SPOILER ALERT!
If you haven’t caught up with Euphoria yet, STOP reading (but in all seriousness, why aren’t you?).
It’s hard to know that our Sunday nights will no longer involve HBO Max’s regular site crashes as people scramble to watch the latest Euphoria episode. But, hey, it’s been a good run! Euphoria viewership has been up 100% this season, and it is now the second most streamed show on the streaming platform behind Game of Thrones. It’s safe to say that people are and will continue watching the show, even if they have to wait until 2024.
Overall, this season is a change of pace from season one. The first season was raw and dark, with an emotional portrayal of both drug and emotional abuse. In season two, Rue and Nate’s plotline remains just as nuanced, while the other plotlines go in an arguably softer direction. It often felt like there were too many plotlines to keep up with, ultimately limiting show and character development. I think the writers were really looking for storylines that would add shock value, changing the initial tone of the show. For example, the scene between Nate and Maddie — in which he threatened to shoot himself with a gun while pinning Maddie down — felt incredibly intense, yet the producers did not feel the need to readdress the traumatic moment later. It was a shocking and disturbing scene, yet the consequences of Nate’s actions were entirely glossed over.
The season two finale was a rollercoaster of emotions, to say the least. Lexi’s play was iconic. I think this was a great opportunity for director Sam Levinson to not only bring Lexi her much deserved screen time, but grant Rue a new lens to view her actions through unbiased eyes (especially as an unreliable narrator). The ending left viewers feeling hopeful about Rue’s character arc, and I’m excited to see more of her journey in season three. That said, Levinson seemed to abandon Jules’s storyline entirely, and I’ll be curious to see how she acts without Rue in her life. The show also dismissed Kat’s plotline, fueled by rumors that actress Barbie Ferreira disagreed with choices by Levinson. The bottom line? In season three, Levinson must get his act together, prioritizing the show and character development over personal conflicts.
I can’t end without addressing the iconic scene between Fez, Ashtray, and Faye. Faye becomes the unsung hero for warning Fez, but even she is too late. May Ashtray (assumingly) rest in peace! Arguably, Ashtray couldn’t have known any better, as he was still a child himself. Fez’s humanity shines through this entire scene, making for a heartbreaking and heart wrenching experience. Angus Cloud proved his talent as a new actor to the scene, showing that he deserves to be up there with the other A-List actors. His performance was unreal and extremely raw. It’ll be interesting to see where Fez ends up in season three, as the final moments of season two make it feel like there’s no going back now.