Never Have I Ever: TV Portrayals of Adolescent Dating and Sexual Behaviours

The present study was designed to document the representation of sexuality, sexual behaviour, romance, and dating in the popular teen Netflix show ‘Never Have I Ever’. Although a great deal of research has been done in the past on media representations, limited qualitative work exists in the Indian context that focuses on content created for adolescent consumption. The show selected for the study focuses on the life of an American Indian teenager in California. As a first-generation Indian, she simultaneously harbours two cultural worlds, which creates additional challenges to the already complex journey of negotiating adolescence. We analysed all episodes of the show ( n = 40), resulting in a sample of approximately 16.67 hours of television fiction. Inductive thematic analysis was employed to identify the deeper meanings and messages embedded within the programme. Three themes emerged: (a) teen rebellion against parental restrictions on sexual activity, (b) challenging heteronormativity and sexism, and (c) Sexual activity, appearance ideals and objectification. The central messages embedded in the show included the importance of adolescents taking their time before engaging in sexual activity, the need to balance the desire for autonomy with responsible decision making, and negotiation as the ideal way for teens to resolve intergenerational conflicts. However, the show glossed over two major issues—the complexities of coming out for queer youth and the risks and challenges faced by sexually active youth.