Film and television will forever be a medium where people share their stories involving addiction. Whether it's substance abuse, alcohol, or something more personal, addiction is an issue in for many individuals. Euphoria is one of the latest in a long line of projects that dives quite deep into this, which will definitely divide certain viewers. Shows/Movies like this are always a touchy subject to tackle because you want it to feel authentic without offending or influencing people. This is a very hard series to sit through and will absolutely lose viewers throughout the very first episode, but if you're willing to dive into what this show has to offer, you may find some great elements as I did.
To put it simply, this first season of Euphoria explores the lives of teenagers as they struggle with getting over drug addictions and sexual abuse. Most of the characters continuously make bad decisions and say the wrong things. This trend usually leads to some very uncomfortable scenarios, which is what makes this show a hard watch, pretty much from start to finish. This was the first show in a long time that I found myself invested in, but just couldn't binge it all in one day, due to the material being presented. If for nothing else, this shows truly goes for it at times and I was left unnerved.
Where Euphoria truly shines is within both its performances and overall look. This series is shot terrifically by four very talented cinematographers. Every shot meant something and specific frames felt adjusted for a good reason. This is only elevated by the engaging central performance by Zendaya and many other standouts like Nika King, Alexa Demie, and Eric Dane to name a few. They all played their age groups very well in the context of this show and made this overall world feel very grimy and raw.
From explicit nudity to multiple rape sequences, graphic drug scenes to straight-up murder, this is a show that requires you to not only be a mature viewer but also willing to let the show take you on a journey that will not be pleasant. There is so much of this that it did slightly begin to turn into a negative for me, but everything else surrounding these aspects was so well-done that I was at least admiring the visual appeal it delivers. The fact that this show revolves around someone who has already been through the worst years of her life and is now in recovery actually made some of these elements bearable because there was a nice balance.
Overall, Euphoria is a series that warrants the praise it has been receiving from people, and even though I would give it more than a solid recommendation, that also comes with a massive asterisk. It is a painful watch at times and the actions of many characters will probably make more than a couple of viewers sick to their stomach. It's very well-made and well-constructed, with great performances, fantastic camerawork, and a truly lived-in environment, and that alone has me wishing to talk highly about it, but I would absolutely stress caution before viewing. Euphoria, in the end, has a great first season.
To put it simply, this first season of Euphoria explores the lives of teenagers as they struggle with getting over drug addictions and sexual abuse. Most of the characters continuously make bad decisions and say the wrong things. This trend usually leads to some very uncomfortable scenarios, which is what makes this show a hard watch, pretty much from start to finish. This was the first show in a long time that I found myself invested in, but just couldn't binge it all in one day, due to the material being presented. If for nothing else, this shows truly goes for it at times and I was left unnerved.
Where Euphoria truly shines is within both its performances and overall look. This series is shot terrifically by four very talented cinematographers. Every shot meant something and specific frames felt adjusted for a good reason. This is only elevated by the engaging central performance by Zendaya and many other standouts like Nika King, Alexa Demie, and Eric Dane to name a few. They all played their age groups very well in the context of this show and made this overall world feel very grimy and raw.
From explicit nudity to multiple rape sequences, graphic drug scenes to straight-up murder, this is a show that requires you to not only be a mature viewer but also willing to let the show take you on a journey that will not be pleasant. There is so much of this that it did slightly begin to turn into a negative for me, but everything else surrounding these aspects was so well-done that I was at least admiring the visual appeal it delivers. The fact that this show revolves around someone who has already been through the worst years of her life and is now in recovery actually made some of these elements bearable because there was a nice balance.
Overall, Euphoria is a series that warrants the praise it has been receiving from people, and even though I would give it more than a solid recommendation, that also comes with a massive asterisk. It is a painful watch at times and the actions of many characters will probably make more than a couple of viewers sick to their stomach. It's very well-made and well-constructed, with great performances, fantastic camerawork, and a truly lived-in environment, and that alone has me wishing to talk highly about it, but I would absolutely stress caution before viewing. Euphoria, in the end, has a great first season.