Are You Watching HBO's "Euphoria"? Moral "Panic" Aside, Don't Miss Out on One of the (Best?) New Shows of 2019
Tuesday, July 30, 2019 at 2:08 p.m. PDT
Teen dramas may have outlived their usefulness for CW, which has mostly rebranded itself as the superhero network, but for a brand like HBO that’s facing an impending identity crisis (See “WarnerMedia Names New Streaming Service "HBO Max"; Chaos and Confusion Predicted to Ensue”), Euphoria might be just what the cable channel needs to bridge the gap between edgier, adult content and the shallowness common to teenage dramas.
On Sunday, June 16, 2019, HBO premiered new series Euphoria after its high-profile season 2 premiere of Big Little Lies. And while Euphoria may concern itself with the lives of high-schoolers, its subject matter is anything but juvenile. In fact, it is arguably leagues better than anything Big Little Lies has to offer. While Big Little Lies attracts viewers with famous actresses like Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep, its primary concern is the problems of the rich, (mostly) white and heterosexual. Big Little Lies is more fame and wealth, while Euphoria embraces matters of shame and mental health.
An odd choice, then, for the cable channel to pair the two, but hopefully the popularity of Big Little Lies provides a solid launching pad for Euphoria. In its first two episodes, Euphoria tackles matters of drug addiction, closeted married men, transgender youth, hookup apps, slut shaming, fat shaming, body terrorism, rape, rage, violence and masculinity, and a host of other SUPER! HAPPY! SOCIAL ISSUES!
Hyper social consciousness aside, Euphoria makes a strong case for television that can offer substance and style. Despite the bleakness of the subject matter and the dark lighting that engulfs the series, Euphoria manages to be both beautiful and gripping; it sucks you in almost immediately thanks to its gripping use of narration, mood-altering music, carefully interwoven scenes, and more. The stylistic choices are beautiful, engaging and deliberate; listen carefully, and you’ll notice, for example, that the narration disappears when the narrator herself goes unconscious.
Beautifully shot and never boring, Euphoria makes you feel like you’re on a drug high itself with its mood-changing states and ballsy ambitiousness, taking you places that other shows wouldn’t dare.
What’s not to like? Well, admittedly, the show isn’t for everyone. If you live a fairytale life, the subject matter might be tough to swallow. But if there’s ever been anything about you (or your life) that’s been a little left of center, you’ll appreciate Euphoria for offering something more relatable than undying confessions of love, superheroes who save the day, and that light at the end of the tunnel that, at least for Euphoria’s characters, may be an oncoming train.
The eight-episode first season of Euphoria wraps on Sunday, August 4, 2019. Another television-induced high is expected in summer 2020, as HBO has already renewed this controversial car-wreck depiction of today’s youth for season 2. For all the parents out there watching, ye moral “panic” shall continue.
