Master Of None is a slice of life comedy headed by Aziz Ansari, packed with creative episode premises, charming humor, social commentary, and plenty of heart.
In the grand scheme of things, Master Of None doesn't have much of a plot. The main character Dev is a struggling actor who has his own life to lead. Each season follows Dev as he tries to secure his big break, while also dealing with his feelings for whoever is the love interest for the season. Despite the obvious focus on Dev, there's a really solid cast of characters. Dev's friends Arnold and Denise are both entertaining to watch on their own, but the real star of the show are his parents. Aziz Ansari casted his own parents in the role of his characters' parents, and they are absolutely hilarious and adorable to watch. They just exude that wholesome parent energy that makes them perfect for the role.
Master Of None's biggest strength is probably its variety and willingness to experiment, especially in the show's second season. Aziz Ansari is willing to take risks, ranging from a double-length homage to romantic comedies, to a black-and-white Italian-esque film, to an episode that only portrays Dev's mornings with his new girlfriend, to an episode that focuses on and fleshes out an entirely new cast. Even with this heavy variety, Master Of None manages to stay consistently funny and well-written, and the writing feels thoughtful and genuine. Despite its name, Master Of None feels like a jack of all trades that actually manages to be a master of some of them.
There are a lot of noteworthy and memorable episodes, but some of my favorites include:
Mornings: This was one of the episodes I mentioned and a highlight of Season 1. This entire episode managed to chronicle Dev's relationship with his girlfriend Rachel only by showing their mornings, from when they wake up to when they head to work. It's a creative concept executed very well, packed with fun humor up until their relationship starts to show its cracks.
The Thief/Le Nozze: Season 2 starts with what feels like a two-parter about Dev's time in Italy. The first episode, The Thief, is a homage to classic, black-and-white Italian films and is a joy to watch. Le Nozze is more character-driven but feels like a funny and heartwarming love letter to everything that makes Italy so great. An heartwarming couple of episodes that demonstrate a love for the country.
First Date: This episode was just hysterical, jumping between around half-a-dozen of Dev's first dates. The similarities and differences led to a lot of funny moments throughout the episode, culminating in the hilarious sequence where Dev spends one of his first dates jamming to Scatman in the car.
Thanksgiving: Denise gets an entire episode to herself, and it manages to be one of the, if not the finest episode in the whole show. Her coming-out story is beautifully and heart-wrenching presented while still managing to keep the same humor that the show is known for. It's easily one of the most realistic representations of coming out in TV history.
Amarsi un Po: Easily the longest episode in the series by around twenty minutes, Amarsi un Po feels like its own movie. It's a romantic comedy about Dev dealing with his feelings for Francesca, packed with plenty of sweet humor, beautiful cinematography, and a memorable final scene in a helicopter where all of the emotions from the past season come to the forefront.
Overall, Master Of None was a strong slice of life comedy that may be lacking in plot, but manages to more than make up for it in creativity, humor, and heart.
4/5 for Season 1
5/5 for Season 2
4.5/5 Stars
Favorite Episode: Thanksgiving
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