Netflix has some really excellent original content, and one of its most recent releases is Aziz Ansari’s show, Master of None. After binge watching it, in its entirety, practically all in one sitting, it became obvious that this show was something special and interesting.
From his character as Tom Haverford on Parks and Recreation to his stand-up, Ansari’s personality comes forth through his comedy, and this show follows suit. Master of None is a collection of ten episodes, each spanning roughly 30 minutes about a 30-something guy, Dev, living in New York City, pursuing an acting career.
For this series Ansari has partnered up with Alan Yang, who worked as a producer on Parks and Recreation, Date and Switch and has been nominated for numerous awards. The partnership has proven successful, as the show is smart, captivating and thought provoking.
The show is investigating important topics through its storytelling. The pieces Ansari and Yang have used to develop this show create a space for people to go and laugh while critically analyzing societal trends being shown. An article in Variety states that Master of None “is proof that when approached with genuine curiosity, witty self-awareness and clear-eyed intelligence, topics like race, immigration, sexism and entitlement can be terrific fodder for comedy.”
Dev portrays the struggles of his generation through dating and communication problems after asking a girl to a concert and having to wait three days for her to text back with an answer. This is a story rooted in the concept that texting and social media have blurred the lines of communication, making it harder to truly connect with each other. This concept is all too real for many people trying to navigate their way through relationships and communication, romantic or otherwise.
In the episode, entitled “Parents,” the relationship between Dev and his father is explored. Dev has a friend, Brian, a Taiwanese-American, whose relationship with his father is shown simultaneously. Through these investigations, the episode was able to tell the stories of people immigrating to the United States to provide a better life for their families. Ansari is using comedy to provide a platform that sheds light on new and innovative storylines.
Another episode entitled “Indians on TV” considers the ways racism and stereotyping present themselves in the movie and television industries. Dev, while auditioning for roles, is accidentally forwarded a racist email from a TV executive stating that there cannot be two Indian characters on one show. Spiraling forward, Dev begins asking real questions about misrepresentation of race in television and cinema. Through a story about Dev’s audition process, important patterns about stereotypes and the dynamics of racism are exposed.
Aziz Ansari, who is still young at the age of 32, has created a show that knows what it is doing, knows where it is going and knows what it wants to accomplish. An article in the Hollywood Reporter states, “Master of None shows an increasingly deft hand as Ansari starts coming of age as a creator.” His development as a comedian through his stand-up and television content is fun to watch and many viewers sit in anticipation for more, myself included.