TV Review: Master of None, Episode 8: “Old People”

By Tyler Hodg

It’s a fact that most people hate to admit: we are getting older. With each and every day that passes, we are slowing turning into our elders.

Bluntly titled “Old People”, the eighth episode of Master of None explores the notion that not all seniors are irritating and senile. We often lump them all into the same category, but the truth of the matter is, generalizing an entire age group is not only ignorant, but hurtful as well. Sure, it might be accurate to say that getting old is not the most ideal situation, but it is a fact of life that we must learn to accept.

This is exactly the knowledge that Dev (Aziz Ansari) acquires in “Old People.” Accompanying Arnold (Eric Wareheim) on a trip to visit his grandfather, Dev develops a genuine interest. The old man’s stories intrigues him once they’re no longer about broken VCR players, but his heroic time in the Korean War.

Hearing about Dev’s experience, Rachel (Noël Wells) decides that visiting her grandmother would be satisfying for not only her elder, but for herself as well. Due to poor judgement on her client’s part, she is called away by work mid-visit, leaving her boyfriend to bond with and befriend her grandmother.

Arnold’s storyline in this episode is not as painful as his previous ones, but still feels awkward and unnecessary. The mid-thirties man takes a liking to his now-dead grandfather’s toy seal, despite his initial claims that he wanted nothing to do with its “creepiness.” The narrative does nothing to add to the one-dimensional character and only further perpetuates his singular irrelevance.

When comparing “Old People” to episodes like “Nashville” and “Ladies and Gentlemen,” it unfortunately does not match their brilliance. With that said, there are still some great moments, specifically all of the scenes between Dev and Rachel’s grandmother. Their charming relationship is one of the most memorable aspects of the show so far—much like Dev and Rachel’s—but hopefully the final two episodes are able to eclipse it.