neutral about the situation but suggests to Devi that she apologize for her cruel words.
Meanwhile, Paxton is being distant with Devi after their kiss, and Devi’s mother is offending him. It’s not good for Devi at the start.
Nalini
Nalini is putting the cogs in place to sell the house so they can go to India. The estate agent tells her that Mohan (the father) loved the house.
Nalini goes to see Devi’s therapist. The therapist explains that changing geography will not change Devi’s behavior and turns it into a session for Nalini. She asks how Nalini is handling the grief. Nalini raises Devi’s cruel words of “I wish you were the one who died” and gets emotional, explaining how scared she is all the time being a parent — it’s also Mohan’s birthday the next day.
After her useful therapy session, Nalini visits Devi at Ben’s house and says she doesn’t want to fight anymore and that it is time to scatter Mohan’s ashes. Devi is skeptical about her mother’s intentions but Nalini does not argue and gives her a time and place to scatter the ashes.
Our lead character is not thinking straight at this point, asking Ben’s father if she can emancipate. Devi tells Ben that her mother is trying to get rid of junk before they move, including her father’s ashes, but Ben looks concerned and states she should clear the air with her.
Ben is the key to solving Devi’s issues
In Episode 10, Ben takes it upon himself to speak to Eleanor and Fabiola about his worries for Devi. He states that Devi needs her friends.
Eleanor, Fabiola, and Ben go to meet Devi and they tell her to spread her father’s ashes or she’ll regret it forever. Devi flips it, stating that Eleanor will regret not pursuing acting and then apologizes to them both, explaining how much she misses them.
Devi gets emotional, pondering whether she’s ready to let go of her father by spreading the ashes, but they convince her to go.
With little time left, Ben drives Devi to Malibu, but he’s terrible at driving.
When Devi reaches the beach, she screams for her mother and cousin to wait, but they cannot hear her. John McEnroe asks if she’s okay out of the blue and then shouts for her.
Devi runs to her mother crying, asking if she missed it. Both mother and daughter apologize for their cruel words and express their love for each other.
This was a perfect scene — up until now, Devi and her mother have kept their feelings inside, with Mohan being the unspoken word between them, but they are finally reunited for the ashes.
Devi, Nalini, and Kamala chant in Sanskrit and scatter the ashes into the sea. Devi remembers fond memories of her father.
When Devi heads back up away from the beach, she sees Ben sleeping in the car and it suddenly dawns on her how much he cares — “You stayed”. She kisses him, and as they hook up, Paxton is ringing her and leaves a voicemail asking if they can hang out.
A true love triangle is in order for Season 2, but credit to Lang Fisher and Mindy Kaling for creating a kooky coming-of-age American-Indian teen series that feels fresh and original.
Devi’s Diary
Here are more noteworthy points from the ending of Season 1:
- Kamala drops off stuff for Devi at school.
- Paxton’s sister tells Paxton she likes Devi. Paxton says he’s cool, and she’s known for the National Spelling Bee. She calls him a douch
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