Season two of “Euphoria” is out now on HBO Max, and is sure to leave viewers on the edge of their seat after every episode.
If you haven’t watched “Euphoria” yet, let this be your first, last and only warning for spoilers. We’re going to be getting into the nitty gritty that is the lives of these nuanced teens.
First off, let’s all take a moment to appreciate the lens that “Euphoria” is shot through: the female gaze. Zendaya, who plays the character of Rue, helped direct the show and in many ways contributed to the female-focused attention to detail “Euphoria” has.
There have been conflicting opinions surrounding the accuracy of what it was like to be in high school. However, even if exaggerated, “Euphoria” does a beautiful job of highlighting how truly rocky those years of life can be. Whether you’re Lexi, simply observing the chaos, or Rue, deep in addiction, there is a character for each viewer to identify with.
In episode one, we see finally some backstory given for Fez. It portrays scenes of his grandmother and father having an altercation, which is believed to be caused by Fez’s dad abusing him.
This is when Fez goes to live with his grandmother who, in his adulthood, he cares for. After being taken in by her, Fez learns the trades of drug dealing from her. We also see the backstory of Ashtray, who was placed on the grandmother’s doorstep as an infant. Speaking of Ashtray, there is speculation that he may be the third son of Cal, Nate’s dad. In episode four, Cal comes home drunk and confesses to the life he’s been hiding for so long.
While ranting about sleeping with other men, he grabs a family picture off the wall and we get a peek of a third child that is not present in the home in adolescence. This left viewers asking, “What happened and who is the other boy in the photo?” Many fans speculated that it may somehow be Ashtray.
Another highlight from the season so far has been the budding relationship between Jules and Elliot, despite Jules being in a relationship with Rue.
It is interesting to watch the reaction among commentators because we see a visceral dislike for Cassie, as she is hooking up with Nate behind Maddy’s back. However, Maddy and Nate were not together when Cassie and him began their relationship. In Jules’ case, we see far less spectator agitation toward her which is interesting since she is the one who is being authentically adulterous, not Cassie.
This season, we are also seeing a breakdown of Rue’s character. She has found herself deep in the grips of addiction once again and fighting harder than ever to hide it. She has done the most risky thing yet, asking a dealer for a large amount of drugs to sell which she inevitably ends up consuming. This is leaving both her and Fez in hot water, as he was the one that vouched for her reliability to the dealer. It hasn’t happened quite yet, but many are wondering if Fez will be killed for Rue’s mistake.
The finale aired on Feb. 27. But don’t worry, the show has already been renewed so there’s more chaos incoming.