Euphoria is back with more shock and scandal, but mixed reviews
Euphoria Resurfaces with Mixed Reception, Fueling New Controversy
Following a four-year hiatus, the US sensation Euphoria has returned, with its principal actors Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, and Jacob Elordi once again in the spotlight. Yet, as the series resumes, critics have split on its direction, with some calling it a disappointment and others praising its boldness.
Critics Split on Season Three’s Direction
The Guardian’s review was sharply critical, asserting that the latest season “was absolutely not worth the wait.” Meanwhile, the Telegraph remarked that it “feels tired and dated.” In contrast, the Times described it as “a dazzling (and stomach-churning) series,” while the Independent highlighted its “clear-eyed, unflattering portrait of modern America.”
“This isn’t character development, this is fetish content. Disgusting,”
one social media user wrote, echoing broader reactions to the show’s latest antics. Another added:
“This is just disturbing.”
A Shocking Trailer Sparks Debate
Controversy erupted before the season even began, thanks to a trailer showcasing Sweeney’s character in a provocative, infantile pose. In the clip, Cassie, now an OnlyFans content creator, is depicted with curly pigtails, a dummy in her mouth, and legs open, raising questions about the show’s portrayal of sex work. Critics like The Guardian’s Hannah J Davies argued that this scene “feels bafflingly dated,” and that the storyline around Cassie’s cam girl ambitions “is simultaneously voyeuristic and judgy.”
Meanwhile, the show’s creator, Sam Levinson, is credited with “trying to make a point about drugs – in particular synthetic opioids – ravaging the lives of ordinary Americans.” However, Davies questioned whether the characters’ extreme hardships were necessary for that message. “But did he have to make his characters’ lives so horrifically bleak in order to do so?” she wondered.
Characters Evolve, But Not Without Criticism
The series originally introduced its characters in 2019 as high schoolers, now aged into their early twenties. Zendaya’s character, Rue, has transformed into a drug mule to repay a debt, a role that earned her Emmy wins for best drama actress in prior seasons. While Davies praised both Zendaya and Sweeney’s performances, she noted that Sweeney’s portrayal has become “a caricature of an airhead sex kitten,” suggesting a potential disconnect between the actor and the show’s themes.
Eleanor Halls of the Telegraph echoed this sentiment, comparing the season to “the misogynistic fantasies of a creepy old man.” She highlighted how Levinson’s camera “peers and leers” at female characters, with Rue being the only one who “feels endearing, funny, complicated and unpredictable.” Yet, even Rue couldn’t fully salvage the group of “amoral ghouls” who “seem to loathe themselves as much as each other,” according to Halls.
Entertainment Meets Chaos
The New York Post’s Lauren Sarner deemed the new season “an unhinged disaster” and “an off-the-rails roller coaster of insanity.” She noted that while the show “delivers that in spades,” its lack of narrative coherence and character consistency left fans wanting. “If there’s a loftier point to be made beyond the camera ogling her, it’s nowhere to be seen,” Sarner added, critiquing Sweeney’s character.
BBC Culture’s Caryn James similarly pointed out the show’s “lost zeitgeisty edge,” calling it “a series with very little to say.” Variety’s Alison Herman described it as “never not entertaining” but now “feels like entertaining but disjointed fan fiction.” Vulture’s Roxana Hadadi, meanwhile, criticized the early episodes as “completely airless,” suggesting the show’s narrative struggles to connect with its audience.
