By Michelle Feng ’22 & Farah Yahaya ’21
News Reporter & Arts Editor
The new HBO series, “Euphoria” premiered in June. “Euphoria,” a temporary moment of extreme happiness and elation, accurately describes the emotions the characters in the show feel. But “Euphoria’s” title also puns ironically on the dark and empty emotions that come after the extreme pleasure of a drug-induced high.
“Euphoria” tells the story of a group of teenagers and their complicated relationships with each other, the world, substances, romance, and their families. Each episode focuses in part on one of the main characters, but the series as a whole orbits around Rue Bennett played by Zendaya Coleman. As “Euphoria” begins, Rue’s story unravels, and the audience learns that she is a junior in high school who spent her summer at rehab after an overdose that led to a coma. Rue is the narrator of the series, and the soothing murmur of her voice interrupts the continuous dialogue, diving beneath the superficial layer of a character and explaining the unknown hardships the character has faced.
A critical theme of “Euphoria” is the concept of escaping reality. Whether it be Nate Jacob’s obsession with control, Kat Kernandez’s addiction to webcamming, or Cassie Howard’s everlasting longing for emotional intimacy, every character on the show has a weakness or vice. Like most teenagers, they struggle to find a way to express—or ignore—their emotions.
The show is beautifully filmed and written, but most importantly it is blunt, raw, and honest. Those qualites are rarely exhibited in the usual overdramatized, stereotype-ridden coming-of-age TV shows or films. “Euphoria” resonates with teenagers of the twenty-first century, because it is real.
The way “Euphoria” depicts drugs, sex, and acceptance in today’s society is accurate and not overdone. The perfect example of this is LGBTQ+ representation on the show. In the typical coming-of-age story, parents of LGBTQ+ children are not open to their children’s sexuality. But “Euphoria” depicts the new and more progressive society we are becoming. Both Rue’s and Jules’ parents are accepting of their sexu- alities, which is a big step especially for Jules who is transgender. But in a display of further honesty, the show balances the good with the bad by illustrating the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community through Jules’ battle with her gender identity and her journey of transitioning.
The way “Euphoria” depicts drugs, sex, and acceptance in today’s society is accurate and not overdone. The perfect example of this is LGBTQ+ representation on the show. In the typical coming-of-age story, parents of LGBTQ+ children are not open to their children’s sexuality. But “Euphoria” depicts the new and more progressive society we are becoming. Both Rue’s and Jules’ parents are accepting of their sexualities, which is a big step especially for Jules who is transgender. But in a display of further honesty, the show balances the good with the bad by illustrating the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community through Jules’ battle with her gender identity and her journey of transitioning.
The dangers of toxic masculinity have also been gaining more attention in recent years. This is the battle that Nate Jacob faces in the show. A popular high school quarterback, he physically and socially embodies the stereotypical jock. Emotionally he struggles deeply with himself and battles with trauma that sparks his sometimes violent obsessions. “Euphoria” is also unique in that the producers made a point to welcome lesser known artists and actors into their cast. Apart from Coleman and Jacob Elordi who plays Nate, the rest of the cast were not famous before the show aired. The casting adds to “Euphoria” a sense of familiarity, because instead of seeing a cast full of superstars, the audience is getting to know unfamiliar and seemingly regular personas. “Euphoria” also employs contemporary and older music of varying genres. One of the more popular songs from the series is “All for Us” by The Labrinth [sic], the mastermind who wrote songs for the original soundtrack.
An important part of the show that may not initially garner notice is the costuming. Costume designer Heidi Bivens and makeup artist Doniella Davy give the characters yet another way to express their feelings and emotions by creating unique and detailed appearances.
What’s behind “Euphoria” is not only the “back to earth” moment after elation but also other often hidden feelings—the anxiety, pressure, helplessness, unspeakable trauma, and other challenges behind human actions and emotions—exposing the painful realities that young people face during the teenage years.