REVIEW: Euphoria S1…I Told Myself I’d Never Watch this Show

Trigger warning: drug abuse, abusive relationships, depression, anxiety, mature language.

This HBO series created by American actor and filmmaker Sam Levinson is a shocking, heavy, and brutal depiction of drug abuse, depression, family dysfunction, social status, and an ample amount of other issues. Needless to say, this show is not for the faint-hearted.

The story follows seven different teenagers’ lives – each presented through a sequence of flashbacks at the beginning of each episode. This strategic introduction to each character gives the audience the opportunity to understand the message being conveyed through each of them. Naturally, the audience connects to some characters more than others, but this at least gives the audience an opportunity to see each character’s perspective.

Three characters that stand out among the seven are Rue Bennet, Fezco, and Maddy Perez. Rue Bennet – performed by the beautiful and Emmy award-winning Zendaya – is a 16-year-old recovering drug addict, Fezco – performed by Angus Cloud – a drug dealer with his own story that’ll leave you wanting to be his best friend, and Maddy Perez – performed by Alexa Demie – a young dancer turned into a very “loyal” girlfriend.

Levinson does an incredible job of utilizing everything he possibly can to make the audience feel something. Whether it’s zooming into Rue’s face slowly to convey the feeling of depression or the quick transitions between erotic shoots to indirectly show how quickly porn can leave a damaging impression – the sequences will leave you feeling something. Marvell Rév accompanies these camera movements with magnificent cinemaphotography.  

On top of the camera movement and cinemaphotography, music (supervised by Jen Malone and Adam Leber) is used to reset the audience’s attention. Most of the time music is accompanied by Rue’s captivating narration. Rue tells us about what the character being shown is feeling. It’s a very intimate way of connecting the audience to each character.

This is ultimately what makes this show a tad dangerous as well.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding this show. There are conversations around whether or not it glorifies violence, drugs, and a load of other things. This show has also been called to question due to the potentially inappropriate high school setting, and whether the show should be staged in a college setting instead.

It is not a secret that the show contains explicit content. It is also no secret that the show speaks on several incredibly heavy topics. With that being said, Season 1 of Euphoria is not glorifying drug use, domestic violence, violence, etc. simply because the show does a good job of accompanying the good truths with the dark truths that come with each situation. However, all these topics – and the effects they may have on an individual – cannot go ignored. This show is without a doubt meant for a mature audience.

It is not inappropriate for Euphoria to be staged in a high school. There are plenty of conversations that are either filtered down or aren’t even had, that are beneficial for high school students to be a part of. The conversations Euphoria is urging people to consider are ones that go undiscussed and need to be had. In addition to these nonexistent conversations, there are high schoolers going through one — if not multiple things — that these characters are also facing.

Levinson didn’t intend for Euphoria to be anything other than boundary-breaking. The last ten minutes of the season finale are a perfect example of that.

SPOILERS ARE AHEAD

A lot of questions may come up when watching the last 10 minutes of the season finale. To begin to understand what the season finale is, you must understand Jules and Rue’s situationship. With her long blond hair, pink streaks, and free-spirited attitude Rue fell hard for Jules. So hard that Jules, performed by the incredible Hunter Schafer, became Rue’s reason to take sobriety seriously — arguably even her reason to live.

While at the winter formal Rue begins to flirt with the idea of skipping town with Jules. They head to the train station where ultimately Rue decides to let Jules go. With everything else weighing on her shoulder, leaving Jules behind resulted in her relapsing.

In an interview with The Hollywood Report, Sam Levinson talks about the musical number at the end of the season’s finale.

“I think Rue has a big journey ahead of her, and a tough one. It’s not something I want to cut short because of who Rue means to me as someone who has battled with addiction and come out the other side.”

Sam Levinson / The Hollywood Report

In the final scene, Rue is scene whipping and slashing through her home uncontrollably. She is then in the street and is suddenly accompanied by a large gospel group singing All For Us by Labrinth while Rue is mouthing the words. She even ends up singing her own part in the song! The incredibly sudden – and dramatic (in the best way possible) – sequence at the end of season 1 is meant to capture the madness of addiction. It’s meant to capture that darkness that accompanies relapse.

Paris Vasser captures it beautifully in her article The End of Euphoria Season 1 Explained.

“Levinson chose to create a musical number depicting Rue’s fall into drugs as she stumbles violently around her home and into the street while mouthing the words to “All For Us.”

Euphoria’s production value, incredible cast, and very real and valuable content are what make this show iconic and impactful.

8 Episodes

Grade: A+

★★★★

Favorites:

• Characters: Rue Bennet, Maddie Perez, and Fezco
• Episode: 1, 7
• Sequence: Rue goes through the low of depression while also narrating what it’s like to have depression
• Quote: “I really meant what I said…you look really beautiful,” Nate Jacobs, Episode 8.