Never Have I Ever's season 4 ending reminds us what it's always been about

There was also her relationship with Nirdesh in season 3, which broke down due to his overbearing mother, and in season 4 she was sucked into Ethan's orbit after initially resisting him, which almost jeopardised her college prospects, and very nearly landed her a criminal record.

But, as entertaining as all of that was, this series has never been about Devi's boy troubles.

After her father collapsed and died right in front of her eyes during an orchestra recital, her life changed forever. At first, the most overt symptom of Devi's grief was the loss of her legs, which stopped working without warning or medical explanation.

But as we spent more time with her, the emotional impact of her trauma quickly became clear: Devi was brimming with white hot rage.

The injustice of her father's premature passing bore down on her at all times, manifesting in a temper that was quick to take hold, with anyone or anything capable of sending Devi into a frenzy.

Whether at school or at home, confrontation was simply par for the course, as regular as taking a shower, with her mother, in particular, suffering the harshest blows.

"I wish you were the one that had died that night," she said during one particularly brutal row, which not only left Nalini broken-hearted and lost for words, but also deepened Devi's self-loathing and her belief that she would never be able to assume control of her own emotions, leaving her feeling isolated and at the mercy of her rage.

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But through her therapy sessions with Dr Ryan and the benefit of time, Devi came to learn that she was both far stronger than she had given herself credit for, and if she wanted to swim rather than sink she must confront her emotions rather than fight them.

"When I first met you, you were a closed-off, angry little thing," said Dr Ryan. "You didn't want to get in touch with your feelings, your pain, your trauma. All you wanted to do was break stuff. But look at you. Look how far you've come. You faced your trauma and came out the other side. You survived. You're a survivor."

The Paxton-Ben love triangle had taken centre stage for much of Never Have I Ever, but Devi's growth, which led her to that moment of powerful self-reflection, was always the beating heart of this narrative.

As well as turning its attention to the future as Devi headed off to Princeton, Never Have I Ever also took a moment to look back and address the reason the comedy was written in the first place: how do you move forward when a parent dies?

As she's packing for the next stage of her life, Devi is struck by the realisation that she's not only saying goodbye to her mother and the familiarity of her home, but to her father, also, whose memories are scattered throughout the Vishwakumar household.

It's a potent reminder that the grieving process isn't linear. Even when you've just secured a place at one of the best universities in the world, the dark clouds can suddenly gather.

No matter her age, her academic and professional accomplishments, her relationship status or any of the other defining markers that coalesce to create a person, she will always carry her father's loss. But Devi now understands that it's a crucial part of her story.

Thankfully, Never Have I Ever's love triangle saga was finally settled, but it was always so much more than that.

Never Have I Ever seasons 1-4 are streaming now on Netflix. Check out our lists of the best series on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix – or see what else is on with our TV Guide. Visit our Drama hub for all the latest news.

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