Master of None - Season 1 Review
Treat Yo Self with one of the best shows of the year!
An entire scene in Aziz Ansari’s Master of None is dedicated to Dev(Aziz) and Arnold(Eric Wareheim) just walking and discussing a verse of Lose Yourself by Eminem, a very solid discussion but nothing else happens in the scene. In another scene Dev just sits and searches for the best taco place in the city on the internet which ends with him saying, ‘What am I supposed to do? Eat the second-best taco like some kind of asshole?’ So, yeah get ready for some unconventional and offbeat yet surprisingly clever comedy.
Master of None is the story of Dev, a taco loving Indian actor, trying to make it in New York City’s dating scene. To call Master of None a sitcom would be insulting to what Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang have so masterfully created. It delves deep into the sociological effects of certain decisions one makes in life. It can be seen as a commentary on how today’s generation deals with relationships with their parents, friends and romantic endeavours. It just might be the most socially accurate show by far with its racially diverse yet flawlessly merged cast.
Each episode deals with a different issue, from how children of today treat their parents to the state of Indian actors in Hollywood. All the episodes are diverse in terms of the experience they give their audience and finally when all these experiences amalgamate towards the end, we get a journey which uncovers today’s social norms and facilitates certain revelations in all its characters. At the same time, Aziz and Alan retains the charm and fun-ness of Dev throughout the season which makes it exponentially more re-watchable.
The heartbreaking truth about how today’s generation treat their parents, in its second episode ‘Parents’, is ingeniously realized by the creators. Almost everyone born in the current generation is guilty of everything that is depicted in the episode and no one can deny it. Fun Fact: Aziz Ansari’s real parents are Dev’s parents in the show. Shoukath Ansari who plays Dev’s father Ramesh is absolutely dynamite. The chemistry between Dev and his father is a reflection of their relationship in real life, genuine and full of heart.
Noel Wells’ Rachel remains Dev’s romantic interest throughout the season. Although Dev dates a couple girls during the season, Rachel stands out. They have an instant connection with each other which does not wither throughout. Episode 9 entitled ‘Mornings’ explores their relationship in a very unconventional and intelligent manner.
A refreshing take on the current state of Indian actors is hilariously presented in the show. One line from the show, ‘There can be one, but there can’t be two’ is enough to explain the truth. The lack of diversity and the fake or projected diversity in today’s shows and movies is very realistically realized.
The performances by everyone are fantastic. Aziz Ansari does a brilliant job in portraying Dev. He is quirky when he needs to be and serious when the story demands him to be. The gorgeous Noel Wells does a really great job as Rachel. Aziz and Noel are the definition of perfect. Eric Wareheim as Arnold, Kelvin Yu as Brian and Lena Waithe as Denise are the perfect friends to Dev. Each of them brings out something different out of him which is immensely fun to watch. A special mention for Shoukath Ansari for playing Dev’s father. He is the real discovery of the show.
Master of None is a delight to watch with its Louie-ish feel and some shades of Tom Haverford, from the incredible show Parks and Recreation, rooted deep within Aziz’s character. It is the most binge-able show of the year and certainly one of the best shows of the year if not the best.
