Never Have I Ever – Season 4 Episode 9 Recap & Review

…gone to prom

Episode 9 of Never Have I Ever Season 4 starts with Devi being shocked that she hadn’t gotten into any of the colleges that she had applied to. Her mother is worried and asks Devi about her college admissions. Devi ends up lying to her mother that she has got into all of the colleges that she has applied for. Nalini is excited about Devi’s achievement but the latter is still trying to process the sudden turn her life has taken.

Devi sends another voice note to Akshara from Princeton asking her about the waitlist. At school, Fabiola congratulates Devi for getting into all of the IVY League colleges and tells her that Nalini has spread the word. Fabiola is happy that the trio is going to live their lifelong dreams soon. Devi is awkward around her friends but they all have things of their own going on to notice.

Professor Warner tells Ben that his Columbia admission would be rescinded if he does not submit his assignments and focus on his grades. She mocks him for believing Trent on matters concerning academics. Ben is worried and runs out to start working on his assignment. In the hallway, Trent runs into Eleanor and they talk for the first time since their breakup.

Eleanor tells him that she had quit acting because of how competitive the industry was and how there were many other talented actors that had still not landed projects. Trent tells Eleanor that if she does not get acting roles, she should just become a director. Eleanor appreciates the idea and is thankful to Trent for it.

Devi chats with Professor Warner about her college applications being rejected. The student counsellor is shocked that Devi did not apply to any of the backup colleges and only stuck to applying to IVY League colleges. Professor Warner tells Devi that she could wait until the Princeton waitlist is updated and asks her to think about reapplying in the Fall.

Fabiola and the Sherman Oaks Robotics team are at a robotics competition where Fabiola meets the Professor at Harvard University. Dr Tye is amazed after seeing Fabiola’s work with the robot that is using AI technology to talk to her. The professor asks Fabiola to consider Harvard as a possible college she could apply to or join.

At Sherman Oaks High School, Principal Grubbs makes a school-wide announcement about Devi being selected by all of the IVY League colleges she had applied to. Devi is now getting worried that her lie is spreading faster than she could have imagined for it to spread. She hides out in a room and finds Ben there. Instead of trying to rectify the mistakes caused by her lie, Devi tries to ignore them as she starts helping Ben with his assignment.

After school, Devi gets dressed for Prom that night. Before leaving, she gets on a call with Akshara from Princeton who tells her that she needed to show who she truly was in another essay so that she could be considered for Princeton. Devi is pissed that Princeton isn’t accepting her for who she was and was asking her to write another essay after the original one she sent them. Devi learns that submitting another essay would not guarantee her admission.

Devi’s mother compliments her on how she was looking on Prom night as she heads out to go to Prom with Fabiola and Eleanor. Eleanor is worried to tell her friends about her decision of leaving acting for good to become a director. Fabiola is worried that Devi would hate the idea that they’re not going to be roommates in college as she wanted to go to Harvard instead of Princeton.

Devi, on the other hand, is scared that she will have to tell her mother about how she’s a failure for not getting selected into any of the colleges she applied to. The trio start drinking alcohol at the back of the car and Devi suddenly screams causing the driver to crash their car. The minor accident leads Devi to confess to her friends that she hadn’t gotten into college.

The driver goes out looking for a mechanic to fix the car while the trio spends Prom night talking about their respective issues. Meanwhile, at school, Paxton and Lindsay get assigned bathroom duties at Prom where they check if students are carrying any liquor into the restrooms. Paxton is shocked to see how hot Lindsay looked in her dress and starts flirting with her.

Devi and her friends decide that they did not want to go to Prom anymore and ask the driver to take them back home in the tow truck. Eleanor asks to be dropped off at Trent’s house where she runs into Ben. Ben learns that Devi hadn’t gotten into a single college and rushes to her house to comfort her. Eleanor tells Trent that she really loved him and missed being with him. The two kiss as they get back together.

At school, Lindsay and Paxton get talking about what being a teacher is like. She tells him that there was this one teacher in her high school who did not give up on her and adds that she wanted to be that teacher for someone. She compliments Paxton for what he did for Eric. Paxton asks Lindsay out before they are interrupted by some kids who are smoking salmon in the restroom.

Ben enters Devi’s room through her window just like Paxton used to, and is surprised by how difficult that was. He tries to comfort Devi about the rejection and tells Devi that she should write that essay in order to test her chances of getting into Princeton. Devi does not want to write another essay but Ben reminds her that Princeton was her lifelong dream and that she shouldn’t give up on it.

The two end up falling asleep in Devi’s bed, chatting about college applications. The next morning, Devi’s mother furiously barges into her room and kicks Ben out. She scolds Devi for messing up with the college applications and for not having any backup applications. Devi tries to reason with Nalini but the latter calls Devi stupid which breaks Devi’s heart.

Devi talks to Dr Ryan about how she felt like a failure. Dr Ryan reminds Devi who she really was and gives her a much-needed pep-talk. Meanwhile, Paxton calls ASU and asks to be transferred to an Educator license degree. Devi uses the motivation from Ben and Dr Ryan to write her essay.

In her essay, Devi talks about how she lost her father and how the dream of getting into Princeton was one that she could use to reconnect with him as the episode comes to an end.

The Episode Review

With this being the penultimate episode of the show, we know what the finale will be looking like. I am still upset with the makers for using Ethan’s character and throwing him out of the show completely. The way the show is treating Aneesa and Margot is not any better either.

It is very interesting how Devi’s mother is not even a little threatened by Ben being in Devi’s room but is mad at her for ruining her college applications in a typical Desi mom fashion. However, I am sure not any Indian mother would just let their teenage daughter take care of their college applications on their own.

As much as Nalini was mad at Devi for being stupid, she needed to take a look in the mirror and think about why she let Devi handle it all by herself if Devi getting into a reputable college was so important to her.

I really hate where the show is going with the #Bevi ship. While I am sure Devi and Ben will end up together, hopefully we get a curveball by making Devi a single woman going to college to make new experiences.