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The hit HBO TV show by creator, director, and writer Sam Levinson, Euphoria, has just wrapped up its second season. With added hints of comedy, the intense drama between characters, a deep dive into heavy topics like drug addiction, and more, it’s evident that Euphoria has a bit of everything for a bildungsroman story of the 21st century.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
Garnering approximately 19 million viewers for its second season and becoming HBO’s second largest show after Game of Thrones, Euphoria has certainly been a fan favorite.
Character development, for one, is nothing short of rich and complex. The main character, Rue Bennett (Zendaya), goes through her drug relapse. While she admits her addiction to a new friend, Elliot (Dominic Fike), Rue hides it amidst her reconciliation with girlfriend Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer). The re-emergence of her drug addiction sets the stage for one of the season’s most dramatic and painful conflicts.
On the other hand, audiences receive a first look at the internal struggles of Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney). As she deals with being single—or in other words, feeling unloved and unwanted—her first mistake comes with a get-together with her best friend Maddy Perez’s (Alexa Demie) boyfriend, Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi). As the plot progresses through the episodes, Cassie’s intense obsession with being loved and wanted by someone else unravels into an almost pathetic case. During the finale of the season, Cassie’s disruption of her sister’s play is the cataclysmic event that confirms her internal needs. While audiences may pity Cassie, her actions throughout the season reflect a much-needed lesson: if one cannot learn to love themselves, it is impossible and unideal for them to ask someone else to love them. Besides, her love interest Nate endures his own series of struggles, especially considering his unclear sexuality. Furthermore, while Maddy was portrayed as somewhat villainous and cold during the first season, she becomes the protagonist during the second season. Through her babysitting job for a wealthy household, it is clear that she possesses ambitions for her ideal lifestyle.
In the corner of it all is Lexi Howard (Maude Apatow), a bystander living in the shadows of her sister Cassie. As a writer and storyteller, she uncovers her side of the story through an incredible two-episode play called Our Life. Here, the play reflects the different characters’ struggles, including Nate’s sexuality, Rue’s introduction to addiction after her father’s death, her sister Cassie’s obsession with love. In a unique way, she confronts each character about their struggles and faults, allowing them to understand the error of their ways. This unexpected finale introduces audiences to the power of the bystander, and how individuals like Lexi should not be underestimated for their ability to twist the plot in an unprecedented direction.
“Euphoria is the culmination of various different experiences that teenagers may face during their high school period,” said senior Isadora B. “It allows people who struggle through the same things to find comfort and safety within the show.”
Adding on, senior Sheila W. mentioned that the show has taught her how to “deal with human relationships.”
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