Master of None

This week I decided to watch the first 6 episodes of the Netflix Original Master of None. Most of my friends have already seen this show, so I thought it was time for me to get on board. I had heard about Aziz Ansari’s stellar writing, direction, and acting, so I was really excited to see the show that turned Ansari from a supporting character (think Parks and Rec) into the star of his own show.

The storyline of the show is relatively simple: Dev (played by Ansari) is an average millennial navigating life in New York City and all of the modern problems that come with that. He’s a 30 year old actor who has yet to do anything major with his acting career, and is in a less than desirable place, romantically and financially. Like any good comedy, he has a cast of eclectic characters surrounding him that have their own goals and motivations.

In the pilot episode, Dev encounters the risk of pregnancy with a woman that he’s just met, causing him to contemplate the logistics of fatherhood. Next we see him reach out to his parents, asking to know more about the sacrifices that they made in coming to America. He deals with racism and sexism, and tackles each new issue with the same “can-do” attitude.

The first thing that stood out to me about this show was the fact that Dev is based around the personality of Ansari. I’ve seen interviews of Ansari before, and he acts with mannerisms extremely similar to those of Dev. I don’t know if this was intentional or not, but it makes the show interesting to watch. I don’t know if any of you have ever seen the movie The Truman Show, but when I watch Master of None, I can’t help but be reminded of that. Dev feels so real, and it seems like the experiences that he has are legitimate. Like The Truman Show, it appears that we have stepped into the world of a man who is completely unaware that he is being watched by millions of people. We see Dev struggle with heartbreak and disappointment, and it feels more like a long-distance relationship than a completely scripted show.

On a different note, I think that this show speaks volumes about Ansari’s diverse abilities as a comedian and creator. The work that he’s done on this show in particular is really interesting to me. He does not direct every episode, but a lot of the episodes are directed by people who also act in the show. Obviously, this isn’t the first time that this has been done, but it is an element of the show that I find interesting.

I will definitely continue to watch this show. To be honest, I have binge watched 12 episodes over the past three days, so it’s safe to say that I enjoy it. I look forward to seeing more of Ansari’s work!