Euphoria - Season 3 (HBO) 

By: Rachel Brodeur

Euphoria returns to HBO for its third season a little more mature, but just as scandalous. Originally premiering in 2019, Euphoria shocked audiences with its gritty portrayal of suburban teens navigating drugs and sex. Season 3 makes the smart choice to age its characters up with a five-year time jump. Now officially out of high school, into their early adult lives, the show delivers interesting story lines and character evolutions, but still reveals a sinister underbelly of crime, substance abuse and danger. 

Euphoria is anchored by lead Zendaya (Dune, Spider-Man: Homecoming) who plays Rue Bennett, a recovering drug addict still struggling to build an honest life for herself. Rue still attempts to uphold her sobriety in some of the most toxic and unsupportive environments. Despite her best efforts, she cannot disentangle herself from the world of drug related crime, but it is Zendaya’s charm that keeps audiences rooting for Rue as an underdog who is just trying to make something of herself despite odds stacked against her. It almost becomes forgivable that she is an active part in producing those terrible circumstances through her character’s own poor decisions. Rue narrates the series and provides the tactical hinge between the characters that have mostly lost touch after the cliques of high school dissipated. Fellow castmates and stars in their own right, Jacob Elordi (Saltburn, Wuthering Heights) and Sydney Sweeney (The White Lotus, The Housemaid) share several scenes that are intense and compelling to watch. As a cohabitating couple, their interactions are layered with subtle tension that gradually builds into explosive emotional outbursts of anger, aggression, and love.

Beyond the deviant plot lines, of drug use and sex for sale, watching Euphoria is visually striking. Creator Sam Levinson pushes the cinematography well beyond a typical television show; there are gorgeous saturated wide angle shots of the desert landscapes, coordinated stylized fashion that evokes the sultry feel of old Hollywood, and extreme closeups that add to tense moments. The raw gritty mood of the scenes, positioned against flashy displays of wealth, coupled with the removal from the high school aesthetic, all contribute to this season feeling distinctly different than previous seasons. However, Euphoria maintains its signature structure, shifting between the timelines of its ensemble and treating each character as the focal point, with flashbacks that gradually piece together how they reached key moments. 

Rachel’s Rating: 8/10

Season three of Euphoria revisits its characters years later, exploring their transition into early adulthood while retaining the show’s signature intensity. Zendaya leads a strong ensemble, grounding the narrative as relationships evolve and tensions resurface, while maintaining a cinematically striking display of beauty and darkness.