Euphoria’s mixture of teenage drug use and sexual activity is merely a mask for a fascinating deep dive into the angsts which plague their psyche. Twenty-Five years ago, we weren’t nearly bombarded with the messages and visual temptations we are today. If you have a phone, then anything is possible (from drugs to a hook-up). The second episode touched on a menagerie of issues. For those assuming this show is centered around Zendaya’s character, there’s much more to take in on any given episode of Euphoria.
photo: Courtesy of HBO
I did enjoy how the episode tackled body shaming in regards to Kat (Barbie Ferreira) losing her virginity at the party. For those who may have forgotten, the “good girl” of this group is no longer a virgin. What she didn’t realize is that someone was recording her having sex and now that video is being shared around the school.
At first, she’s made to feel ashamed, but what I did love is seeing her take control of the situation. However, this whole situation could be leading her down a very different path for her. Things could get very dark for this character rather fast. Ferreira has shown quite the range so far, and I’m intrigued to see where the narrative takes us.
Jules (Hunter Schafer) and Rue (Zendaya) have been getting closer this episode, but I’m not sure I like where things are headed between those two. Rue views Jules as something that is fun and pure but doesn’t realize that her latest infatuation isn’t being completely upfront with her (we find out who she is texting later in the episode).
For someone with self-esteem and addiction issues, this could be a recipe for disaster down the road. What’s sad is I do feel the actions of Schafer’s character are entirely in line with what some teens would be doing.
photo: Courtesy of HBO
We do catch a glimpse of what drove Rue to drugs in the beginning. It seems that losing her dad was much tougher on her than we first realized. Often trauma is a gateway to these types of behavior as sometimes they don’t want to feel so bad. Until she addresses those issues,
Rue will never be free of her addiction, and this nightmare for her family (especially her sister) will continue. While we are speaking of her sister, Storm Reid plays Rue’s sister and has been amazing so far this season.
We did take a bit of a deep dive into what has driven Nate to become the way he is. The star quarterback in high school is driven by anger and violence. It seems he may have got these ideas from some of the viewing material he snuck in to watch porn which his dad hid in his desk. While he seems very protective of Maddy, I couldn’t help but think that he might be a little sexually confused. It won’t surprise me if that’s explored in future episodes.
photo: Courtesy of HBO
Where’s Euphoria headed this season? Quite frankly I’m not sure, but I’ve enjoyed the ride so far. While some will seek to label this show based on a few moments during the episode, there’s some in-depth material this show dives right into. It certainly feels like this show is fearless and let’s hope that feeling continues next week.
Dewey Singleton has been reviewing new releases in television and film for many years. Dewey's reviews have been heard in multiple markets (Houston Atlanta, Tampa). Dewey's past work has been with awardswatch.com, awardsradar.com, and bleeding cool. Dewey is a proud member of the CCA.