Euphoria (American TV Series)
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''Euphoria'' is an American teen drama television series created and principally written by Sam Levinson for
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
. It is based on the Israeli miniseries of the same name created by
Ron Leshem Ron Leshem ( he, רון לשם; born December 20, 1976), is an Israeli-American television writer and producer, best known for serving as executive producer on HBO's '' Euphoria'', and for the film '' Beaufort'', which was nominated for the Acade ...
and Daphna Levin. The series stars Zendaya, Maude Apatow, Angus Cloud, Eric Dane, Alexa Demie, Jacob Elordi, Barbie Ferreira,
Nika King Nika King is an American actress and comedian. She is best known for her role as Leslie Bennett on the HBO television series ''Euphoria'' (2019–present). After starting her acting career in 2002, King moved to Los Angeles and became a stand-up ...
,
Storm Reid Storm Reid is an American actress. After playing a small role in the television film ''A Cross to Bear'' (2012), Reid made her acting debut with an appearance in the period drama film '' 12 Years a Slave'' (2013). She earned recognition for a s ...
, Hunter Schafer, Algee Smith,
Sydney Sweeney Sydney Bernice Sweeney (born September 12, 1997) is an American actress. She first gained attention for appearing in the television series ''Everything Sucks!'' (2018), ''The Handmaid's Tale'' (2018), and ''Sharp Objects'' (2018). In 2019, she w ...
, Colman Domingo, Javon "Wanna" Walton, Austin Abrams and
Dominic Fike Dominic David Fike (born December 30, 1995) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. Fike first received recognition after releasing several popular songs to the website SoundCloud. Following the release of his debut extended play, '' Don't ...
in main roles. The series follows Rue Bennett (Zendaya), a troubled teenage drug addict who struggles to get sober, find her place in the world, and adjust to her relationships after rehab. Though Rue is the central focus of the show, the beginning of most episodes provides backstories for the rest of the main characters. ''Euphoria''s executive producers include Levinson, Canadian rapper and singer Drake, Zendaya, Ron Leshem, and Gary Lennon. The series is filmed at Ulysses S. Grant High School in Los Angeles, California, Sony Pictures Studios in
Culver City Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. Founded in 1917 as a "whites only" sundown town, it is now an ethnically diverse city with what was called the "third-most ...
, California, and
Warner Bros. Studios Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
in
Burbank Burbank may refer to: Places Australia * Burbank, Queensland, a suburb in Brisbane United States * Burbank, California, a city in Los Angeles County * Burbank, Santa Clara County, California, a census-designated place * Burbank, Illinois, ...
, California. Outside California, it is filmed at
Warner Bros. Studios Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, and in Dublin, London, New York City, Rome, and Singapore. The series has received generally positive reviews, with praise for its cinematography, score, performances of the cast, and approach to its mature subject matter. It has also been a subject of controversy for its nudity and sexual content, which critics found excessive due to the high school setting and its teenage characters. It is the fourth most-watched series in HBO history, behind ''
Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the first ...
'', '' The Last of Us'', and '' House of the Dragon''. The show additionally shares the same universe as Levinson's 2023 television series '' The Idol''. The first season of ''Euphoria'' premiered on June 16, 2019. Two one-hour specials were broadcast in December 2020 and January 2021. The second season premiered on January 9, 2022. In February 2022, the series was renewed for a third season. Filming was halted due to the
2023 Hollywood labor disputes From May 2 to November 9, 2023, a series of long labor disputes within the film and television industries of the United States took place, mainly focused on the strikes of the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA. It was the second time two H ...
and the unexpected deaths of Cloud and executive producer Kevin Turen. The third season of ''Euphoria'' was initially expected to enter production in December 2023 but was eventually postponed indefinitely. On June 13, 2024, it was confirmed that the show will resume production for its third season, with the third season of the show presumably being set away from the high school setting of the first two seasons. The series has received numerous accolades, including a nomination for the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series since its institution in 1951. The award goes to the producers of the series. The award is often cited as one of the "main awards" at the Emmys cerem ...
. For her performance, Zendaya has won two
Primetime Emmy Awards The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
, a Critics' Choice Television Award, and a
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
for Best Actress for her performance as Rue. Sweeney, Colman Domingo, and Martha Kelly have also received Emmy nominations for their acting, with Domingo winning Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his performance as Ali.


Premise

''Euphoria'' follows high schoolers in the fictional town of East Highland, California, who seek hope while balancing the strains of love, loss, sex, and addiction. Topics such as
child abuse Child abuse (also called child endangerment or child maltreatment) is physical, sexual, and/or psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child or children, especially by a parent or a caregiver. Child abuse may include any act or failure to a ...
,
drug abuse Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods which are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder. Differing definitions of drug abuse are used in public health, ...
,
toxic relationship Psychological abuse, often called emotional abuse, is a form of abuse characterized by a person subjecting or exposing another person to a behavior that may result in psychological trauma, including anxiety, chronic depression, or post-traumatic ...
s, toxic positivity, hookup culture, revenge porn,
blackmail Blackmail is an act of coercion using the threat of revealing or publicizing either substantially true or false information about a person or people unless certain demands are met. It is often damaging information, and it may be revealed to fa ...
,
codependency In sociology, codependency is a theory that attempts to explain imbalanced relationships where one person enables another person's self-destructive behavior such as addiction, poor mental health, immaturity, irresponsibility, or under-achiev ...
, abortion, infidelity, relapsing, gender transition,
repressed "Repressed" is a single by Apocalyptica, released on 19 May 2006. The title song features Max Cavalera (Soulfly and Sepultura) and Matt Tuck ( Bullet for my Valentine) on vocals. It's mostly sung in English and Portuguese, which parts in the las ...
homosexuality,
sobriety Sobriety is the condition of not having any measurable levels or effects from alcohol or drugs. Sobriety is also considered to be the natural state of a human being at birth. A person in a state of sobriety is considered sober. Organizations o ...
,
human trafficking Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others. This may encompass providing a spouse in the context of forced marriage, or the extrac ...
,
domestic violence Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...
, rape,
self-harm Self-harm is intentional behavior that is considered harmful to oneself. This is most commonly regarded as direct injury of one's own skin tissues usually without a suicidal intention. Other terms such as cutting, self-injury and self-mutilatio ...
, toxic masculinity,
drug dealing The illegal drug trade or drug trafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of prohibited drugs. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs throug ...
, dating violence,
mental illness A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...
, mental health, anger issues,
temper tantrums A tantrum, temper tantrum, lash out, meltdown, fit or hissy fit is an emotional outburst, usually associated with those in emotional distress, that is typically characterized by stubbornness, crying, screaming, violence, defiance, angry rant ...
, hallucination, theft,
attempted murder Attempted murder is a crime of attempt in various jurisdictions. Canada Section 239 of the ''Criminal Code'' makes attempted murder punishable by a maximum of life imprisonment. If a gun is used, the minimum sentence is four, five or seven ye ...
, alcoholism and
grief Grief is the response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or some living thing that has died, to which a bond or affection was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, grief also has physical, cogni ...
are explored during the show.


Cast and characters

* Zendaya as Ruby "Rue" Bennett, a
queer ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...
teenage drug addict who has returned from rehab and struggles to become sober while finding her place in the world. She has an on-and-off relationship with Jules, whom she often lies to in her struggle to stay clean during their relationship. Rue serves as the series narrator and knows intimate details about various characters. * Maude Apatow as Alexis "Lexi" Howard, Rue's childhood best friend and Cassie's younger sister who has trouble finding her confidence. She tries to help Rue beat her addictions with limited success. * Angus Cloud as Fezco "Fez" O'Neill (seasons 1–2), a local drug dealer who has a close relationship with Rue and his adopted brother Ashtray. * Eric Dane as Cal Jacobs, Nate's closeted
bisexual Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...
real-estate venturing father who has a dangerous double life and hidden past. * Alexa Demie as Madeleine "Maddy" Perez, a popular and compassionate cheerleader and Cassie's best friend. She is Nate's on-and-off girlfriend and later ex-girlfriend during the second season due to the domestic abuse and emotional torment he inflicted. She later ends her friendship with Cassie after learning that she had secretly started a sexual relationship with Nate. * Jacob Elordi as Nathaniel "Nate" Jacobs, a star high school football player and Maddy's on-and-off abusive boyfriend, whose severe anger issues mask his sexual insecurities. * Barbie Ferreira as Katherine "Kat" Hernandez (seasons 1–2), a girl fighting for
body positivity Body positivity is a social movement focused on the acceptance of all bodies, regardless of size, shape, skin tone, gender, and physical abilities, while challenging present-day beauty standards as an undesirable social construct. Proponents fo ...
while exploring her sexuality and self-confidence. *
Nika King Nika King is an American actress and comedian. She is best known for her role as Leslie Bennett on the HBO television series ''Euphoria'' (2019–present). After starting her acting career in 2002, King moved to Los Angeles and became a stand-up ...
as Leslie Bennett, Rue and Gia's mother who struggles living with her daughter's addiction. *
Storm Reid Storm Reid is an American actress. After playing a small role in the television film ''A Cross to Bear'' (2012), Reid made her acting debut with an appearance in the period drama film '' 12 Years a Slave'' (2013). She earned recognition for a s ...
as Georgia "Gia" Bennett, Rue's younger sister who became traumatized after finding her following an overdose. * Hunter Schafer as Jules Vaughn, a transgender girl who enters into a turbulent relationship with Rue after moving to East Highland with her dad. She later becomes Rue's on-and-off girlfriend and explores her sexuality and personal identity as a transgender teen. * Algee Smith as Christopher "Chris" McKay (seasons 1–2), a young football player and Cassie's ex-boyfriend who has difficulties adjusting to college. *
Sydney Sweeney Sydney Bernice Sweeney (born September 12, 1997) is an American actress. She first gained attention for appearing in the television series ''Everything Sucks!'' (2018), ''The Handmaid's Tale'' (2018), and ''Sharp Objects'' (2018). In 2019, she w ...
as Cassandra "Cassie" Howard, Lexi's older sister, Maddy's best friend, and McKay's ex-girlfriend with an infamous sexual history that continues to haunt her. She begins a tumultuous sexual relationship with Nate in the second season, which causes the end of her and Maddy's friendship. * Colman Domingo as Ali Muhammed (b. Martin) ("Trouble Don't Last Always"; recurring season 1–present), a man in recovery from drug addiction who often speaks at Rue's Narcotics Anonymous meetings and eventually becomes her sponsor and mentor. * Javon "Wanna" Walton as Ashtray (season 2; recurring season 1), Fez's unofficially adopted "little brother" and a drug dealer. * Austin Abrams as Ethan Daley (season 2; recurring season 1), Kat's boyfriend who later stars as the lead in Lexi's play. *
Dominic Fike Dominic David Fike (born December 30, 1995) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. Fike first received recognition after releasing several popular songs to the website SoundCloud. Following the release of his debut extended play, '' Don't ...
as Elliot (season 2–present), a new friend of Rue's, who begins to come between her and Jules' budding romantic relationship.


Episodes


Season 1 (2019)


Specials (2020–21)


Season 2 (2022)


Production


Conception

In 2006, Sam Levinson began drafting different versions of what eventually became ''Euphoria'', based on his experience with drugs as a teenager. He was invited to a meeting with
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
about an adaptation of the 2012 Israeli television series ''
Euphoria Euphoria ( ) is the experience (or affect) of pleasure or excitement and intense feelings of well-being and happiness. Certain natural rewards and social activities, such as aerobic exercise, laughter, listening to or making music and da ...
'' created by
Ron Leshem Ron Leshem ( he, רון לשם; born December 20, 1976), is an Israeli-American television writer and producer, best known for serving as executive producer on HBO's '' Euphoria'', and for the film '' Beaufort'', which was nominated for the Acade ...
, Daphna Levin, and Tamira Yardeni. In 2019, Levinson said HBO's head of drama, Francesca Orsi, liked the "raw and honest" portrayal of drug use and other teenage problems in the Israeli series. In a press release, Orsi described the series as " ''Kids'' meets ''Trainspotting''" with no parental supervision. The concept for ''Euphoria'' was based on Levinson's personal experiences as a teenager and his struggles with anxiety, depression, and drug addiction. In a meeting with Orsi, he recalled: "We just had a conversation about just life and her life and my life and various struggles that, you know, we've been through and things and she said, 'Great, you know, well go and write that' and I said 'What?' and she goes 'Everything we just talked about'". Levinson has also cited teenage anxiety as a whole as an influence for the series: "There is this consistent anxiety that I think exists in this generation that I think informed the whole filmmaking process." In June 2017, it was reported that the series was in development at HBO.


Production team

''Euphoria'' is a co-production of The Reasonable Bunch, A24, Little Lamb, DreamCrew, and
HBO Entertainment Home Box Office, Inc. (HBO) is an American multinational media and entertainment company operating as a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. Founded by Charles Dolan and based out of WarnerMedia's former corporate headquarters at the 30 Hudson Ya ...
. It has 16 executive producers, including Levinson, Leshem, Levin, Yardeni, Hadas Mozes Lichtenstein, Mirit Toovi, Yoram Mokadi, Gary Lennon, Zendaya, Canadian rapper Drake, Future the Prince, Ravi Nandan, and Kevin Turen. The pilot episode was directed by
Augustine Frizzell Augustine Frizzell (born July 27, 1979) is an American actress, film director, and screenwriter. She made her feature film directorial debut with '' Never Goin' Back'' (2018). Early life Growing up in Garland, Texas, Frizzell attended South Garl ...
. Levinson has served as ''Euphoria''s
showrunner A showrunner (or colloquially a helmer) is the top-level executive producer of a television series production who has creative and management authority through combining the responsibilities of employer and, in comedy or dramas, typically also th ...
since its premiere, and has written every episode. He has directed every episode, except the pilot, and the first-season episodes "03 Bonnie and Clyde" and "The Next Episode", which were respectively directed by Jennifer Morrison and Pippa Bianco. The production was given a pilot order on March 13, 2018, and on July 30, it was announced that HBO had given the production a series order. The series was renewed for a second season on July 11, 2019. Out of respect for the actors and extras involved, filming of nudity was conducted on a closed set, and for sex scenes, an intimacy coordinator was used. Production for the second season was scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2020, with the first table read on March 11, but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Production resumed in March 2021, with filming from April to November. HBO defended the series against allegations of a toxic work environment during the production of the second season, writing: "The well-being of cast and crew on our productions is always a top priority. The production was in full compliance with all safety guidelines and guild protocols. It's not uncommon for drama series to have complex shoots, and COVID protocols add an additional layer. We maintain an open line of communication with all the guilds, including SAG-AFTRA. There were never any formal inquiries raised." Before the series' second season, HBO ordered two specials. The first, "Trouble Don't Last Always", premiered on December 6, 2020, and follows Rue as she deals with the aftermath of leaving Jules at the train station and relapsing. The second, "Fuck Anyone Who's Not a Sea Blob", premiered on January 24, 2021, and follows Jules's side of the story. The second episode was co-written and executive produced by Levinson and Hunter Schafer. HBO announced that the special episodes would air two days early on HBO Max. On February 4, 2022, HBO renewed the series for a third season. In September 2022, HBO's CEO Casey Bloys said the series could go beyond four seasons, and would not end after season three. Production of season three was set to start in February 2023, aiming for a late 2023 release, but according to a ''Vogue'' interview with Apatow, filming was set to start in the second half of 2023. On a podcast, series costume designer Heidi Bivens said that preparations would begin in May 2023, with filming starting in June 2023. The third season production was disrupted by the
2023 Writers Guild of America strike From May 2 to September 27, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA)—representing 11,500 screenwriters—went on strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). With a duration of 148 days, the ...
, with Jeremy O. Harris calling out to David Zaslav, saying, "He's not a scab. David Zaslav, make a deal. That's what I'll say about Season 3 of 'Euphoria.' Make a deal, David. It's easy. Just come to that table." In May 2023, HBO confirmed the season would premiere by 2025. The production for season three started in December 2023. On March 12, 2024,
Sydney Sweeney Sydney Bernice Sweeney (born September 12, 1997) is an American actress. She first gained attention for appearing in the television series ''Everything Sucks!'' (2018), ''The Handmaid's Tale'' (2018), and ''Sharp Objects'' (2018). In 2019, she w ...
revealed in an
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
interview with Josh Horowitz that filming for the third season was due to "start soon". However on March 25, 2024, it was reported shooting was postponed indefinitely amidst speculation that the series would not return. HBO announced on July 12, 2024 that castmembers had signed on for a third season which would aim for a January 2025 start date. In August 2024, while appearing on an episode of ''Call Her Daddy'' with Alex Cooper, Hunter Schafer stated, "The real tea is I have no f-king idea what's going on" with production on the series' third season.


Casting

In June 2018, it was announced that the pilot would star Zendaya,
Storm Reid Storm Reid is an American actress. After playing a small role in the television film ''A Cross to Bear'' (2012), Reid made her acting debut with an appearance in the period drama film '' 12 Years a Slave'' (2013). She earned recognition for a s ...
, Maude Apatow,
Astro Astro may refer to: Entertainment and media * Astro (South Korean band), a South Korean boy band * Astro (UB40) (1957–2021), member of the British reggae band UB40 * Astro (Chilean band), a Chilean indie rock band * Astro (Japanese band), ...
, Eric Dane, Angus Cloud, Alexa Demie, Jacob Elordi, Barbie Ferreira,
Nika King Nika King is an American actress and comedian. She is best known for her role as Leslie Bennett on the HBO television series ''Euphoria'' (2019–present). After starting her acting career in 2002, King moved to Los Angeles and became a stand-up ...
, Hunter Schafer, and
Sydney Sweeney Sydney Bernice Sweeney (born September 12, 1997) is an American actress. She first gained attention for appearing in the television series ''Everything Sucks!'' (2018), ''The Handmaid's Tale'' (2018), and ''Sharp Objects'' (2018). In 2019, she w ...
. In October, Algee Smith was cast to replace Astro as McKay, and Austin Abrams had also been cast. Astro reportedly quit the series after shooting the pilot as he was uncomfortable with the sexual content involving his character. In April 2020, Kelvin Harrison Jr. joined the cast, but by May 2021, he had dropped out due to scheduling conflicts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In August,
Dominic Fike Dominic David Fike (born December 30, 1995) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. Fike first received recognition after releasing several popular songs to the website SoundCloud. Following the release of his debut extended play, '' Don't ...
, Minka Kelly, and Demetrius "Lil Meech" Flenory Jr. were added to the cast. On August 24, 2022, Ferreira announced via Instagram story that she had decided to leave the series. On April 5, 2023, she said: "I just felt like, maybe it's like I overstayed my welcome a little bit. So for me, I actually felt good to be like, 'Okay, I get to not worry about this, and we both don't get too worried about this', because it's exhausting." In July 2024, Colman Domingo confirmed that he would be reprising his role as Ali Muhammad in the third season.


Filming

Primary photography takes place in Sony Pictures Studios in
Culver City Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. Founded in 1917 as a "whites only" sundown town, it is now an ethnically diverse city with what was called the "third-most ...
, California. Grant High School in Los Angeles stands in for the fictional East Highland High School. The exterior of the Bennett family house that appears in the pilot episode is located a
5611 Shenandoah Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90056, USA
According to the California Film Commission, the first season of ''Euphoria'' received $8,378,000 in incentive tax credits. The first season was filmed over a combined total of 104 days; the second season's production costs totaled $96,685,000 after a total of 176 filming days. Subsequently, the second season received a $19,406,000 tax credit for employing over 15,000 people in California. Zendaya received $500,000 per episode in the first two seasons and will receive $1,000,000 per episode in the third season. For season three, Rue's
sobriety Sobriety is the condition of not having any measurable levels or effects from alcohol or drugs. Sobriety is also considered to be the natural state of a human being at birth. A person in a state of sobriety is considered sober. Organizations o ...
journey, Zendaya opened up about exploring characters outside high school, with the filming locations of Dublin, London, New York City, Rome, Singapore, and Warner Bros. Studios lots in
Burbank Burbank may refer to: Places Australia * Burbank, Queensland, a suburb in Brisbane United States * Burbank, California, a city in Los Angeles County * Burbank, Santa Clara County, California, a census-designated place * Burbank, Illinois, ...
and Leavesden, and a time jump to 2024. The filming is scheduled to begin in January 2025.


Visual style

The visual style of Euphoria is heavily inspired by the work of Petra Collins. ''Euphoria'' employs hyper-stylized cinematography, set design, costume design, and editing, which presents an "emotional realism" that captures the inner perspectives of the series's adolescent characters. The first season was shot digitally using the Arri Alexa 65 camera. The two special episodes and second season were shot on Kodak 35mm film stock, primarily Ektachrome, which cinematographer Marcell Rév attributed to a desire to invoke "some sort of memory of high school".


Use of color and lighting

The series often utilizes saturated colors, notably of purple and blue, to communicate the emotional state of its characters. Shades of green and yellow regularly symbolize distress, while purple and blue convey an elated, feverish atmosphere. In shooting both day and night exteriors, cinematographer Marcell Rév relied on an exaggerated orange-blue color scheme, translated in the use of backlights and tungsten lights, to create visuals that feel "almost dreamlike". LED lights and SkyPanels were used in several interior shoots to display bright and vivid colors of purple and blue. The second season of Euphoria was shot on
film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
, specifically in Kodak's Ektachrome and Vision3 500T, which distorted how set lighting looked on camera.


Camera movement

"For camera movements, we really wanted it to have a certain energy that ties the different storylines together. So, I would say the camera movement is the glue in the show, that glues it together" said Rév on using an energized design element that stands out. Extensive whip pans and tracking shots were employed to portray intimacy, growth, and interrelationship. In the fourth episode of first season "Shook Ones Pt. II", a 2-minute tracking shot, achieved through the use of a dolly, a technocrane, and four camera stitches, was "to introduce a space where all hecharacters were present, and somehow connect them in one shot".


Costume design

The costume design of ''Euphoria'' is arguably the series' most notable and influential hallmark. The characters of the series are regularly shown in chic, flamboyant outfits that serve as "plot devices and psychological profiles" to represent their personalities and character arcs. For example, in the first season, costume designer Heidi Bivens dressed Jules, a transgender woman, in a wardrobe consisting of bright pastels and tennis skirts, inspired by the character's interest in anime and fantasy, to embody "the youthful optimism that comes with a fresh start" and her journey to "conquer" femininity, but as the character explores her gender identity and becomes more disillusioned between the first and second seasons, she "slips into a slightly muted, darker and more
androgynous Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex, gender identity, or gender expression. When ''androgyny'' refers to mixed biological sex characteristics i ...
" wardrobe.


Analysis

The visual aesthetics of ''Euphoria'' has been compared to the German expressionism movement of the early 20th century.


Music

''Euphoria''s score was composed by English singer, songwriter, and record producer Labrinth. The song " All for Us", performed by Labrinth and Zendaya, is hinted at throughout the first season before being performed as a large musical number at the end of the season finale. Labrinth makes an appearance in the series alongside Zendaya to perform their song "I'm Tired". The series also makes extensive use of popular music, including hip hop,
trap A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research. Trap or TRAP may also refer to: Art and entertainment Films and television * ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...
, R&B, experimental, indie rock,
standards Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology), an object th ...
and
doo-wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
, with some episodes featuring over 20 songs. For their work on ''Euphoria''s first season, music supervisors Jen Malone (who also supervises the FX series '' Atlanta'') and Adam Leber won the 2020
Guild of Music Supervisors Award The Guild of Music Supervisors Awards recognize music supervisors in 14 categories, representing movies, television, games and trailers. ''Compton Compton may refer to: Places Canada * Compton (electoral district), a former Quebec federal elec ...
for Best Music Supervision in a Television Drama.


Scores

The score album for the first season was released by Sony Masterworks through Milan Records on October 4, 2019, for digital download. The album was also released on vinyl on January 10, 2020. The score has been described as "the holy lilt of gospel, orchestral and electronic" and was favorably reviewed by ''Variety''. The score album for the second season was released by
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
on April 22, 2022, in digital and physical formats. Like the previous one, it was composed and produced by Labrinth.


Soundtracks


Season 1 soundtrack

A soundtrack album featuring a selection of songs from the first season and specials was released by
Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
digitally on May 14, 2021, with vinyl copies released on September 3, 2021.


Season 2 soundtrack

The soundtrack to the second season was released digitally by
Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
on March 4, 2022, with CDs releasing on May 13, 2022, and vinyl on July 29, 2022. The album's release was preceded by seven singles, "Watercolor Eyes" by Lana Del Rey, " How Long" by Tove Lo, "(Pick Me Up) Euphoria" by James Blake featuring Labrinth, "Sad4Whattt" by EricDoa, "Yeh I Fuckin' Did it" by Labrinth, "
I'm Tired "I'm Tired" is a song by English singer Labrinth and American singer Zendaya, released as a single from the Euphoria (American TV series)#Season 2 soundtrack, season two soundtrack of American TV series ''Euphoria (American TV series), Euphoria'' ...
" by Labrinth and Zendaya, and "
Elliot's Song "Elliot's Song" is a song by American singers Dominic Fike and Zendaya, released as a single from the season two soundtrack and score album of American TV series ''Euphoria'' on March 4, 2022. It was written by Labrinth, his girlfriend Muzhda "M ...
" by Dominic Fike and Zendaya. In an interview with '' IndieWire'', Labrinth stated of the soundtrack's religious undertones: "We spoke about using organs because of a lot of the religious influences in the show, especially with Rue. We wanted a lot of the sounds edging towards a religious sound. And because I love both Pentecostal and Catholic sounds, I kind of was like trying to merge them both together."


Episode titles

Many of the episode titles for the first season are references to late-1990s and early-2000s song titles that correlate to the episode itself. For instance, "'03 Bonnie and Clyde" is a reference to the 2002
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
and
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
song of the same name. The loyal relationship between Nate Jacobs and Maddy Perez in the episode mirrors that between Jay-Z and Beyoncé in the song.


Release

The series premiered on June 16, 2019, on HBO. In Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, it premiered on June 17, 2019, through HBO Asia. In Australia, it premiered on June 17, 2019, through
Foxtel Foxtel is an Australian pay television company—operating in cable television, direct broadcast satellite television, and IPTV streaming services. It was formed in April 2018, superseding an earlier company from 1995. The service was establi ...
. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, it premiered on August 6, 2019, through Sky Atlantic. The specials were released on December 6, 2020 (as "Part 1: Rue") and January 24, 2021 (as "Part 2: Jules"). The second season premiered on January 9, 2022. A third season is set to premiere in 2025. Like many HBO series, ''Euphoria'' is extensively pirated in the United Kingdom.


Home media

The first and second seasons (including the two special episodes) were released on DVD on November 1, 2022, by
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. (formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the home video distribution division of Warner Bros. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video ...
. This is the first A24 series not to be released from Lionsgate Home Entertainment. A Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray are not yet announced.


Reception


Critical response


Season 1

''Euphoria''s first season was met with a positive response from critics, with praise for its acting (specifically from Zendaya, Sweeney, and Domingo), storyline, visuals, and approach to mature subject matter. However, it met with controversy for the amount of drug use and nudity throughout the show. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 80%, with an average rating of 7.4/10 based on 100 critical reviews. The site's critical consensus summary states, "a uniquely challenging and illuminating series, held together by a powerfully understated performance from Zendaya". The review aggregator website Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 68 out of 100, based on 26 critics. Ben Travers of '' IndieWire'' praised the show's authenticity, how HBO "grounds itself in stark reality", and Zendaya's performance and narration. Tim Goodman of '' The Hollywood Reporter'' noted Zendaya's performance and the handling of the subject matter. Pilot Viruet of ''Observer'' called the show "visually stunning" and praised the ensemble's performance, but criticized the writing as "shaky, filled with clunky lines", and recommended that the show "keep its focus narrow". Jamila Stewart of '' Vogue'' stated that ''Euphoria'' still has a palpable impact on where fashion trends fall today.


Specials

The first of the series's two special episodes, "Trouble Don't Last Always", received widespread critical acclaim for its writing, performances, and shift in tone and content from the first season. On Rotten Tomatoes, the episode has a score of 97%, with an average rating of 8.44/10 based on 23 critical reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "''Euphoria'' slows down the tempo without losing the beat in a special episode that pairs a raw Zendaya with a steady Colman Domingo to create small screen magic." On Metacritic, the episode has a weighted average score of 84 out of 100, based on 10 reviews. The second of the two special episodes, "Fuck Anyone Who's Not a Sea Blob", also received critical acclaim, with particular praise for Schafer's performance and writing, as well as the episode's distinctive directorial approach, emotional resonance, and exploration of trans identity. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a score of 96%, with an average rating of 7.9/10 based on 22 critical reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, "By centering on Jules' journey, ''Fuck Anyone Who's Not a Sea Blob'' adds welcome depth to her character and gives Hunter Schafer plenty of room to shine." On Metacritic, the episode has an average weighted score of 78 out of 100, based on 10 reviews.


Season 2

The series's second season received mostly positive reviews, with critics praising the performances and visuals but criticizing the pace and characterization. On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season received a score of 79%, with an average rating of 7.05/10 based on 112 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, "As willfully provocative as ever in its second season, ''Euphoria'' still isn't for all tastes—but when its addictive ingredients are mixed just right, the results remain intoxicating." Metacritic assigned the season a score of 74 out of 100 based on 19 reviews. '' IndieWires Ben Travers criticized the sexual content but appreciated Zendaya's performance, writing, "After seven of the eight episodes, Season 2 is exactly what a drama seeking to spark conversation fears most: It's skippable." Rebecca Nicholson for '' The Guardian'' gave the second season two out of five, writing, "this long-awaited second season has decided to lean into its crueller instincts". ''USA Today'''s Patrick Ryan praised the performances of Zendaya, Schafer, and Fike, but wrote that "the new episodes are much less captivating when they shift their focus away from Rue and Jules".


Ratings

The series' premiere averaged 577,000 viewers in its time slot, a number that increased to one million after the same-night linear replay and preliminary viewing on HBO Go/ Now. The
hashtag A hashtag is a metadata tag that is prefaced by the hash (also known as pound or octothorpe) sign, ''#''. On social media, hashtags are used on microblogging and photo-sharing services such as Twitter or Instagram as a form of user-generated ...
#EuphoriaHBO trended number one in the US and number three worldwide on Twitter after the premiere. The first season was the most watched of HBO's series in the 18–49 demographic with episodes averaging 6.6 million viewers. The second-season premiere drew 2.4 million viewers across all HBO platforms, a series high. It also marked the strongest digital premiere night performance for any episode of an HBO series since HBO Max's launch, until it was dethroned by '' House of the Dragon''. At the end of its second season, it became the second-most-watched HBO series since 2004 (behind ''
Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the first ...
''), with episodes averaging 16.3 million viewers until it was surpassed by ''House of the Dragon''. According to '' Variety'', ''Euphoria'' became the most tweeted television series of the decade in the US, with more than 30 million tweets related to the series during the second season, 51% more than during the first season.


Season 1


Specials


Season 2


Accolades


Concerns over mature content

Some commentators and organizations have criticized the series's explicit content, including
self-harm Self-harm is intentional behavior that is considered harmful to oneself. This is most commonly regarded as direct injury of one's own skin tissues usually without a suicidal intention. Other terms such as cutting, self-injury and self-mutilatio ...
, excessive drug use, and sexual material amongst its teenage characters, content present in other HBO series, including '' Big Little Lies'', ''
Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the first ...
'', '' Girls'', '' Luck'', and '' Westworld''. The conservative media advocacy group
Parents Television and Media Council The Parents Television and Media Council (PTMC), formerly the Parents Television Council (PTC), is an American media advocacy group founded by conservative Christian activist L. Brent Bozell III in 1995, which advocates for what it considers ...
called the series "dark, depraved, degenerate and nihilistic", and asked HBO and AT&T to end it. Common Sense Media, which provides information on media's suitability for children, also noted the strong adult themes and advised against teenage viewership. One scene involving more than 30 shots of penises was criticized by both critics and supporters, with ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
'' calling it "pointlessly gratuitous". ''The Guardian'' wrote that writers and producers should find new and different ways to shock audiences. In 2022, Minka Kelly said she felt discomfort at the quantity of nude scenes in the series.
Drug Abuse Resistance Education Drug Abuse Resistance Education (stylized as D.A.R.E.) is an education program that seeks to prevent use of controlled drugs, membership in gangs, and violent behavior. It was founded in Los Angeles in 1983 as a joint initiative of then- LAPD ch ...
criticized the series's depiction of drug use, saying that it "chooses to misguidedly glorify and erroneously depict high school student drug use addiction ... and other destructive behaviors as common in today's world". Samuel Getachew wrote in a ''Culture'' piece for ''Vogue'' that the series' depictions of trauma aestheticize it in a way that his "generation is particularly vulnerable to". In 2023, Colman Domingo said that he felt the accusations by other series actors of a toxic workplace due to lengthy shoots and the alleged mistreatment of actors, as well as onset chaos during the second season, are overblown.


Responses

Levinson acknowledged the controversies over the series's content, saying that some parents will be "totally fucking freaked out".
Augustine Frizzell Augustine Frizzell (born July 27, 1979) is an American actress, film director, and screenwriter. She made her feature film directorial debut with '' Never Goin' Back'' (2018). Early life Growing up in Garland, Texas, Frizzell attended South Garl ...
, who directed the pilot episode, said that the explicit content should help foster a conversation between parents and teenagers. Levinson also said that he hopes the series "opens up a dialogue" due to the "disconnect between parents and teenagers". Zendaya issued a warning both before the series and the second-season premiere about its "deeply emotional subject matter". HBO voiced objections to some sexually graphic scenes, but said it would not interfere with the series' "creative process". The series includes viewer discretion warnings and a website for mental health and other
support group In a support group, members provide each other with various types of help, usually nonprofessional and nonmaterial, for a particular shared, usually burdensome, characteristic. Members with the same issues can come together for sharing coping str ...
resources. The series has reportedly been censored for sexual or violent content in countries like Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore.


Notes


References


External links

* * *
Official screenplay for "Stand Still Like the Hummingbird"
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