Since its very first episode, Never Have I Ever has been dominated by a single debate: Team Ben or Team Paxton (or Team Leave Devi Alone and Let Her Focus on Princeton)? Well, just ahead of its Aug. 12 premiere, the Season 3 trailer is here to throw a wrench into that time-honored romantic feud between Ben (Jaren Lewison) and Paxton (Darren Barnet). That wrench’s name is Des, played by Anirudh Pisharody (9-1-1). 

Never Have I Ever Season 3 Trailer Healthy relationship? Debatable. Intrusive thoughts? Sounds about right.

“My mom wouldn’t let me come unless I brought one of her friends’ loser kids. So, if you see an Indian dork come through that door, let me know,” Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) tells her pals at a red cup-laden party depicted in the trailer. Fabiola (Lee Rodriguez) clocks the new guy first and astutely observes he “definitely does not look like a dork.” Cue the literal jaw drops as Des floats through the door. 

“Ben and Paxton should feel worried. Des is the total package,” Never Have I Ever co-creator and showrunner Lang Fisher tells Tudum. “When he shows up, it's a little hard for Devi to focus her attention on anyone else. I think you can imagine how that might shake up the season.” 

As the trailer shows, Devi does have heart-eyes for Des the moment he enters her life. “Des seems like the perfect fit for Devi. He's really smart (accepted early to Stanford), but he's also really popular and smoking hot,” says Fisher. “He's almost [who you’d wind up with] if you put Paxton and Ben together into one person, who also happens to be Indian.” 

Lara Solanki/Netflix

Anirudh Pisharody as Nirdesh in Never Have I Ever.

Des’ arrival promises to be particularly complicated because Devi and Paxton also make their public debut as a couple in the Season 3 trailer. While Devi’s classmates can’t help but scowl over this enviable development, she is determined to enjoy her newfound popularity. But, just like Dr. Jamie Ryan (Niecy Nash), Fisher is unsure a new relationship will solve Devi’s problems (no matter what Olivia Rodrigo’s music tells her). 

“Have you met Devi? Do you think she's someone who will all of a sudden become reasonable and not create any more messes for herself? I think not,” says Fisher. “Rest assured, there are some hilarious and fun bumps in the road ahead.” 

No matter where Devi’s love life will take her, Fisher emphasizes the major theme of Season 3 is “self confidence” for its main character. She says, “We wanted to show that it doesn't matter if you have everything you've ever wanted on the outside, if you don't believe in yourself on the inside. Devi's greatest hurdle this season —  like many teen girls' — is to learn to love herself.” 

Watch the trailer above.