Aziz Ansari, stand-up comedian and actor, broke into the entertainment industry with the help of hit television series Parks and Recreation. From there, he has gone off to star in films such as Get Him to the Greek; I Love You, Man; 30 Minutes or Less; and Funny People. Though he had extensive acting commitments, he continued his stand-up; he did a set for Comedy Central that he released via CD/DVD titled Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening, and has even appeared in an issue of the Rolling Stone as their choice for “Hot Standup” under their “Hot List.” Clearly, Ansari was one to watch for. In truth, I was never a big fan of Aziz Ansari’s stand-up routines; and, while he makes a fine actor, I never thought he stood out as being “memorable” or “interesting.” (I forgot he was in Get Him to the Greek, which should say something about his impression on me.) Master of None, Ansari’s latest outing, changed my perspective of him and his capabilities. The Netflix original—released on November 6th with all episodes airing at once—showcases wit, charm, and heart compacted beautifully and haphazardly into 10 20-30 minute episodes. With so many coming-of-age stories on the market, it is refreshing to see the concept revitalized; Ansari tells not a “coming-of-age” tale, but an “accepting-of-age” one.
Plaintively starting in a club, “I’m ready to get out of here.”
Ansari plays Dev, a 30-something year old actor trying to navigate through the world in New York. As an actor living in New York (how cliché is that?), success should come relatively easy. Unfortunately, that is not how it works, and Ansari’s (and Alan Yang’s, c0-creator and co-writer of the series) writing sharply denotes this as Dev is best known for his work on a Go-Gurt commercial. Dev goes from small gig to small gig, waiting for the opportunity to land a breakout role in something more… Worthwhile? No, that’s not it… Meaningful? Maybe, but not quite… Lucrative? Yes, lucrative. Dev is waiting to land a breakout role in something more lucrative. He gets a part in a film titled The Sickening; however, even that doesn’t help his acting career take off. Instead, the lack of take off puts Ansari in a tumultuous whirlwind of emotions, oscillating from dwindling confidence to overwhelming despondency. (And everything in between.)
Over the course of 10 episodes, we learn much about Dev; his “token white friend,” Arnold; his lesbian friend, Denise; and his quirkily melancholic love interest, Rachel. The conversations between Dev and the denizens of the Master of None universe are hilarious, with many of the jokes eliciting true laugh-out-loud moments. (Seriously, one episode made me laugh so hard I paused the show for ten minutes. Just to laugh and laugh—and laugh.) It isn’t exactly “comedic” humor; rather, the humor is natural, coming from the sarcasm and innuendo of 21st century ideology and dialogue. The jokes have a cadence that is found in everyday conversation; none of the jokes are trite or contrived. Master of None is truly a master of humor. Alongside these farcical moments, Master of None touches on a variety of societal and emotional issues. In one episode Dev has a conversation with acting colleague and friend, Benjamin (played by H. Jon Benjamin, the same dude who voices Carl in Family Guy and Bob in Bob’s Burgers), about commitment and a fire/kindling analogy; this exchange prompts Dev to make a drastic change. In another episode we see Dev and a fellow Indian actor campaigning for less ethnic discrimination in the form of “no more Indians playing Taxi drivers or Quickie Store clerks.” While this may sound a bit chauvinistic in concept, the execution (and writing) brings racial discrimination to the forefront with an intelligence that is indelible and moving.
Dude, you’re just another Indian.
This is the beauty of Master of None. It creates these compelling juxtapositions between the funny and the serious, the intelligent and the vapid, the universal and the particular, the poignant and the callous. Aziz Ansari aims straight for the heart with his musings on love, commitment, growing up and growing old, discrimination, and the feeling of being stuck in life. In the latter half of the series, Rachel says, “I don’t want to wake up one day and see that the windows are closed.” This line (or theme) is the crux of Master of None, running vibrantly throughout the course of the episodes; this line is unabashedly repeated several times in multiple episodes. Dev (and the other cast members) frequently recall this idea of potentially missing opportunities; not to beat us over the head, but to instill in us the axiom of “we are only getting older,” to remind us that we only get one shot and we should not miss our chance to blow (Eminem fans, anyone?). It is this brilliance and fastidiousness that shines incandescently; Master of None exudes smart and sentimental in the same breath.
Though brilliant, Master of None is certainly not infallible. There were some “moment interruptions,” such as the sound of shuffling feet moving backward during emotionally gut-wrenching conversations. (I imagine this sound comes from the camera crew operating their equipment; perhaps the sound editors and mixers didn’t catch all of the interruptions.) Many characters, such as Brian (played by CSI: Miami star Kevlin Yu), recur in the show; however, they mostly become window-dressing, receding to the background, their arcs never fully fledged out. So, there are some missed opportunities for greater character depth. And, because of this lack of side-character depth, there are character storylines that never fully get developed, which leaves me pondering why they even showed up in the first place. (There were some characters who do absolutely nothing for the advancement of the narrative.) These quibbles do slightly detract from the overall experience of the show, as you may be left wondering “What?” from time to time. Nevertheless, Aziz Ansari constructs a world truly indicative of the real world; with social media displaying copious amounts of happiness (ignoring the dreariness that really happens), it is strangely and perturbingly refreshing to see a show unafraid of being depressing because—well, life is depressing sometimes.
Master of None is an excellent character study, meticulously examining the life of a 30-something year old brutally transitioning from the endless possibilities of one’s 20s to the straight-and-narrow of one’s 30s. Although some characters were not fully developed, and many questions were left lingering, Master of None‘s charm, wit, and endearing qualities take a trite coming-of-age concept and twists it to create an unequivocal rhapsody of the lethargic life of an adult becoming more of an adult. Whether you’re in your 20s, 30s, or older (but not too much older), Master of None will put you right in the feels. A palpable sense of abjection and dejection—mixed in with laughs and quick bursts of happiness—may occur. You have been warned.
Family is important. Cherish them—you never know how much time you have left.
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