‘Never Have I Ever’ Season 4 Episode 9 Recap: “Gone To Prom”

Oh, Devi. That could be the response to every single episode of Never Have I Ever but it’s especially apt for the penultimate episode of the entire series (“…gone to prom”). After finding out she’s been waitlisted by Princeton and rejected by every other Ivy League school, Devi does what every other kid would do in that situation: she lies to her mom and says she actually got into all of them. It’s the type of lie that Devi is prone to and one that only digs her into a deeper hole when her mom spreads the “good” news. 

She spends the day avoiding her friends and classmates who all want to congratulate her and when she gets home, she attempts to tell her mom the truth. But Nalini has something to say to her first, explaining how proud she is of her daughter and how her accomplishments have made their immigration, which she was initially reluctant about, worth it. Of course, that kind of statement only makes Devi feel worse about the whole thing and makes her zip her mouth even tighter. 

At this point, Devi is both defeated and desperate. She calls Akshara at Princeton one last time and when she calls her back, Akshara tells Devi that her last chance is a supplemental essay that explains why Devi is the way she is and gives more insight into who she is as a person rather than just showcasing her academic prowess. But she feels like it’s fruitless — like everything she could say about herself has already been said. 

Fabiola may have gotten into Princeton, but she’s still not having the collegiate spark she thought she would. That is, until she runs into the head of the robotics department of Howard University — another Black woman — who promises she’s trying to make the department more inclusive and would love to have Fabiola in her lab next year. Sparks! But Fab, who is under the impression that Devi did get into Princeton and would expect them to room together next year, doesn’t tell her best friends that she’s having a change of heart about schools. 

Admissions day also doubles as Prom and Devi, Eleanor, and Fabiola decide to go as each other’s dates. A fancy / “tacky” (according to Nalini) limo picks them up and they try to savor these last few moments of being together. But they’re all harboring secrets: Devi’s school debacle, Fabiola’s last minute decision, and Eleanor’s difficulties jumpstarting her acting career. Devi turns to vodka and screaming, which scares their limo driver (an always hilarious and welcome presence, Ken Marino) and runs them off the road. While he’s fetching a spare tire, the girls finally come clean about everything that’s plaguing them and convince Eleanor to go back to Trent whom she so obviously loves.

Elsewhere at Prom, Paxton and Ms. Thompson get closer while sharing bathroom duty. This was an inevitable match, but aside from Paxton asking her out at the end, she also convinces him to consider being a teacher full time. Near the end of the episode, Paxton calls ASU and asks to re-enroll — this time, at the Teachers College.

Devi, Eleanor and Fabiola never actually make it to Prom. Devi and Fab get dropped off at home by the tow truck, while Eleanor makes a grand gesture at Trent’s doorway, casually mentioning Devi’s plight in the process. The news is overheard by Ben, who seems to still enjoy this friendship despite getting really bad advice about embracing senioritis from Trent, and he rushes to Devi’s to console her. Devi had just about decided not to write the essay, throwing all of her Princeton paraphernalia away when Ben arrives via her window. He convinces her that she’d be stupid not to give the essay a chance because she’s not a quitter. Devi falls asleep next to Ben right as he confesses his feelings for her, drawing out their reunion for one more episode.

Every season has at least one tear jerking moment related to Devi’s late father or her strained relationship with her mom, and this season’s first moment comes in the form of the essay she finally writes about Princeton. Writing about her dead dad would have been easy, she says in a voiceover, but the essay is more about the way he lived and how that inspired the person she is today. It’s about why she’s had her sights set on the school for as long as she can remember. The closing scene is beautifully rendered by co-writers Aaron Geary and Ben Steiner, explaining that Princeton is bigger than a school and a dream to her. It’s a way to hold onto something that she’s lost. 

Radhika Menon (@menonrad) is a TV-obsessed writer based in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared on Vulture, Teen Vogue, Paste Magazine, and more. At any given moment, she can ruminate at length over Friday Night Lights, the University of Michigan, and the perfect slice of pizza. You may call her Rad.