After a long three years, the hit HBO drama, Euphoria, has returned to the silver screen. The series, created by Sam Levinson, has been hailed by critics for its graphic sexual content and depiction of teen violence, addiction, and relationships. Season two’s trailer promised more of the same dark content, and after the season premiere, I can definitely say they have so far delivered.
The episode opens with a woman strolling into a stripclub wielding a gun. She proceeds to shoot a man in both legs before exiting and joining her awaiting grandson in her car. Driving away, she states definitively that he will now be living with her. The young boy is revealed to be Fezco, the town’s drug dealer, and shows throughout the next few scenes how he learned the business from his grandmother.
A New Year’s Eve party is the central setting with the main cast of characters being displayed in all their half-dressed glory. Nate and Cassie hook up in the bathroom, but get interrupted by Maddy pounding on the door and demanding she be let in to pee. Jules searches all over the house for Rue, who happens to be getting high out of her mind with a new character, Eliott, in the laundry room. A budding romance seems to blossom between Fezco and Lexi, and I’m willing to bet they will be a fan-favorite couple by the season’s end (although whether they end up together will remain to be seen).
As the countdown to New Year’s Day begins, with the fireworks exploding and casting the characters in a bright light, Rue and Jules find each other again. Rue apologizes for her vulgar behavior and finally admits she misses and wants to be with Jules. Jules expresses the same, and the two share a New Year’s kiss. In the meantime, Fezco approaches Nate, claiming to be making a New Year’s resolution before proceeding to smash a bottle over Nate’s head and beating his face to a pulp. The episode ends with a quiet “Damn” from Rue before fading to black.
Based on this episode alone, it seems viewers are in for another satisfying yet hard-to-watch season of reckless teenage abandon, romance, and darkness.
