Rarely has there been a more persuasive PSA for homeschooling than HBO’s. “Euphoria.”
In the punishing and provocative teen drama, which returns Sunday (9 EST / PST, ★★★ out of four), High School is Babylon in Southern California: a playground for hedonistic youngsters trying to numb the pain of life taking pills, promiscuous sex, drunkenness and brutal violence. They snort cocaine with the vigor of Tony Montana and watch pornography that I would even Samantha jones blush. Through Rue (zendaya), a recovering addict, creator Sam Levinson delves into the brain of a drugged teenager, and trust us, it’s not sunny side up.
“Euphoria” premiered in 2019 for a lot of handshake about the deluge of the show free nudity (Most represent teenagers, played by adult actors). But that didn’t deter Emmy voters from giving 25-year-old Zendaya the award for best actress in a drama for her spectacular performance, making her the youngest person to win the category.
Winter TV preview:9 new shows to watch, from ‘Pam & Tommy’ to ‘the Afterparty’
The “Spiderman” star could make a well deserved return to the podium this year for his astonishing work on the crippling but uneven Season 2 as it oscillates between ironically funny, terrifying and tragic, often in the same scene. In seven episodes available for review, Rue cautiously reconnects with her ex-boyfriend, Jules (Hunter Schafer), and the two decide to try a real relationship. But that gets complicated when Rue starts doing drugs again with her new friend, Elliot (Dominic Fike), whose easy charisma creates sexual tension between the trio.
The scenes with Zendaya, Schafer, and Fike are some of the strongest of the new season, adding humor and welcoming warmth to a show that often prefers to stew in the misery of its characters. Schafer, especially, anchors the episodes with tenderness and quiet strength, as she struggles with the best way to be there for Rue without compromising her own mental well-being.
Rue’s drug use puts her in increasingly dangerous situations as the season progresses, leading to an explosive confrontation with her mother (Nika King) and younger sister (Storm Reid). The 15-minute scene may be the most heartbreaking moment in the drama’s troubling history, and it sounds heartbreakingly familiar to those of us who have watched a loved one battle addiction. At once wild and pathetic, Zendaya painfully conveys Rue’s hopelessness to ever get better, as she wonders aloud if she’s someone worth saving.
Unfortunately, the new episodes are much less captivating when they shift their focus from Rue and Jules. After significant stories about abusive relationships and abortions in season 1, popular girls Maddy (Alexa Demie) and Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) are reduced to fighting over a boy. Sweeney, a scathing presence on last summer’s HBO hit “The white lotus” is especially wasted this season, as most of her screen time is spent screaming, crying, or being bitten with her eyes by the camera.
Final summary of ‘The White Lotus’:Who died? Who was the murderer? And does any of that matter?
Kat (Barbie Ferreira), who battles body dysmorphia, is similarly underused in season 2. After quitting her online dominatrix job and landing a seemingly perfect boyfriend (Austin Abrams) who treats her right, Kat feels reluctant. to admit that he is sexually unsatisfied: a complex but necessary conversation that is relegated to a few brief scenes. Instead, a lot of time is spent on the volatile high school athlete Nate (Jacob Elordi) and his equally reprehensible father, Cal (Eric Dane). Cal’s suppressed sexuality is poignantly explored in a flashback, but not enough to sympathize with or care about a man who filmed himself having violent sex with an underage girl last season.
One of the only supporting characters to develop in any significant way is Lexi (Maude Apatow), Cassie’s sensitive younger sister, whose passion for theater and film brings some fantastic elements to this season. These scenes show true self-awareness and creativity on the part of Levinson, who tends to overcompensate for poorly drawn characters with endless needle drops and dreamy cinematography.
“Euphoria” finally leans on her best and worst impulses in season 2: she’s irritating, but intoxicating; implausible but well founded; stern but deeply emotional every time she gives the spotlight to Rue and Jules. And just like the glitter-covered evildoers on the show, we can’t help but keep chasing each other so high.
feeds.feedblitz.com
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism