You know that loud, over-excited colleague at work—the one who runs social media, is always caffeinated, and somehow manages to win you over with their unfiltered extraness? Yeah, Mismatched feels a lot like that. Initially, it’s all “ugh, another teen drama,” but give it some time, and suddenly you’re rooting for its chaos, quirks, and charm.
Season 3 of Netflix’s Mismatched just dropped, and while it’s no Euphoria or Sex Education, it’s found its own messy corner in the young adult space. It’s the kind of show that isn’t trying to change your life but instead gives you cutesy montages, trending hashtags, and a bunch of lovable misfits who are just trying their best.
The Setup: New City, New Drama
We’re three years post the events of Season 2, and everything’s shifted from that three-month app-making bootcamp in Jaipur to the tech-glittering campus of NNIT, a prestigious Hyderabad institute. Think IIT, but with better lighting, cooler people, and a dean (Danish Sait) who treats students more like employees building a cutting-edge VR platform called “Betterverse” (yep, their version of Meta’s Metaverse).
Dimple (Prajakta Koli) is feeling stuck and spiraling after failing to get into NNIT like her friends. But hey, no biggie, because her old mentor-turned-Instagram-guru Sid Sir (Ranvijay Singha) conveniently opens his own tech school called LIT (yes, that’s the name) right next door. NNIT, LIT—it’s like a drinking game at this point.
And just like that, the whole gang is back together, plus a bunch of new faces, setting up the perfect backdrop for hookups, heartbreaks, student protests, speed-dating events, a VR hacker subplot, and—because why not—a college play about love.
Gazal Dhaliwal: The Writer Behind the Madness
At the heart of Mismatched is Gazal Dhaliwal, the writer who has managed to infuse this YA series with a sense of relatability and charm. Gazal, known for her work on films like Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, brings her signature sensitivity and empathy to the show’s storytelling.
While Mismatched doesn’t aim to be deep or revolutionary, Gazal’s writing ensures it remains rooted in the emotional turbulence of youth. Her ability to tackle topics like sexuality, mental health, and self-acceptance with care and authenticity is what makes the show resonate with its audience.
She, along with the writing team—Aarsh Vora, Nandini Gupta, and Akarsh Khurana—chooses to spread the show’s focus across a larger cast of characters this season, making it less about Dimple and Rishi and more about the kaleidoscope of experiences that come with being young, confused, and full of dreams.
The Pros: Why It Works
What works for Mismatched is its ability to vibe check its audience. It’s not too deep, and that’s okay. Writers like Gazal and her team have figured out that the heart of this show isn’t the central Rishi-Dimple love story (which, let’s be real, has been on “snooze” mode for a while now). Instead, it’s the wide cast of characters, their overlapping drama, and how it all comes together like a perfectly chaotic college fest.
The writers play it smart by going wider instead of deeper—more characters, more subplots, more flavors of coming-of-age conflicts. This approach gives us standout moments like a queer pride party, student protests, and even a hacker romance (more on that later). It’s a wholesome buffet of youth struggles wrapped in neon aesthetics and catchy background tracks.
The Cons: When It Tries Too Hard
But then, Mismatched also tries to do too much. There’s a trans hacker (Rit) breaking into NNIT’s firewall so he can access a VR version of himself. There’s a “Betterverse” subplot that leans dangerously into dystopian-tech-creepy vibes but weirdly plays it off as empowering. And let’s not forget the time jump, multiple grief arcs, and forced “life-altering” drama in the finale that feels like it’s yelling, “Look! Big Plot Twists!”
Also, can we talk about the voiceovers? Every episode has a new character narrating the story, but it’s so generic you forget who’s even speaking. Like, pick a perspective and stick with it already.
The Characters: Who Shines
Even with all the chaos, some characters still manage to stand out:
• Ranvijay as Sid Sir: Effortlessly cool and surprisingly warm, even if his chemistry with Vidya Malvade’s Zenat is giving “friendly roommates” energy.
• Muskkan Jaffrey as Celina: She’s electric, owns every line, and deserves way more screen time.
• Gautam Ahuja as Rishi’s roommate: Quietly steals scenes with his awkward yet endearing presence.
Unfortunately, not everyone hits the mark. Rit’s arc, while well-intentioned, feels over-complicated, and some of the new additions blend into the background noise of NNIT vs. LIT drama.
Why You’ll Still Watch
Yes, Mismatched can feel like a BuzzFeed article that became a TV show. But there’s a comfort in its breezy, optimistic take on young adult life. It simplifies the messiness of college, love, mental health, and identity into cute montages and cozy monologues that leave you thinking, what if life really was this simple?
So, if you’re looking for something light, colorful, and occasionally heartfelt, Mismatched Season 3 is worth a weekend binge. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s earnest, and sometimes, that’s enough.
You can stream Mismatched Season 3 now on Netflix.
Tag your friends who are totally NNIT material (or more LIT vibes) and let us know which subplot had you rolling your eyes the most.
Comentarios