Euphoria Review

Degrassi, That 70’s Show, Daria, and countless other iconic shows all helped shape and capture the culture of adolescence for their generations. Just as it seemed as if today’s teens would be stuck with the melodramatic Riverdale, or cringy 13 Reasons Why, HBO’s Euphoria came to save the day with its accurate take on the issues today’s teenagers face.

Euphoria follows the life of Rue, played by the phenomenal Zendaya Coleman, a reoccuring rehab patient whose addiction takes a backseat to her love for Jules, the new girl in town. Rue and Jules develop the friendship that every girl dreams about. Together, they face every issue ranging from a problematic jock to Rue’s relapses, all while providing exceptional fashion and makeup inspiration.

The subtle commentary on teen issues is what differentiates Euphoria from other coming-of-age shows. Every character receives their own episode, allowing a variety of issues like abusive relationships, pregnancy, and body issues to be highlighted. Euphoria humanizes the character you are supposed to hate. The way the show allow every character’s story to be told, viewers even develop sympathy for the overprivileged, terrorizing jock.

However, you cannot expect perfection. It becomes very clear that the creators spent too much time on Tumblr when researching for the show. Some of the storylines are too complex to be realistic. There is no high school whose top students are able to be involved in continuous scandals, and drugs without any attention.

Euphoria is defining a generation whose complexity has surpassed basic stereotypes. Regardless of the exaggeration the show puts on certain storylines, there is no other coming-of-age show comparable. Euphoria airs on Sunday at 10pm, providing the perfect escape before reality hits again on Monday.