Euphoria was a striking, standout coming-of-age drama, but the new season doesn’t capture its magic

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Euphoria season 3 spoilers won’t be found in this review.

It’s been four years since we last saw Euphoria, and you’re likely curious about what’s happened with Rue (Zendaya) and her friends. The show quickly reveals things haven’t been easy for Rue, with her voiceover starting by admitting, “Honestly? Nothing good.” We soon learn just how much worse things have gotten for her over the past five years.

As expected, Laurie (Martha Kelly) is still relentlessly pursuing Rue for the money she’s owed, and the amount has dramatically increased. She initially claims Rue owes her ten thousand dollars, then jokingly states it’s actually forty-three million, before ‘settling’ for a more reasonable one hundred thousand.

And that’s how Rue became a drug mule.

What about Lexi and Maddie? Compared to the rest of the characters on Euphoria, they’re actually doing pretty well. They’re both working towards their goals and are in a much better place than Nate and Cassie.

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Once childhood sweethearts, they’re now trying to build an adult life together in a lovely home, getting ready for their wedding. However, the unhealthy patterns from their past are still causing problems, and they’re also struggling financially. Cassie has a plan to overcome these difficulties: she’s determined to become popular on TikTok, even if it means dressing up in silly costumes like a dog or a baby.

Jules has stopped making art and is now working as a sugar baby, supported financially by Sam Trammell, known for his role in True Blood. The show also briefly acknowledges Fez, whose character is no longer present following the sad passing of actor Angus Cloud.

Barbie Ferreira, who played Kat, will not be back for future seasons. She had previously announced her departure on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard.

According to Ferreira, Kat’s storyline had simply reached its natural conclusion. He felt there wasn’t any logical way to continue her character’s journey.

Unfortunately, you could make that same case for Euphoria as a whole.

The show’s creator, Sam Levinson, says things are about to get even more intense, but honestly, the show has always been pretty dramatic. Remember Rue’s incredibly stressful intervention, or the shocking death at the end of season two? It’s hard to imagine the stakes getting much higher.

As a result, attempts to one-up what’s come before no longer feel as organic this time around.

The initial scenes showing Rue taking numerous fentanyl-filled balloons, while relevant to her current situation, feel overly drawn out. The subsequent image of a dog reacting to the balloon’s contents also seems a bit gratuitous.

Look, I get why some scenes are so intense, especially considering what the show is about. And honestly, Euphoria has never been afraid to go there before, right? I mean, who could forget Cassie totally losing it and throwing up all over the pool? It was shocking, but it felt…real, you know?

After three seasons, it seems like Euphoria hasn’t matured at the same pace as its characters, despite them being portrayed as older and more experienced.

Maybe the show is meant to show that the characters are still deeply affected by their past experiences, and that’s why it feels the way it does. However, while it used to feel groundbreaking, it now seems strained and lacks the energy that made the first (and possibly second) season of Euphoria so popular a few years back.

It’s hard to say if it was the long break since the last installment, or if the actors are simply too busy with other projects now, but the new film doesn’t quite feel like everyone was enthusiastic about returning.

Elordi, Sweeney, and Zendaya have all moved on to bigger roles, though Zendaya still delivers a strong performance, as does Demie. Hunter Schafer’s character, Jules, doesn’t become a major focus again until the third episode, which was the last one available for critics to view, making it difficult to assess the overall impact of her storyline.

Even with its surprisingly vivid visuals—often featuring cellophane—the show Euphoria doesn’t shy away from the difficult and sensitive territory of its story about a young woman navigating a ‘sugar baby’ relationship.

If handled well, this storyline could be a positive development for Jules. However, if not done carefully, it could reinforce harmful stereotypes by letting sex work overshadow her identity as a trans character, instead of simply being part of her job.

However, things have changed a lot since Schafer co-wrote that memorable episode for Jules back in 2021.

Season three of Euphoria is visually breathtaking. The show has always been beautiful, showcasing its talented cast, but the cinematography by Emmy winner Marcell Rév is truly exceptional and sets it apart from anything else on television.

Filmed using new KODAK film in both 35mm and 65mm formats, the movie features wider shots intentionally chosen to evoke the adventurous and dangerous feeling of the American West, according to director Levinson – a world “full of peril and possibility.”

With school over and everyone moving forward, there’s a feeling of endless possibility, which is perfect for the new season of Euphoria.

Beyond the show’s focus on sex and violence, it’s worth asking what the core message actually is. While tackling tough and provocative themes has always been a part of Euphoria, the show hasn’t consistently presented a clear or compelling perspective.

People have often criticized the show for creating drama just for the sake of it, and this season those criticisms seem particularly valid. It remains to be seen if viewers will continue to tune in, but the impressive lineup of guest stars will likely help maintain interest.

I’ve been really impressed with some of the new faces popping up lately. Rosalía and Sharon Stone are great, but Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje totally steals the show as Alamo Brown – honestly, that performance is already one of my favorites!

Okay, so without giving anything away, Alanna Ubach totally kills it in episode three with some seriously funny lines. It really shows you just how powerful Cassie’s mom is, even though she doesn’t get a ton of screen time. She’s a force to be reckoned with, for sure!

This episode of Euphoria recaptures the intense and unsettling energy that originally made the show so popular, though those moments aren’t as frequent now.

It’s still unclear whether the payoff will be worth the anticipation. The show Euphoria moves very fast, making it difficult to predict where the story is headed after just three episodes.

We’re still not certain if this will be the last season of the show. While Zendaya believes it might be, it was difficult to coordinate everyone’s schedules this time around.

If this is truly the end of the show, let’s hope the final episodes are just as good as the best parts of the earlier seasons.

The third season of Euphoria will begin airing on HBO and streaming on HBO Max in the US on April 12th. Viewers in the UK can watch it on Sky Atlantic and stream it through Sky Go or NOW.

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2026-04-08 19:52