Let me start by saying this- I’m sorry. I am apologizing to all those hardcore Euphoria fans with their glittery eyes and unique eyeliner when I announce that this show is not the best.
OH MY GOODNESS SOMEONE FIRE UP THE TORCHES, WE HAVE A NON BELIEVER.
Before you click off this article, I do like Euphoria, I just don’t love it. Now personally, I am 18 years old and have never drank, smoked, or taken any drugs…and surprisingly I’m not the only one.
According to a survey conducted by Monitoring the Future in 2018, only 19% of 10th graders admitted to drinking an alcoholic beverage in the past month, a huge decline from the 40% of teens in the 1990s. The amount of adolescent drug use has dramatically gone down. Also, teens are surprisingly having less sex, and if so safely and consensually.
For these reasons, it was hard for me to delve into the show like many have since it premiered in June. I found myself questioning the relatability of creator Sam Levinson’s work. None of these characters resembled me and my experiences in high school (the closest probably being Lexi who is literally a QUEEN #WeStanBobRoss and #GiveLexiHerOwnEpisode) Euphoria falters in its generalization of teens today. No, we do not all have sex at 14 or pop pills like it’s candy. I think we need to realize that Gen Z is actually benefiting from the digital age rather than becoming corrupt.
We are more open about sex, mental health, oppression, and other issues unlike those before us.
One thing that shocked me (and I know that Euphoria doesn’t make this particularly hard) was actually the casting. Many talented actors and actresses, like Zendaya, Storm Reid, and Jacob Elordi just to name a few, have been tasked to portray characters in this graphic show despite their young fanbases.
The fact that I can link so many of their cast members to made-for-children and young teens filmography is actually pretty scary. Euphoria emphasizes the dangers of our generation being desensitized due to the forever accessible media, yet expects their actors’ young and impressionable audience to stay away.
Another problem I had with Euphoria was the seemingly rushed emotions after traumatic events for numerous characters. Kat, for example, is a victim of revenge porn. People, especially young women, usually are left with psychological damage. Their trust is violated and often feel like they have no sense of choice or control.
However, Euphoria portrayed this event as a catalyst to Kat’s bad bitch ego. Now, don’t get me wrong- I like the exploration of caming, but Kat’s progression felt unnatural. One second her entire privacy in an incredibly vulnerable moment is taken and then the very next she’s fine and ready to show off her body to more strangers.
McKay is seemingly sexually assaulted, and although I understand it’s a part of his character, he really does just brush it off. It is never mentioned or emoted again in the season. Just think about being 17 and having multiple people violate you very publicly, how would you feel?
Now on to the most controversial aspect of Euphoria- the nudity and sex scenes.
I have personally never had a problem with nudity. Shows like Shameless, OITNB, and Game of Thrones have flashed our screens with sexuality for years. However, it is all done with a purpose. Euphoria was the first show that displayed nudity that I struggled to watch, especially with that locker room scene. It was random, intense, and unnecessary. Sam Levinson has this idea that the more graphic equals more.
Why did Jules’s first time in rehab have to include a boy aggressively jerking off, threatening to kill a therapist? The show often struggles with style over substance. All the drug, rhapsodic scenes make sense to have in Euphoria, but showing as many penises as possible is just excessive. How many times do we need to see Mark Sloan *cough* I mean Cal Jacobs and his son aggressively have sex? Why not just actually discuss why these men feel this way with in-depth dialogue rather than just showing?
As we head toward a second season, I want to acknowledge that Euphoria is still a great show. It lets its audience explore the inner workings of drug addiction and how that can affect a family. The actors and actresses do their absolute best work, especially Zendaya.
A great highlight episode is “The Trials and Tribulations of Trying to Pee While Depressed”. We learn so much about the manic highs and depressive lows one feels when they are bipolar. It wasn’t aimed to “start a conversation” (I’m side-eyeing you 13 Reasons Why), but just to give a realistic view in another person’s life– if only the entire show was like that. Not all hope is lost, though, if Levinson just toned down the unnecessary nudity and increased the interesting relationship dynamics of Euphoria’s characters…well it would awesome!