I got into Master of None because of Aziz Ansari. I thought his stand-up was good and his role in Parks and Recreation was great, and when I saw the glowing reviews of his new Netflix show, I knew I had to check it out. At this point, I don’t really know what to say about him. Considering that I started watching Master of None because of him and that he is the lead actor/co-creator/writer, I think it’s important to bring up his sexual misconduct allegations. I don’t want to make this post about those, but I also cannot simply excuse them. Master of None is an incredibly good television show that is very progressive in its discussion of minority inclusion in media, relationship boundaries, and sexual misconduct, and I hope it can stand as a series independent of what you think about Ansari.
Synopsis: Dev Shah is a first generation Indian-American actor in New York City making his money off of a commercial he did years ago for Go-Gurt. He wants to become a more serious actor and explores roles in various TV shows and movies, yet always seems to be typecast as specifically an “Indian” character (such as a cab driver or convenience store owner with a thick, stereotypical accent). He is also a massive foodie. The plot follows Dev through his romantic, professional, and cultural exploits.
He is close friends with Arnold Baumheiser, a fellow foodie and his “token white friend,” Brian Chang, a first generation Taiwanese-American, and Denise, Dev’s childhood best friend. Dev’s parents, played by Ansari’s actual parents, also frequently appear on the show.
Hallmarks: Each of the two seasons features a chief romantic interest for Dev, but the show is never reduced to just their relationship. It gives almost ample time in each season to Dev’s experiences in media, Dev’s experience of his family’s cultural history, and the trials and tribulations of his group of friends.
Favorite Episode: Considering that I don’t entirely know what to make of Ansari at this point, the main reason I wanted to write about Master of None was one particular episode. Don’t get me wrong, the whole show is incredible, but season 2, episode 8, “Thanksgiving” has got to be one of the top three episodes of anything I’ve ever seen in my entire life. It follows the story of Denise coming out to her family and them growing to accept her, all through the lense of their Thanksgiving meal from year to year. Lena Waithe, who plays Denise, became the first African-American woman to ever win an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series for her work on “Thanksgiving.”
I would recommend Master of None to anyone who enjoys the hybrid of comedy and drama. It’s a funny show that will also make you feel things, and I see that as a very good thing. Regardless of your preferences, I would recommend “Thanksgiving” specifically to absolutely anyone and everyone. I cannot stress how amazing of an episode it is.
Featured Image: from https://cineaddiction.com/2017/12/21/top-10-catia-melo/
Bram, I appreciate your sensitivity towards Aziz’s sexual misconduct allegations. It definitely is relevant to the show, but I also appreciate you separating the merit of the writers against the alleged decisions of an actor. I watched the show through season 1 but never returned to watch season 2. Considering your review for “Thanksgiving” (and apparently everyone else’s), I’ll definitely put the show back on my list. Thanks for the recommendation!