Master Of None Season 3: 10 Things We Know So Far

Comedian Aziz Ansari’s magnum opus Master of None is returning on Netflix after nearly four years. Since then, a lot happened. Ansari was accused of sexual misconduct following a heavily polarizing article. Due to it, Ansari briefly disappeared from the public eye until 2019 when he released his comedy special Right Now. The show’s co-creator Alan Yang also wrote and directed the Netflix original film Tiger Tail in 2020. As for actress and screenwriter Lena Waithe, she has had a stellar career post-Season 2, sharing production and acting credits for various films and shows like Westworld and Queen & Slim.

In the newly announced Season 3, Waithe’s Denise is playing the lead instead of Ansari while the latter is expected to have directed all episodes.

10 The Central Plot Will Focus On Denise

As is evident from the recently-released trailer, Master of None‘s third season will focus on Lena Waithe’s Denise and the ups and downs of her marriage with Alicia (Naomie Ackie). So, one can expect an absence of Dev Shah’s (Ansari) romantic and professional misadventures in this season.

While Denise has been a recurring character as Dev’s friend in the first two seasons, a major episode in developing her storyline further was the Season 2 episode “Thanksgiving.” This episode in which Denise comes out to her mother earned Waithe and Ansari an Emmy in screenwriting as was universally applauded.

9 Release Date And A Change In Name

Rather than Master of None Season 3, the new season will be released under a special title: Master of None Presents Moments In Love. The change in the title makes sense given the narrative shifts and the focus on matrimonial romance.

All of its episodes will be available on Netflix on May 23 all around the world. Interestingly, the second season of the show also dropped in the month of May, back in 2017.

8 Only Five Episodes Will Be Released

Moments In Love is set to have just five episodes as opposed to the usual ten in the first two seasons.

No official reason has been given from Netflix or the showrunners for the same. Maybe, the shorter episode count is a result of delayed shootings due to the COVID pandemic. Another possibility is that it’s an intentional decision, considering the fact that the show is taking a new creative direction in terms of its premise.

7 Aziz Ansari Will Direct And Co-Write All Episodes

As of now, there are no hints offered on whether Aziz Ansari’s Dev would have a major role or a brief cameo in Season 3 (as he’s seen fist-bumping Denise in one scene from the trailer). But what’s clear is that Ansari has directed all five episodes while both he and Waithe share writing credits for the season.

Previously, Ansari has directed six episodes in the series while also featuring other names like creator Alan Yang, Lynn Shelton (Humpday), Eric Wareheim (who plays Arnold on the show), and Melina Matsoukas (Queen & Slim), having directorial credits.

6 A BAFTA Winner Will Play Alicia

British Actress Naomi Ackie plays Alicia, Denise’s wife, and a new character in the series. It’ll be interesting to see the buildup to this significant storyline as in Season 2, the show had paired Denise with her girlfriend Michelle (Ebony Obsidian).

Naomi Ackie is popularly known for her BAFTA-winning supporting role in The End of the F****** World in which she played the revenge-seeking Bonnie. Her other prominent screen roles include that of Jannah in Star Wars; Rise of the Skywalker, Anna in Lady Macbeth, and Hazel in Education (Small Axe).

5 A Changed Aspect Ratio

Master of None has mostly had a widescreen (anamorphic) aspect ratio but has otherwise not shied away from experimentation. For instance, the Season 2 premiere “The Thief” was shot in a black-and-white tone with themes and landscapes evoking Bicycle Thieves and the cinema of Federico Fellini.

According to the trailer, Moments of Love is supposed to have an old-fashioned 4:3 screen ratio throughout its entirety. In recent times, the format has been popularized with A24 films like First Reformed and Mid 90s, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

4 Eligible For The Emmys

Considering the fact that the voting period for this year’s Emmys has not started yet, Master of None‘s new season can be very much eligible for the upcoming TV awards season (and at next year’s Golden Globes).

Depending upon its response and the competition in general, Master of None has a chance of contesting against Ted Lasso (Season 2), Insecure (Season 5), and Dickinson (Season 2), amongst other expected frontrunners. For its first two seasons, Master of None has bagged two writing Emmys while garnering nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series both times.

3 A Few Recurring Characters Might Not Appear

So far, Master of None has covered the personal life of Dev and that included his parents (played by Aziz Ansari’s real-life parents Shoukath and Fatima Ansari) and his friends Arnold (Eric Wareheim), and Brian (Kelvin Yu).

However, considering that Dev himself would have a briefer role in Moments in Love, it’s highly unlikely that a few of the aforementioned fan-favorite characters might not appear in this season.

2 Set In London

Changing the setting from New York to Italy in season 2, the new season is expected to be set in London. This makes sense considering Ansari himself shifted his residence to London recently. According to the British comedy website Chortle, the series was indeed shot in London.

This also might explain Naomi Ackie’s casting in the lead role. Maybe, Denise settled in London with Alice in this phase of the show. That can be a strong possibility.

1 Production Was Delayed Due To The Pandemic

Chortle also added to the fact that production for the season had commenced last spring but was delayed due to the pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns.

However, at the same time, it’s unclear whether Ansari and Waithe wrote a few episodes during the lockdown season. In a video interview with Spettacolo Italiano in May, he was asked for Season 3 updates to which Ansari replied with, ‘If I’m not writing something now (in lockdown), it’s pretty lazy right?’

About The Author

Shaurya Thapa
(732 Articles Published)

Shaurya Thapa is an Indian freelance journalist who mostly dabbles in writings on cinema, music, and human interest features. When it comes to Screen Rant, he writes lists on a wide array of subjects ranging from international films to mainstream Netflix series and comic book trivia. He also hosts a podcast called ‘BhindiWire’, an Indian parody of IndieWire.

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