By: Jessie Levinson
For those of you who know (and love) Aziz Ansari, it’s practically a given that you also watched season one of Master of None. Even though his very extra character Tom Haverford in Parks and Recreation can be a lot, Aziz Ansari is one of the greatest guys in Hollywood. From his book on modern romance to his stand-up comedy to Master of None, he is definitely up there as one of the most woke comedians. So for those who enjoy socially aware, social justice-y comedy, Master of None is the perfect show. Here are a few reasons why you need to start watching, especially since season 2 is out this May.
1. It talks about real issues.
Starting with the first few episodes, the show delves into what it’s like to be the child of immigrant parents. In this hilarious portrayal of the complex relationship Ansari’s character Dev has with his parents (who are actually his parents in real life too!), it shows the real generational and cultural differences kids born in America to immigrant parents face.
2. It talks about racism.
From Dev trying to land a role in Hollywood to babysitting white children, Master of None subtly, but not so subtly, points out all the different kinds of racism still happening in America, especially with Indians.
3. It’s feminist.
While the lead character is male, there are some very strong female characters in the show. There is even an episode dedicated to the challenges women face when they go out for an evening and how their walk home late on a Friday night is much different than a man’s walk home late on a Friday night.
4. It has awkward, situational humor.
The situations Dev gets into are completely realistic situations that happen to all of us, but are also kind of awkward. For example, when Dev is babysitting his friend’s kids, they are doing what kids do and embarrassing Dev. They shout out people’s ethnicities in public and make him go into the women’s bathroom with them. It’s a funny, honest depiction of children.
5. The entire cast is golden.
In addition to Ansari, the other cast members are hilarious and very diverse. All of them add their own humor and flare to the show, making it more than just Ansari’s show.
6. Even though it is a comedy, there is still some drama.
Dev gets into a serious relationship, followed by a rut in both his relationship and life — common things that happen to most normal people that aren’t usually accurately depicted in television. For example, Dev and his girlfriend argue about how to squeeze the toothpaste out. This is something silly and insignificant, but shows the little, less ideal or mythical sides of love. It is not just a perfect romantic comedy. It’s actually real life.
7. It has great one-liners.
Similar to the wit of 30 Rock, Master of None is definitely killing it in the one-liner category. There aren’t many moments when the characters aren’t saying something clever and funny.
8. Dev is all of us.
He worries about his love life, gets confused by texting culture, and gets mad about things all of us get mad about.
So for those of you who haven’t watched Master of None, get onto Netflix ASAP. Who doesn’t want to be entertained and informed at the same time?