Euphoria has finally come to an end, and Cable has thoughts
Four years after Season 2, Euphoria returns with its glitter stripped back and its characters all grown up and Season 3 is the most mature, provocative and fashion-forward chapter yet.
When Euphoria first premiered in 2019, it changed the face of teen drama forever. Glamorous, on-the-nose and ferociously inappropriate for the generation it was aimed at, the buzz around the show caused as much of a cultural stir as those infamous Gossip Girl campaigns did back in the early ‘00s.
Though some viewers argued that the plot was too outrageous to be realistic, the early seasons of Euphoria captured Gen Z in the most honest way we’ve seen in TV history. Instead of being patronising, or capitalising on using gimmicky memes as a hook, the show recognised Gen Z for what it is: the generation raised by the internet, equipped with knowledge (and fashion sense) that no teenager should have. Seasons 1 and 2 were an earnest look into the psyche of the next generation, doused in neon lights and glitter.
What made Euphoria the cultural moment it was, however, was the controversy surrounding it. Exploring themes like substance abuse, sexual abuse and self-harm, Sam Levinson and the rest of the show’s creators didn’t just face a wave of backlash, they encountered a whole tsunami.
With the advent of Season 3 dawning four years after the last season ended, it’s safe to say no-one knew what to expect. As the show presents itself in real time, that means the characters had graduated high school and dealt with the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the most striking difference between Season 3 and its predecessors was the show’s creative identity. The things that made Euphoria what it was (the glittery eyeshadow, the neon lights, Labrinth) were notably stripped away, leaving the characters bare.
That being said, the fashion and beauty on display in the show still remained as talked about as the plot itself. Season 3 framed maximalism in a more mature way, taking its cue from the ’70s and early 2000s influences instead of COVID-era fast-fashion. Of course, the outfits were as outrageous as ever (just take a look at the dress Jules wore to Nate and Cassie’s wedding), but what we saw in Season 3 was a visual representation of the characters’ growing understanding of themselves. No longer following trends, each character had a unique wardrobe that couldn’t be mistaken for another.
Of course, as much as aesthetics are a big part of Euphoria, it’s the plot people came for. If critics blasted Season 1 and 2 for being graphic, they were about to get a whole lot more where that came from. Nate Jacobs’ plotline specifically seemed to revolve around torture, the character having been beaten, amputated and, ultimately, buried alive and bitten by a snake. The season also explored the exploitation of America’s sex workers and the inner workings of the fentanyl trade, including the work of body-packers. Gruesome and gruelling, the show once accused of glamorising substance abuse now swung in the opposite direction.
Season 3 was nothing short of torture porn, a rage-bait infused television spectacle that led to the death of the show’s main character, and critics branding Levinson as an ‘incel’, the show’s only unanimous saving graces being Alexa Demie’s performance and the raw depiction of the aftermath of teen addiction. Season 3 of Euphoria wasn’t a satisfying watch. It left audiences confused, unsatisfied and a little bit nauseous. But then again, is not the mark of a great finale one that doesn’t leave people hungry for more? Steeped in controversy and rolled in glitter, Euphoria may not have pleased the masses, but it certainly got them all talking; and that’s something we might not see again for a very long time.
Credits:
Images courtesy of HBO
Words: Cable Writers
