Photo courtesy of HBO
Harper Rzepczynski, Opinions Editor
This article references scenes in HBO’s “Euphoria” which contains disturbing, sexually explicit content.
Hard drugs, erotic toxicity and glitter smeared across faces– even if you have never watched HBO’s “Euphoria”, created by Sam Levinson, you probably have a sense of what had a lot of us glued to our screens since the show first premiered in 2019. Now, after a four-year-long wait, the first two episodes of season three have come out on HBO Max on April 12 and April 19, 2026 respectively. And it is already a hot mess.
I will begin with a praise: the time-skip was really needed. Season three begins five years in the future from the end of season two, and it works. Apart from the actors obviously being way too old to play high schoolers, I found the change of scenery to be a nice shift and sensible transition after four years between this and season two. It feels like the characters have grown up and (somewhat) matured alongside the show’s audience; I watched the first season in eighth grade, the second in high school and now this one in college. This time skip opens a lot of possibilities for the storyline as well, and I look forward to seeing how each character’s adult life plays out in this chapter of “Euphoria.”
My first criticism is in regards to the music. In the show’s past two seasons, composer Labrinth did nearly the entire soundtrack, with his unique electronic, atmospheric sound becoming a cornerstone of the series. However, in addition to multiple controversies involving the creator, there were alleged feuds between Levinson and the musician. Labrinth stated, “I don’t let people treat me like sh–“ upon quitting the show. The composer’s absence is very prevalent in season three, as a lot of scenes end up feeling empty without his songwriting, and sometimes “Euphoria” feels like an entirely different show without Labrinth’s ambient work.
Moving on, one of the most consistent strengths of “Euphoria” is Zendaya’s acting. Her portrayal of Rue has always been incredibly moving to many as she offers a considerably accurate depiction of Bipolar Disorder and addiction. In season three, Zendaya’s acting remains phenomenal as her character ventures through the United States and Mexico transporting drugs in rather disturbing ways. Viewers can see the nauseating disgust on her face as she chokes on fentanyl balloons, the fear in her shaking body upon nearly getting shot by a strip-club mogul, and the semi-concealed joy in her eyes when she reunites with her ex-girlfriend, Jules. Zendaya is a big part of what continues this series’ spark, and her talents do not falter in this season.
I do not like Nate and Cassie, and I know most “Euphoria” viewers have shared my sentiment since their traitorous relationship began at the start of season two. With that said, the first two episodes of this season specifically display their complete lack of chemistry alongside Jacob Elordi and Sydney Sweeney’s subpar acting. The only interactions between the couple are awkwardly dull arguments about floral arrangements for their wedding and Cassie bothering Nate by making absolutely deplorable OnlyFans content, which includes a baby porn shoot.
“Euphoria” is no stranger to depraved pornography, but Sweeney’s character dressing up as an infant and claiming it to be “sexy” made me sick. It was so unnecessary. Nate is plain boring, delivering cringe-worthy lines such as, “I am in the real world making deals” in a tiringly monotonous tone. Those two are easily my least favorite part of this new season.
Another feature of “Euphoria” I have always loved is Rue and Jules’ turbulent relationship, and their story appears to be far from ending in season three. These two are what first caught my attention in the beginning of the series, and queer representation like their relationship is very important in entertainment. These two are quite toxic together; they clearly love each other, but because of a plethora of factors, such as Rue’s battle with addiction and Jules’ inability to commit, they cannot work. This has been proven time and time again throughout the past two seasons. What matters in having a relationship like theirs on our television screens is that they are not shown to be too idealistic nor doomed because of outside factors such as homophobia. Representing a toxic and addicting queer romance such as Rue and Jules’ furthers the true notion that gay relationships are just like any other; they can simultaneously be as toxic, loving, and nuanced as any heterosexual bond. I look forward to seeing what becomes of them throughout season three.
My final criticism is a serious one: why are all of the female characters, with the exception of Lexi, sex workers now? Cassie is an OnlyFans housewife, Rue runs a strip club alongside Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s character Alamo, Maddy is an OnlyFans manager and Jules is a sugar baby. “Euphoria” has always been a super racy show, but its emphasis on sex just feels more over-the-top in season three compared to before. It seems like Levinson’s only idea of a woman growing up and having a messy life is sex work, which feels chauvinistic to say the least. Women are already terribly oversexualized in television, and I hate to see “Euphoria” perpetuating this idea beyond its previous already-problematic seasons. It is lazy and degrading to watch as a woman.
“Euphoria”’s third season does not seem to be promising in terms of quality, but at least I have little doubt that this show will become boring. Despite my criticisms, I will embarrassingly be tuning in every Sunday night at 8 p.m. CST.