“Master of None” ‘Indians on TV’: Sensational Comedy or Social Commentary?
Season one, episode four of Aziz Ansari’s Master of None, titled “Indians on TV” thoughtfully begins with just that: a montage of misrepresentative stereotypes of Indians on television, viewed by a childhood version of the main character, Dev. This introduction is one of the many ways that Ansari uses his situational comedy to address social issues, particularly the misrepresentation of Indians in the media. The plot of the episode follows Dev and his friend Ravi’s efforts to jumpstart their acting careers which are further complicated by their ethnicity and racist emails from network producers.
The episode’s comedic dialogue and relatable plot allows the message of awareness for stereotypical misrepresentation of Indians in the media to be accepted by a wider audience. Had Ansari simply created a factual documentary of the stereotypes Indians portray in popular culture, he would have failed to identify with a major audience. Instead, his hilariously authentic approach to the issue received praises for its relatability. In an article titled “Aziz Ansari’s ‘Master Of None’ Episode “Indians On TV” Gets Representation Painfully Right,” writer Maitri Suhas notes that the episode highlights that “there’s only space for one brown person per show. Otherwise, white people will feel alienated, even though that’s how [she] feel[s] watching TV literally all the time.” Ansari’s ability to capture his message, without causing the viewer to feel as though the show is lecturing on social justice issues is what makes the episode so effective in reaching an audience that includes, yet extends beyond Indians.
One example of the episode’s causal reference to misrepresentations in popular media is Dev’s remark that “Black people just got to the there can be two status.” Here Dev is referencing the progress that minorities have made in television representation, commenting that Indians “aren’t at that level yet.” However, the episode continues to remind the viewer that these representations of Indians on television and in movies are stereotypical misrepresentations, as shown in the introductory montage. This is done through the first role Dev auditions for as an “unnamed cab driver” and later in the episode when his agent suggests the role of an “Indian working at an Indian buffet.” These subtle and often comical reminders of the roles that are available to Indians in acting are effective in raising awareness for misrepresentations in popular culture, by addressing the issue in a lighter tone.
Master of None episode “Indians on TV” carefully approaches a subject of social and cultural importance head-on, blatantly discussing the issue of stereotypical misrepresentation even in the name of the episode. However, the humorous dialogue and relatable situations found throughout the episode are what makes Ansari’s work so incredible. The episode’s social commentary is effective in drawing awareness to the misrepresentation of cultural minorities in media, but the episode’s sensational comedy allows the message to be more easily digested by a wider audience.