Results for tag "master-of-none"

Master of None is a series released to Netflix this year and already greenlit for a second season, starring Aziz Ansari, who created, co-wrote (with his deceased best friend, not deceased at the time of writing, though had he been this would be a more interesting fact) and his brother. It’s loosely based on a lot of the material in his stand-up shows. It’s remarkable.

It’s remarkable in it’s general lack of remarkableness. It’s mundane at times, ultra-realistic at others (painfully so) and pretty much a slow burn. But that’s what i really appreciated about it. It had the potential of being broad comedy, and managed to be many other things instead: it was a show about a single guy in his late twenties to early thirties faced with life type issues, such as dating, career, self-image, familial baggage, and so on. It was one of those roles written the way non-white or non-male actors describe their Platonic ideal: it’s all character, and not beholden to the main character’s ethnicity or gender. And yet it’s very much about both ethnicity and gender, skewering the racism against indian actors in Hollywood, mixed relationships, guy vs. girl behavior and expectations, sexism, and much more. Yet, while it is a brilliant spotlight on double-standards in Hollywood, and while Dev does indeed stand in for Aziz, from his Nickelodeon internship to ethnic stereotyping to relationship issues to his character’s burgeoning love of cooking (Aziz is the bartender to his girlfriend’s culinary expertise as a known gourmet chef) it is still written about a human, not a stereotyped ethnic or gender-specific person. Meaning that it could have been cast as a Japanese woman, and all they would need to do* is change the contextual stereotyping and gender-specific anecdotes. It would still work. I asterix that because it is both an everyguy relatable character, and so very specifically Aziz Ansari. Kind of a riddle, I guess.

The supporting cast is excellent. I’ve always really liked Noelle Wells, from her one season foray (and unfair firing) from SNL, and her web presence, and it was great casting having her as the recurring love interest. Specifically, she’s a very down to earth, normal looking yet very cute and interesting presence. She’s no ‘manic pixie’ whatever but she’s no supermodel. She feels real in the role. The writing is very good at easing us into knowing these people through characterization. A highlight was an episode focusing on a surprise whirlwind date weekend trip to another state, which felt like a documentary. The strong standout for me was Aziz’ father (and mother) playing Dev’s parents. He is so naturally infectious and quirky, I wanted him to be in every episode.

The finale was bittersweet and realistic, and involves a clever misdirection that both disappointed in some way as far as the emotional narrative and grew his character arc in another way that was actually the kind of smoldering awesome that sticks with you for days after seeing it. I’m STILL thinking about the last scene.

Highly recommended.

TACOS!