Pumpkin Person rating: 8.5/10

Never have I ever is a teen dromedy on Netflix created by Indian American actress/writer/producer Mindy Kaling. The show has been a huge success, drawing 40 million households worldwide in its first four weeks and now renewed for its 4th season.

I watched the first three seasons and was very impressed. The main character is Brahman brainiac Devi Vishwakumar who feels that losing her virginity to Paxton (the coolest kid in school) will maker her popular (the actor who plays Paxton is 31 causing hilarious mocking from an Nigerian viewer who watches the show on youtube).

Devi’s nemesis is the Ashkenazi Ben Gross who is the only student to rival her academically.

Devi is best friends with Elanor (an East Asian American aspiring actress) and Fabiola (a light skinned Afro-multi-racial robotic expert) who reminds me of a female Obama (like the real Obama in youth, she socializes more with Asians than African Americans ) . The three smartest characters on the show (in no particular order) are Devi, Ben and Fabiola and all show correlates of high IQ. Ethnic background in the case of Devi and Ben and tall skinny light skinned physique in the case of Fabiola. Given that this is a pretty typical California public school, I estimate the three smartest grads a year have an average IQ of 140 (U.S. norms).

Meanwhile at home, Devi lives with her mother (a stereotypical Indian doctor) and her cousin (a Cal Tech student) who Devi is ashamed of because she thinks she’s “too Indian”. But Devi’s shame turns to indignant jealousy when she sees the way guys slobber over her cousin’s light skinned beauty.

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