I am a Sam Levinson apologist. The writer-director behind the juggernaut HBO show “Euphoria” has been called every name in the book: hack, nepo baby, pervert. While these are more or less true, it doesn’t change the fact that he is undeniably interesting. So eager to impress and provoke, with his grandiose directing and lurid storylines, that one cannot help but get caught up in the mania of “Euphoria.” The show is completely ludicrous, centering on the trials and tribulations of kids who attend a funhouse-mirror version of high school, but I also think it’s much more thoughtful than a lot of people give it credit for. Its third and presumably final season premiered Sunday on HBO, featuring a five-year time jump as the main cast navigates adulthood. So what tricks does Levinson have left up his sleeve?
Well, the time jump has allowed Levinson to break free of the narrative shackles of high school, and the show lets you know that right away with its opening scene. It’s an audacious set piece of the show’s main protagonist, Rue (Zendaya), driving over the U.S.-Mexico border wall using a ramp, only for her car to get stuck teetering at the top. While visually striking, it also acts as a metaphor for her bold character arc this season. Rue, indebted to drug kingpin Laurie for a substantial sum, has been coerced into serving as her drug mule. In painstaking detail, we watch Rue swallow fentanyl balloons and cross the border. Yet, a chance encounter with a Christian farming family gives Rue a new outlook on life. She becomes interested in Christianity and consults with her sponsor Ali Muhammed (Colman Domingo) about joining a faith that could give her life purpose. She is now in a teetering act of her own, with the pull of the drug-dealing world now being challenged by an opportunity for redemption. One would totally expect a show like this to treat such a spiritual awakening as a farce, but Levinson is playing it very earnestly. He’s always had a preternatural ability to read the pulse of Zoomers, so it’s no surprise that he’s exploring the generation’s religious revival through Rue.
The show’s MO has always been a very delicate balancing act of criticizing hedonism while frequently indulging in it. But this tension is what gives “Euphoria” its value and intrigue. This season seems set on continuing this, serving as a bleak assessment of America and the future our youth have inherited. Amidst the show’s trademark gaudy sights and sounds lies a group of dissatisfied young adults, full of insecurities and disappointment. Rue wants more from her life than gig jobs; Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) is upset that she and Nate don’t have enough money for a decadent wedding, which inspires her to sign up for an OnlyFans account to make money. Nate (Jacob Elordi), now running his father’s construction business, is constantly stressed by his inability to financially provide for himself and Cassie. The future that Zoomers have inherited is a dead end of economic precarity and hollow pleasures, and Levinson is acutely aware that the kids are not all right.
Amid the solid thematic groundwork laid by the season premiere, the show’s visuals continue to stand out. “Euphoria” has always been one of the most handsomely crafted shows on television, with gorgeous lighting and inspired camerawork, and this season is no exception. We’re frequently treated to beautiful vistas of the American Southwest and elegant crane shots. Levinson and his longtime cinematographer, Marcell Rév, are always cooking behind the camera, ensuring that every shot has at least one interesting idea.
“Euphoria” Season 3 successfully expands the show’s scope and seems ready to journey through the seedy undercurrents of this country with its signature unflinching eye. While the season premiere left a little to be desired with reintroducing side characters like Lexi, Maddy and Jules, it’s clear that Levinson has not lost his ability to conjure darkly humorous situations or reflect the zeitgeist one bit. So yes, count me in for another season of Euphoria — let’s see where this thing goes.
