Never Have I Ever Season 4 Episode 1 Review: ...lost my virginity
Denis Kimathi
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Well, they did it!
The nerds finally had sex on Never Have I Ever Season 4 Episode 1, but it wasn't all they thought it would be.
Sometimes you wait for something so long that the real thing will always disappoint.
Senior year was here, and there were a lot of changes. Sometimes change can be good, but other times, it drags someone out of their comfort zone, leaving them feeling lost.
Devi's life had some significant changes, but the biggest was that she'd lost her virginity to Ben Gross.
The version that had played out in her head saw the whole event happening like in the movies, or in her own words, Euphoria. Yet, it was underwhelming.
She didn't expect to feel like she'd been used for the first time.
But in Ben's defense, he was also not an expert on the subject, and if it was worth anything, he felt bad about the whole affair.
Devi and Ben's feelings for each other were a muddled mess building up over four years. First and foremost, they were academic rivals. Then they developed some love-hate feelings, which turned romantic.
Even though they'd have preferred that it went differently, their first time together was what one would expect. It was a step in the right direction that they needed to make, even when it wasn't what they wanted the most.
It cleared up their tension with the constant will-they-won't-they. It turns out they won't.
Taking advice from your girls, who are as experienced as you are, would not be advisable under any circumstances, but they were the only thing Devi had at the moment.
Ben received advice from an unlikely source; even if it was not the best, it gave him some clarity.
With the sexual tension out of the way, Ben and Devi were set to focus on the most important issue: Getting into great colleges. Maybe the whole thing was a blessing in disguise as now they can team up and ace these tests, or knowing them, they'd remain competitive.
The previous season saw Paxton enter college, but what now? He'd wanted to prove that he could do it, and he'd done it.
High school can be a weird place where people don't see anything beyond that. They think the world will be modeled after their little high school in the middle of nowhere, but the reality is much different on getting out.
Many people stagnate in that mentality and can never escape it. They realize that they peaked in high school, barely a quarter into the rest of their life.
This was the reality Paxton was experiencing, where he was the guy he used to make fun of. He was the butt of the joke.
Boy 1: Yo, Jackson. Who you talking to?
Paxton: It's, uh, Paxton.
Boy 1: Your friend's name is Paxton? -Shit, that rhymes with your name.
Paxton: No, I… I'm-- It's just a friend from home. What are you guys up to?
Boy 1: It sucks, bro. The rager in my room is a no-go. My roommate has mono.
Boy 2: Dude, that sucks. Told you he was a pussy for getting mono.
Paxton: We could do it here. I mean, I'd be cool with that. I used to party a lot in high school. I was, like, constantly getting invited to parties and stuff, so…
Boy 1: Yeah, okay. Sure you were. But all right. We can put the keg on your bed.
Boy 2: Damn, bro, that's cold.
College was a huge change for him. If he thought he didn't care, some guys care less. If he thought he was a party animal, some other guys were party monsters.
He wished for the life he'd left behind at Sherman Oaks, but some doors, once closed, cannot be reopened.
He was feeling lost and longing for what was familiar, like playing stupid jokes with Trent.
Speaking of Trent, his act was over. It had been cute when he was younger, but now everyone was outgrowing him.
Paxton was in college doing great things during Never Have I Ever Season 4, yet Trent was making fake boners as pranks.
Eleanor's future as an actress was looking better and better, and he had no place in it. Cracks had started to develop in what was previously a great relationship.
Growing up would do that to you.
Eleanor realized that Trent had no goals or aspirations. He was happy being the village, well, school clown. And she didn't see a future with him.
Eleanor: What's your schedule like?
Trent: Yeah, I'm super busy too, with classes.
Devi: Oh, what are you taking? We're all in BC Calc and AP Lit.
Trent: Oh, I wanted to take those classes, but they just sounded too easy for me, so I'm in BP Frigonometry.
Trent might be stupid, but he did the smartest thing he's ever done for once. He realized he was dragging Eleanor down with him.
I mean, a proposal?
Fabiola's future was pretty much cemented because she'd get into a great college, but what would she be leaving behind?
Robotics Club had been her haven in that chaotic place, and she wished she could make it the same for other Fabiola's of the future. Her focus was making it the coolest club.
And yes, it was cool, but the crowd it attracted left a lot to be desired. In 2023, girls should be empowered to pursue anything they want. Why weren't they?
Fabiola: Eric, everyone who showed up is a guy. Isn't that kinda weird?
Eric: Well, that's probably because statistically men are more--
Fabiola: Stop. I'm already offended by however you're going to finish that sentence.
Eric: Torres, guys just tend to like this stuff more than girls. That's why it's so cool you're the only girl on the team. You're special.
It was a problem; if there was anything Fabiola was good at, it was solving problems.
A minor change in Devi's life was that she had a car for at least half a day before someone vandalized it. Devi is driven by passion. She needs someone else to write her a recommendation letter and find whoever tagged her car.
One academic motivation and the other pure anger. That's what keeps Devi powered up.
Senior year would be interesting, and they were not ready for it.
With Ben and Paxton out of the way, Devi was free to set her sights on another guy. She had gone after the hottest guy, then her frenemy crush; getting someone new would be a walk in the park.
Ben: Look, I think we're both just insecure and competitive, and we always manage to hurt each other. And as my close personal friend Dwight Howard said while we were hanging out the other day… I need a girlfriend who makes me feel, I don't know, more, like, at ease, or, like, happier with myself. I need that. You should have that too.
Devi: I can do that.
Ben: No, you can't. That's why I'm staying with Margot.
Devi: I accept that.
"…lost my virginity" was a great season premiere doing a great job setting up the season conflicts and making the show's end feel real. The jokes were a hit, as always.
What did you think? Let us know in the comments section.
Denis Kimathi was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He has watched more dramas and comedies than he cares to remember. Catch him on social media obsessing over [excellent] past, current, and upcoming shows or going off about the politics of representation on TV. Follow him on X.
