‘Never Have I Ever’s Mother-Daughter Relationship Has Always Been The Show’s Greatest Love Story (2024)

Never Have I Ever Season 4 — which premiered on Netflix June 8 — followed Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) from the first day of senior year at Sherman Oaks High School to graduation, showed her acceptance to Princeton, and finally answered one of Season 1’s biggest questions: Paxton (Darren Barnet) or Ben (Jaren Lewison)?

Since the start of Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher’s coming-of-age dramedy, fans were smitten by Devi’s love triangle with the hottest, most popular jock in town and her far more dorky intellectual nemesis. Throughout Never Have I Ever‘s 40 episodes, Devi had her fair share of vulnerable, sweet, sexy, heartbreaking moments with each guy, and though she finds closure with both before the series ends, the fourth and final season reminds us that the show’s most crucial, compelling relationship has always been between Devi and her mom Nalini (Poorna Jagannathan).

When Never Have I Ever began, both Devi and Nalini were neck-deep in grief, independently trying to navigate life without Devi’s dad, Mohan (Sendhil Ramamurthy), who died from a heart attack at her orchestra concert. Frequent mother/daughter screaming matches were born from bottled-up emotions, poor communication, and different processing paces. But a root cause of their Season 1 turmoil was a recurring memory Devi had from the night her dad died. In a pre-orchestra concert fight, she told her mom she hated her and later overheard Nalini telling Mohan, “I give up, she’s no daughter of mine.” In the present day, when Nalini told Devi they’re moving back to India because she can’t raise her alone, Devi flashes back to that painful night and finally released her anguish, saying, “I heard what you said the night dad died, that I wasn’t your daughter…I lost the only parent that actually cared about me.I wish you were the one that died that night.”

Nalini is introduced as a no-nonsense mom who holds Devi accountable for her mistakes, prohibits dating, demands outstanding intellect, teaches her about her culture, and always pushes her to do her best. She’s undoubtedly tough, but Nalini’s struggles to loosen up stem from her own grief, fear, and a heightened responsibility to protect what’s left of her family. Nalini didn’t just lose her partner, she lost the one person who helped her feel at home and grounded in America. And in trying to stay strong to shield Devi from that pain, she isolates her daughter until the Season 1 finale, when advice from Dr. Ryan (Niecy Nash) helps her realize falling apart could help bring them back together.

While spreading Mohan’s ashes at the beach, Devi and her mom break down crying in each other’s arms. “Sometimes I also wish I was the one who died,” Nalini said. “I love you. You’re my only child. You’re my whole family.” Season 1 ends on a high note, but seconds into Season 2, Nalini screams at Devi for kissing Ben, but in a twist, “lets it slide” because she, too, made rash decisions when emotional before. That back and forth — the delicate balance between outbursts and understanding— helps make their relationship so authentic and relatable. Though their progress is obvious as the series moves forward, Devi and Nalini never morph into a perfect mother/daughter duo who outgrow their flaws and get along every second of every day, because perfection is unattainable. Over Never Have I Ever‘s four seasons, however, they make an active effort to break barriers between them, empathize and compromise more frequently, and be kinder to themselves and each other. They’ll still let sentences they regret slip here and there, but they’ve learned to forgive. And they’ll always have their messy moments, but they’ve learned to share the clean-up.

Even after their emotional Season 1 breakthrough, Nalini doesn’t think twice when grounding Devi for sneaking out to parties or getting suspended from school. She wants to teach her there are consequences for her actions, but no punishment in the Vishwakumar household goes without reconciliation. And the penultimate episode of Never Have I Ever Season 3 proves Nalini mastered the art of the heart-to-heart. After “ripping Rhyah (Sarauyu Blue) a new one” for suggesting her son break up with Devi, Nalini reminds her daughter she persevered through something unimaginable. “You’re never too much, and you’re always enough. And one day you will find someone who loves you exactly as you are. Just like I do,” she says.

As their relationship evolves for the better throughout the seasons, a new respect and admiration for her mom radiates through Devi’s actions. She goes from sabotaging Nalani’s date with Dr. Jackson in Season 2 to trying to set her up with Andres in Season 4. And she even swallows her pride and makes amends with his daughter Margot to do so. After seeing Paxton and his dad embrace in Season 3, Devi realizes she doesn’t want to spend her senior year in Colorado because it means she’d be missing precious moments away from her mom.

Devi clings tightly to each word her mother says, so even the simplest positive sentiments — like telling Devi she believes in her — resonate, build confidence, and fuel her to better herself. For anyone watching the series in need of validation and security, Nalini’s pep talks also speak volumes. In a Mother’s Day 2023 Instagram post, Jagannathan shared three stills of her and Ramakrishnan alongside a touching story of a Never Have I Ever fan who was impacted by Devi and Nalini’s complex, beautiful, imperfect relationship. “When I was in India this time, I received a compliment that stopped me in my tracks. A gorgeous young girl who was trans said she loved the show and thanked me for ‘mothering her, especially at times when her own mother couldn’t show up for her,'” she wrote.

In Season 4, Nalini admits that she and Devi were “trapped in that bad place for so long,” but they’ve fully emerged from it by the time she heads off to college. On the night before move-in day, Devi admits she’s overwhelmed at the thought of leaving home, so Nalini helps her pack her suitcase. “I’m scared, too. Why do you think I’ve been such a bitch?” Nalini, famous B-word hater, jokingly says. (Have we mentioned how FUNNY Nalini is through all her parenting?)”I know one thing — your father would have been really proud of you. I am so proud of you. And I will miss having my little girl here, but I just can’t wait for the world to see what you can do.”

Showing the two embrace, eyes overflowing with love and tears, would have been a satisfying ending. But Never Have I Ever took things a step further with a full-circle scene that shows Devi’s growth and unshakable love for her mother. As a callback to the first scene of the show, Devi prays to the gods before her first day of school, but instead of making yet another superficial request, she asks them to keep an eye on her mom while she’s gone. Boys came and went, but from start to finish, Devi and Nalini not only remained, but deepened their bond, let themselves learn from one another, and promised a lifetime of love.

All four seasons of Never Have I Ever are now streaming on Netflix.