Nearly everyone who has grown up and left the home has felt that their parents' are clingy. Upon leaving the nest, the last thing a child wants is to be beckoned back home for what they view as a trivial matter. Dev (Aziz Ansari) and Brian (Kelvin Yu) face this situation in the sophomore episode of Ansari's Netflix original series, Master Of None (2015). Dev's father wants help with his iPad while Brian's father wishes Brian would go buy rice for him. The protagonists defer to their desire to catch a movie, overlooking their fathers' requests. The short tale hits close to home, detailing the emotions parents feel as the people they sacrificed everything for seem to not care.

The episode is a decent attempt to unpackage a complex social interaction. It finds strength in its flashbacks as each parent recalls their own childhood and the struggles they endured to provide a future for their offspring. But poor pacing and shots that last just a bit too long distract from the episode's potential. As he should be, Aziz Ansari is the show's star. His natural boyish charm and humor attract the audience. There are specks of overacting, such as the coffee shop audition, which cause the audience some discomfort. It is not that Ansari is too bold, it just feels as though he does not buy into his own jokes. Kelvin Yu serves as an adequate bouncing board for the show's direction. Sadly, his line delivery feels fabricated and memorized. He lacks a natural tone. As for Ansari's actual parents, their appearance and vocals do not fit what we expect from actors. But that is their greatest quality as it reminds the audience to not take everything so seriously.

Based on a single viewing, this episode does not capture the total essence of the series. Its taste bares some bitter notes among a happily sweet bite. I am intrigued and want to take another sample in order to determine if Master Of None is worth ordering.

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

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The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

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Dev and Brian try to show their appreciation for their immigrant parents at a joint family dinner.

Kelvin Yu, Clem Cheung, Aziz Ansari, Shoukath Ansari, and Fatima Ansari in Master of None (2015)

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Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Kelvin Yu and Clem Cheung in Master of None (2015)

Kelvin Yu and Aziz Ansari in Master of None (2015)

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