‘Euphoria’ held a grip on the culture. But after a four-year pause, will viewers return for Season 3?

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Al-akhir Fletcher, a 25-year-old actor and singer, recalls eagerly joining the online conversation immediately after new episodes of HBO’s teen drama “Euphoria” aired on Sunday nights. He would quickly switch between X (formerly Twitter) and FaceTime to see what everyone else was saying about each episode.

He explained he felt compelled to watch the show immediately to avoid finding out any details beforehand. He didn’t want anyone spoiling it for him. He attempted to wait a week to watch multiple episodes at once, but couldn’t resist because everyone was discussing it.

Even though four years have passed since the last season, Fletcher still feels excited about Season 3, which starts on Sunday. However, the long wait has made him a little unsure about things. Despite this, he plans to complete the show.

I’m motivated to finish the show because I’ve become so invested in it – the characters and their storylines. I really want to see how things resolve, but I’m a little hesitant, especially after hearing about all the issues and drama happening behind the scenes.

The last season of Euphoria, which aired in 2022, had a huge impact on popular culture. Maddy Perez’s unique fashion choices became a go-to look for nights out, a memorable moment from Cassie Howard’s emotional storyline became a widely shared quote (“I have never, ever been happier”), and Labrinth’s music became incredibly popular on TikTok, often used in emotional videos. The show also launched the careers of its actors: Zendaya won an Emmy, became a sought-after actress and fashion icon, and Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi have both become well-known and successful in their field, with Jacob even receiving an Oscar nomination this year.

Entertainment & Arts

Zendaya has a lot coming up! Starting this month with the release of ‘The Drama,’ here’s a look at her future projects, like the next season of ‘Euphoria’ and ‘Dune: Part Three.’

Importantly, “Euphoria” briefly revitalized HBO, making it a must-see destination. Episodes felt like events, prompting immediate discussion and analysis as soon as they aired.

Since the last season aired four years ago, the entertainment industry has faced major challenges: two significant labor strikes, budget cuts from streaming services, and audiences spreading out across more and more specialized viewing choices. The shared viewing experience that helped make “Euphoria” a hit is much less common now, and may not even exist anymore.

With the show back after a long break, fans are wondering not only what happens next for Rue and her friends, but also if “Euphoria” can recapture its former impact. Season 3 jumps ahead five years, showing the characters dealing with the complexities of adulthood after leaving high school. Maddy is now working at a talent agency, walking a fine line between legitimate work and potentially exploitative clients. Cassie and Nate are getting married, even as Cassie explores starting an OnlyFans account. Meanwhile, Rue is still struggling with a significant drug debt that continues to haunt her.

The returning cast of “Euphoria” Season 3 includes, from left to right: Jacob Elordi, Alexa Demie, and Sydney Sweeney. (Photos: Patrick Wymore/HBO, Jeremy Colegrove/HBO, HBO)

Can a series disappear for four years and reclaim its choke hold on the culture?

Honestly, I’m still not sure if the show will be back after this season, or if we’ll even get more seasons. The creator, Sam Levinson, hasn’t said for sure if this is the end, and Zendaya even admitted in an interview with Drew Barrymore that she thinks this might be it, but she wasn’t certain either. It’s a little frustrating not knowing!

It’s unclear if viewers will return to “Euphoria” in the same numbers as before. While some believe the show is too popular to fail and will immediately grab attention, others are skeptical. They point to the long break since the last season, the issues that arose behind the scenes, and the fact that today’s TV audience is more fragmented and doesn’t necessarily follow one show as closely as they used to.

What made the show a breakout hit

One reason it’s hard to talk about the impact of “Euphoria” is how unique it seemed when it debuted in 2019. HBO was known for sophisticated shows geared towards adults – think complex crime dramas and character-driven stories – and hadn’t previously focused on teen dramas. “Euphoria” was a deliberate move to attract a younger audience while still maintaining HBO’s reputation for quality and boldness.

Television critic Michel Ghanem explained that this show seemed like HBO’s first attempt at creating content specifically for younger audiences, hoping to attract viewers who hadn’t previously watched the network.

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Rosalía, Marshawn Lynch, and Kadeem Hardison are all set to appear in the upcoming third season of ‘Euphoria’.

“Euphoria” wasn’t like typical teen dramas. It was darker and explored difficult topics like addiction, sex, and intense emotions. While HBO started trying out shows with similar themes, like “The Sex Lives of College Girls” and “Generation,” “Euphoria” was unique in its style and scope. Taking that chance proved to be successful.

“It grabbed on to an audience that loved the cast and the performances and the soundtrack and the cinematography,” Ghanem said. “So I think all of those elements together sort of made it into appointment television.”

What really struck me about the film wasn’t just how visually stunning it was, but how relatable it felt. It wasn’t about fantastical things happening to completely foreign characters – I saw echoes of people I knew, and situations I’d experienced, hiding beneath all the spectacle. It felt surprisingly personal, like the director was tapping into something universally human.

Darryl McCrary, a local creative artist, explained he strongly connected with the story because of growing up in Los Angeles. He said the characters, including teenagers struggling with and dealing drugs, felt incredibly real to him – like people he’d known. He described it as feeling ‘like home’.

As a total movie and TV buff, I really connected with what Cheyenne Washington, a young actor and ‘Euphoria’ fan from Connecticut, said. She grew up in a small town, but her high school experience felt nothing like those sanitized Disney Channel shows. Instead, she told me it was honestly a lot more like the raw, realistic world depicted in ‘Euphoria’ – she really knew those characters because she went to school with people just like them.

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Before Sunday’s particularly difficult episode of “Euphoria,” Zendaya reassured viewers that her character’s struggles with relapse weren’t the biggest problem they’d seen. She suggested it wasn’t the worst thing to happen on the show.

By its second season, “Euphoria” was a huge success for HBO, attracting millions of viewers per episode. The season finale alone reached over 6 million people across all platforms, proving the show’s widespread popularity.

According to Jason Mittell, a film and media culture professor at Middlebury College, ‘Euphoria’ was a widely discussed show, particularly among students, those active online, and critics. He explained that this widespread conversation is what made the show stand out.

Why production stalled

As a big fan, it was really frustrating to hear about all the reasons why season three of “Euphoria” was taking so long. Of course, the strikes in Hollywood played a part, but it was also incredibly sad to lose Angus Cloud and Kevin Turen – they were both so important to the show. I even heard rumors of some creative disagreements between Zendaya and Sam Levinson. Plus, the cast has become huge stars now, and juggling everyone’s movie schedules is a whole new challenge compared to when we first started watching!

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The young actor, who passed away on Monday at the age of 25, was known for his understated performances, even when acting alongside more famous colleagues in a show known for its grand scale.

According to Mittell, the show needs to be innovative to generate excitement this season. While clever marketing could lead to strong viewership, the show is also setting itself up for potential criticism. He predicts many articles are already being written questioning whether the show should have returned for another season.

Despite potential creative issues, the show is likely to succeed thanks to its large scale and the popularity of its stars. As Ghanem points out, actors like Jacob Elordi and Sydney Sweeney are huge names now. People will tune in simply to see them together and to find out what the creator, Sam Levinson, does next. Ghanem believes a massive hit is guaranteed, and it’s hard to imagine this season failing.

Angus Cloud, known for his role as Fezco on the HBO show “Euphoria,” passed away in 2023 due to an accidental overdose. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

It was a really tough year for the world of film and TV – we lost Kevin Turen, one of the executive producers on “Euphoria,” back in 2023. It felt like a huge loss for everyone involved, and it’s sadly something I still think about. (Photo credit: Jack Plunkett / Invision / Associated Press)

The biggest change isn’t about the show itself, but how people see it and its creator, according to both experts and fans. Since “Euphoria” debuted in 2019, Sam Levinson has come under increased attention, especially after the negative reaction to his HBO series “The Idol,” which received harsh reviews and was filled with reports of problems during production. This criticism has now spread back to “Euphoria,” leading to renewed debate about how it depicts sex, nudity, and teenagers.

Music

Thankfully, the HBO show about a singer and her manipulative mentor ends this Sunday, but it’s unfortunately damaged the public image of its creator and star, Abel Tesfaye.

According to Ghanem, since the show first came out in 2019, there’s been a lot of discussion about what kind of content appeals to Gen Z. While the show is popular, it’s also faced criticism, and people are now more likely to analyze the work of its creator, Sam Levinson.

This change is likely to be even more noticeable with younger audiences, who may have been put off by the show’s excessive content.

Fordham University assistant professor Brandy Monk-Payton notes recent research suggests young people are increasingly less interested in sexually explicit content. They’re showing more interest in seeing relationships develop without sexual intimacy, including platonic and asexual connections.

Can a time gap still lead to success?

It’s common for TV shows to have breaks, but this one is unusually long, especially considering the show is still trying to stay relevant. While returning to the air is possible, it’s often difficult to regain the same level of excitement from viewers and fans.

Recent shows like “Stranger Things” have shown how difficult it can be to balance long breaks between seasons. While “Stranger Things” still drew huge audiences after a multi-year gap, some viewers and critics felt the final season felt rushed or unnecessary.

“They weren’t reckless enough with their characters,” McCrary said.

“The Handmaid’s Tale” was a major TV show in the late 2010s, but after several breaks, it had difficulty staying as relevant as it once was.

Monk-Payton believes the show lost popularity due to the changing social and political landscape. They explained the creative team no longer wanted to focus on the dark world of Gilead, and questioned whether audiences would want to revisit the intense and often disturbing themes of ‘Euphoria,’ like drug use, sex, and violence.

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This post contains spoilers for Episode 3 of “Euphoria.”

Even the highly praised second season of “Severance,” which received awards and critical acclaim, led to discussions about whether it lived up to the quality and originality of its first season. Experts point out that it’s not simply if viewers return for more, but what they expect when they do.

For Monk-Payton, this expectation acts as an unspoken understanding between a TV show and the people watching it.

She explained that the show needs to stay true to what viewers expect, finding a balance between keeping familiar elements and introducing fresh ideas. The characters and their connections should be recognizable, but also evolve in a way that makes the audience want to keep watching.

She believes many shows lose their way when they try to do too much. According to Monk-Payton, “Severance” started as a clever sci-fi show about work, but its second season became overly complicated with new storylines. While Apple TV said it was their most popular show, not everyone felt the changes were successful.

She explained that when TV shows return after being off the air, they sometimes lose touch with what viewers originally enjoyed about them.

“Euphoria” faces a similar danger. If the new season significantly departs from the raw emotional honesty that made the show popular, or changes the characters too much, it risks losing its audience.

Monk-Payton explained that it’s important for viewers to connect with characters like Rue. While some people will finish the show just to see what happens, others might stop watching if they don’t feel a connection to the characters or story.

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2026-04-12 21:37