Euphoria season 3’s premiere continues the worrying problem of Sam Levinson series

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*Warning: This article contains minor spoilers for Euphoria season 3 episode 1.*

After a four-year wait – and following the controversial series The Idol – Sam Levinson is returning with new episodes of Euphoria, aiming to recapture the show’s intense and captivating storytelling.

Everyone’s been anticipating the third season for a long time, but the shifting release dates, reports of problems during production, and the heartbreaking loss of cast members have cast a shadow over it. But is it actually worth the wait? Honestly, no. This season feels completely unnecessary and unwanted.

The first three episodes of the series are a letdown – they feel slow-paced and uninspired. More concerningly, they reinforce a pattern in the writer’s recent work: a tendency to portray women as overly sexualized characters lacking depth or individuality.

Euphoria has never shied away from difficult topics like anxiety, sex, and drug use, making it a challenging watch for some. While the show introduces important themes, it often doesn’t fully explore them. Past seasons are filled with memorable, and sometimes uncomfortable, moments – like Cassie’s humiliating experience in season one, Maddy hiding bruises from her boyfriend Nate, and the disturbing hazing that McKay endured.

Fans have frequently talked about the show Euphoria‘s depiction of drug use, which often seems commonplace, and the complicated relationship between the characters Cal and Jules.

With the actors and their characters now older and past their teenage years, the question is: what compelling stories will Euphoria’s third season tell?

To be honest, this show isn’t really about making grand statements. Though it’s become known for its share of popular memes – especially thanks to Alexa Demie’s character, Maddy – it honestly portrays the struggles of addiction and the pain it causes for individuals and their families.

It doesn’t really matter that Euphoria once showed potential for complex storytelling if the show now consistently focuses on shock value and sensationalism instead of genuine character development.

With high school behind them and everyone starting their own adult lives and careers, this season focuses on a more mature chapter for the characters. We’ll see how they’re adapting to independence – the successes and the challenges – how their paths diverge and reconnect with people from their past, and what unresolved issues from last season still affect them.

Honestly, I was really disappointed by the characters. They felt so underdeveloped and, frankly, the women especially seemed written without any real understanding or care. It felt like their personalities and stories were ignored in favor of just focusing on their appearances or struggles with addiction. It just didn’t feel authentic or respectful.

Throughout the show’s run, Cassie’s character has often been portrayed in a sexualized way. Sydney Sweeney has spoken about this, even telling the show’s creator that certain nude scenes felt unnecessary. In a 2022 interview with The Independent, Sweeney clarified that the creator, Sam Levinson, never pressured her to film nude scenes, and he always respected her boundaries when she didn’t want to.

The first episode of Euphoria’s third season includes a memorable scene where Cassie dresses up as a dog to create online content. Nate is initially upset with his fiancée’s attempt to earn money for their wedding flowers, but he quickly changes his reaction once he takes control of the situation.

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw another clip from the show! It’s been all over social media, and this one… well, it’s something else. Cassie’s back to ‘making content,’ but this time she’s dressed as a baby – complete with a pacifier and pigtails! It’s wild and I’m honestly captivated.

While some viewers might argue that including a storyline about OnlyFans simply reflects modern life and how people earn money – and that’s perfectly valid – the show avoids any real exploration of sex work. Instead, it turns the situation, and the character Cassie, into a joke.

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Discussing Cassie’s OnlyFans scenes in the season 3 premiere, creator Levinson explained he wanted to highlight the comedic aspect – specifically, the fact that her housekeeper was filming the scenes. He told The Hollywood Reporter they aimed to always find a layer of absurdity to prevent the show from getting too caught up in Cassie’s perspective. The joke, he said, was to constantly disrupt the fantasy and remind the audience they were watching a show.

Focusing Cassie’s story on her OnlyFans account feels wrong for the character and reduces her to just her physical appearance. I think it’s a simple, and ultimately unsuccessful, attempt to portray her as independent and smart, because she’s never been shown that way before.

Some viewers have criticized the scenes as demeaning to the actors, and many are surprised that well-known stars like Sweeney and Elordi agreed to participate. While we can’t know why an actress would choose to film these scenes, we can examine why the series continues to present potentially harmful depictions and gets away with it.

The first episode of season 3 heavily features the dangerous consequences of drug trafficking, with disturbing scenes of choking involving Rue and Faye. Amidst all the drama, Rue attempts to get a job working for Alamo, a club owner, and is introduced to him in a problematic setting – surrounded by scantily clad women in a hot tub. This scene highlights a growing pattern in the series of showcasing exploitative and sexist imagery.

Euphoria was once a massive hit, winning awards and launching the careers of its young actors. However, after a four-year break, the new season feels disappointing. It’s clear the creator hasn’t developed the female characters with much depth, and while later episodes might improve, don’t expect a big turnaround.

It’s time to be honest: Euphoria has gotten really bad and isn’t worth watching anymore.

New episodes of Euphoria season 3 are released every week on HBO Max, Sky Atlantic, and NOW. You can also watch seasons 1 and 2 on HBO Max and NOW.

Authors

Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Morgan Cormack writes about TV and streaming drama for TopMob. Before that, she was an Entertainment Writer at Stylist. She also has experience in content marketing and freelancing, and holds a BA degree in English Literature.

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2026-04-13 17:05