5 reasons why Filipino girls will love new Netflix show 'Never Have I Ever'

There’s a new teen comedy on Netflix called "Never Have I Ever," and it’s about an Indian-American highschooler who attempts to change her social status after a horrible freshman year.

It has all the ingredients of a classic coming-of-age story: The main character Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrushnan) has her eyes set on the hottest boy in school while dealing with her friends, her arch nemesis and her conservative mom.

But don’t be fooled — "Never Have I Ever," which was created by actress and comedian Mindy Kaling ("The Office," "Mindy Office") digs deep into the complicated life of a modern-day teenager with traditional Hindu roots.

The 10-part series also offers a very modern take on how the pressure and drama of growing up is coupled with a  "me vs. the world" mindset and the pain of being shut-out and misunderstood.

For all of you trying to decide what to watch next at home during quarantine, we rounded up a few things about "Never Have I Ever" that we think Filipino girls would really enjoy:

1. Devi is a different kind of heroine

^{Photo courtesy of Netflix}

Devi is a first-generation Indian-American teenager who was raised in Los Angeles by Indian parents.

She grew up to be an overachieving student who had a "short fuse" which tends to get her in trouble. But she’s also headstrong and adventurous, with all her pop culture references and a strategic plan to hook up with the hottest boy in school.

2. Girls with conservative or controlling parents will be able to relate

^{Photo courtesy of Netflix}

There aren’t any jump-scares in "Never Have I Ever," but the audience brace themselves for some mother-and-daughter truth bombs.

Girls who think their parents are too protective might want to see how Devi and her mom, Nalini, patch things up and reflect on how it made their relationship stronger than it ever was before.

3. That Japanese-American guy who plays Paxton is hot

^{Photo courtesy of Netflix}

Japanese-American actor Darren Barnet, who plays Devi’s crush Paxton Hall-Yoshida, is definitely head-turning, with his washboard abs and swimming pool scenes.

Devi's fate is also intertwined with her nemesis-turned-friend Ben Gross (Jaren Lewinson), who knows her all too well after years of trying to be better than her at school.

This out-of-the-box love triangle is definitely one to look out for.

4. The cast is amazingly diverse

^{Photo courtesy of Netflix}

Devi and her best friends Fabiola Torres (Lee Rodriguez) and Eleanor Wong (Ramona Young) are known to the school as "UN," which is a mean, stereotypical dig at their ethnicity.

Luckily, the girls are too smart and talented girls to let it bother them.

The show also tackles the struggles of being a member of the LGBT community in high school and how difficult it can be to come out to their friends and parents.

5. The show is unafraid to tackle grief and tradition

^{Photo courtesy of Netflix}

"Never Have I Ever" explores themes that have not been explored that much in American romantic comedies, including the Indian tradition of arranged marriages.

Devi’s mom Nalini, who is deeply concerned over her daughter’s head-over-heels and hard-headed moments, also made it a goal to make sure her niece Kamala (Richa Moorjani) impresses her potential fiance’s parents.

This is only one of the many ways Mindy Kaling was able to away from the norm as she tells the story of a young Hindu girl in a country with different cultures.

All 10 episodes of "Never Have I Ever" are currently available on Netflix.

—JCB, GMA News