Master Of None: 10 Reasons It's The Most Underrated Netflix Original Series

Regular life can be interesting.

By Lukasz Muniowski /

Master of None may not be the first name that comes to mind when discussing the Netflix's original series.

Advertisement

In terms of hype it falls way behind the likes of House of Cards, Narcos or Stranger Things. Even with regards to comedies it's not really as popular as BoJack Horseman or Netflix flagship dramedy Orange is the New Black.

It doesn't feature strong, charismatic characters, nor complicated plots which take a whole season to reveal. Instead, it's a series about life as experienced by most of us. It's about uneventful days, awkward conversations with parents, and generally finding happiness in failure.

In the second season the creators Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang change the scenery for a moment, taking the protagonist Dev (played by Ansari) from crowded New York to Modena, Italy. The city has an actual small town feel, but that doesn't contribute to the show slowing down, nor diverting from its regular topics.

The force of the show lies in the fact that it doesn't depend on big budget, known faces - although some appear here as well - or special effects, but rather interesting scripts and observations. It's a show that's naturally funny, and totally underrated among its Netflix peers.

10. It Appreciates Everyday Situations

No current show handles the everyday with such gusto as Master of None. Azari and Yang are genuinely fascinated with everyday moments and through their writing bring out the most out of situations which are usually taken for granted by almost everyone. This is best exemplified by episode nine, season one, Mornings. In it Dev and Rachel learn that everyday life, while sometimes boring, even infuriating, should actually be appreciated.

Advertisement

This doesn't mean that the show avoids complicated topics like religion or tradition. It's just that it handles them with unseen simplicity. The fact that these issues are stripped to basics and applied to regular situations - like really enjoying pork, but being unable to eat it because of being Muslim - allows for a deeper discussion. Confronting ideology with regular situations is a source of humor, yet it also checks if a given worldview is actually sustainable and achievable.

Advertisement