“Master of None” is a Netflix series created by comedian Aziz Ansari and Alan Young. It follows the story of Ansari’s character, Dev Shah, as Ansari uses the show as a platform for social commentary and to share his views on several topics. Each of the 10 episodes primarily focuses on a particular issue.
1. The show comments on diversity in television.
On the show, Eric Wareheim plays Dev's best friend, Arnold. In an interviewwith Jimmy Fallon, Ansari says, “Eric is my token white friend and we gave him a stereotypical white role. He’s a fully-rounded character.” Also, in the fourth episode, “Indians on TV,” Ansari questions why two Indian actors cannot appear in the same television series, as well as the necessity of accents for characters in racially stereotypical roles.
2. The show sheds light on the daily experiences of women.
On the show, Dev’s female friends enlighten him on some of their personal experiences, from being followed at night to receiving harassing comments online.
3. The series highlights how immigrant parents may be taken for granted and that their children should take time to ask them about their stories because they can be so different from those of their kids.
Ansari’s real parents play his parents on the show. Ansari’s father, a doctor, agreed to act in the show because he wanted to spend more time with his son.
4. The show portrays Ansari’s take on relationships and texting in our generation when trying to make plans with another person.
Some of Ansari’s views on relationships and marriageare incorporated into the show.
5. The dialogue in the show is honest and spells out exactly what is happening.
In doing so, it points out how frequently we make assumptions in daily interactions.
"Master of None" is available for binge-watching on Netflix.