After nearly four years, the third season of HBO’s “Euphoria” premiered Sunday, April 12. The HBO drama centers on recovering drug addict Rue Bennett and her group of friends from high school as they grow into young adults living in California.
The series, created by Sam Levinson, first aired in 2019. It gained widespread popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic for its dreamy, psychedelic aesthetic and complex storylines.
The second season aired in 2022 and became the second-most-watched TV series in HBO history, behind “Game of Thrones,” averaging 16.3 million viewers per episode, according to Variety.
The show also sparked a cultural phenomenon known as “Euphoria Sundays,” when new episodes dominated conversation on platforms like X and TikTok.
Chinwe Uzoije watched the first season of the show last summer and enjoyed it, but did not get around to watching season two. Uzoije watched the first episode of the new season with friends, and because she didn’t watch the series during the craze of 2022, she said she is most excited to experience the communal aspect.
“I remember when it came out, the ‘Euphoria Sundays,’ and my friends would come to school talking about it. I like the YouTube video essays and TikToks,” Uzoije said.
She first watched the show last summer and said she was somewhat disappointed by the writing and cohesion in the premiere episode.
“The writing was just a little bit lazy,” she said. “I understand ‘Euphoria’ is meant to be this edgy, provocative show, but there’s something about the writing, and it’s not sitting right with me.”
However, she said she is looking forward to the cinematography, particularly scenes involving Nate and Cassie’s wedding.
“I do kind of like the color grading. Whatever flowers Cassie wants visually, I think those scenes will be very nice,” she said.
Trenton Noel is also eager to see more of Nate and Cassie’s relationship, particularly its potential downfall.
Noel began watching the series in 2020 during lockdown and said he enjoyed it. He also was a live watcher during the second season and describes himself as a big fan.
He said the storyline for each character, especially after a four-year time jump, is compelling, and he appreciates how the characters are being set up for the season.
He also said characters who are not returning have been written out well, but he will miss them, particularly those who have died since the second season, including Angus Cloud and Eric Dane.
“I thought Fez and Cal Jacobs brought a lot of nuance to the show, showing imperfect people in interesting situations,” Noel said.
Several main cast members, including Barbie Ferreira and Storm Reid, have also chosen not to return for the new season.
Noel added that he admires how much the cast has grown as actors, especially since “Euphoria” was one of their first major roles.
“Maude Apatow is doing great. Of course, Zendaya is killing it as always, and Nate Jacobs as well,” he said. “I think we’re getting more depth in these characters, and I can already tell from the first episode, so I’m excited to see what more we get.”
As the “Euphoria” actors develop, so do their characters and who they are becoming as young adults. Logan Richberg, a regular viewer of the show, believes it provides guidance on how to navigate high school.
“I feel like a lot of their storylines are almost like cautionary tales,” Richberg said.
The show was known for its makeup and stylistic choices in the previous seasons, and Richberg wishes that element feels less prominent in season three.
“I wish they stayed on theme, like the makeup, the hair and that kind of vibe that they were keeping up in seasons one and two,” Richberg said. “It definitely didn’t feel like the same show.”
Daryl Thomas Jr. also believes that the show didn’t feel as familiar compared to the first two seasons, and the creative direction of the series didn’t align with the previous seasons.
“The new episode was definitely lacking. It felt like a sketch show, almost like a different show but with all of the same actors filling the same typecast,” Thomas said.
The next episode of “Euphoria” will premiere Sunday, April 20. The season consists of eight episodes, released weekly on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.
Taylor Swinton and Armani Durham are reporters for HUNewsService.com
