After two years of waiting, HBO released the second season of its hit show, Euphoria. When I heard about the new season, I was excited, especially after the final scene in the first season. Every Sunday, I would pour myself a glass of rose, make some popcorn, and turn on the show. After watching the final episode, I felt slightly disappointed but still entertained overall. I will try to avoid spoilers as much as possible.
In the first episode, the audience is briefly reintroduced to the main characters from the last season: Rue, Jules, Kat, Maddy, Cassie, Lexi, and Nate. We also get two new characters, Elliot (played by musician Dominic Fike) and Faye (played by adult star Chloe Cherry). The first episode set up this season to be tense and drama-filled, featuring the aesthetic cinematography prominent in the first season.
The second and third episodes continued to promise a great season, but soon the show fell off. The narration style that helped develop the characters in the first season is gone, despite getting multiple opening backstories for the characters. The show became more focused on drama and less on the characters and their struggles. Over half of the season was about the drama between Cassie, Maddie, and Nate, despite Rue still battling severe drug addiction. Kat was the most underdeveloped character, with almost no lines or scenes in the second season despite her prominence in the first.
There were a lot of new plot lines that were started but never came to fruition by the end of the season. This was most likely so people would watch the following season, but it was still frustrating. The writing was much more sloppy, often leaving you wanting more.
Despite all of this, I did find the whole season entertaining. In between the excessive drama, there are some terrific monologues and minor plots that made the second season worth watching. We were still treated to the first season’s outstanding cinematography, music, and costume design. With a tense finale that will leave you in shock. Overall, if you are a fan of Euphoria like me, the new season is worth a watch. — Jazmine Henning
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