Mindy Kaling's beloved coming-of-age Netflix show Never Have I Ever has officially been renewed for season 2. The news comes just a few months after season 1 hit the streaming service in late April. Now, after Never Have I Ever has garnered a large fan base — not to mention widespread critical acclaim — Netflix is ordering another season. The show centers around teenager Devi Vishwakumar, played by newcomer Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, who was found from Kaling's huge casting call in search of a fresh new face to helm the series.
Apart from a brief guest voice-over from Andy Samberg, season 1 is narrated by retired tennis star John McEnroe. McEnroe recounts the extreme highs and lows of Devi's high school experience in California — many of which are actually based on Kaling's own adolescence. Reeling from the recent death of her father and desperate to elevate her status among her peers, Devi constantly finds herself embroiled in tricky situations with her friends, family, and even a few love interests. Upon release, the series became an instant success and has been especially praised for its refreshing depiction of an Indian-American family.
The season 2 announcement arrived this afternoon in the form of a hilarious video clip tweeted out from Never Have I Ever's official account. In it, the cast members all begin to join a video call with Ramakrishnan. Every time she attempts to share the exciting news, another cast mate joins in and interrupts to comment on her new bangs. Once Ramakrishnan is finally able to announce season 2, her co-star Darren Barnet quips: "Wow, that is much better news than you getting bangs." Check out the video below:
The conclusion of the video promises that season 2 is "coming soon," so it's clear Netflix has not yet set a release date. Regardless, the news will surely land well among the show's viewers, most of whom have spent plenty of time obsessing over the first season as they waited anxiously for a renewal announcement. Considering season 1's 96% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it can be safely assumed critics will also be pleased with the news and eager to see what Kaling does next.
Based on the show's breadth of critical and commercial success, Netflix's decision to renew Never Have I Ever feels like a bit of a no-brainer. Although Netflix is notoriously stingy on sharing its ratings, this move can be interpreted as a clear sign the show raked in lots of streaming traffic on the platform, or at least generated enough conversation for season 2 to make sense. Hopefully, the new season will be just as successful, even bringing in new viewers who haven't yet checked out the first.
Source: Never Have I Ever/Twitter