Writer and director Sam Levinson is known for his unconventional and outlandish screenwriting. Yet, while Euphoria has always been controversial, Season 3 has blurred the line between scandalous and unhinged. A common viewpoint on socials is that it’s purely shock factor. However, we think Euphoria Season 3 could be bigger political commentary disguised as chaos.
1. The Women of Euphoria Live in a Man’s World
As Rue Bennett (Zendaya) transitions from drug mule for Laurie (Martha Kelly) to strip club employee for Alamo (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), she finds herself on the “managerial” side of California’s drug and sex-work industry — a world steeped in violence and injustice. Gory and uncomfortable scenes ensue, leaving many fans feeling squeamish and pressing fast-forward. From this lens, the plot seems like pure rage bait.
Rue isn’t the only one who’s turned to sex work, however. Jules (Hunter Schafer) dropped out of art school to become a full-time sugar baby. Levinson’s decision to involve both of these young women in sex work — in spite of their professional potential — reduces women to their bodies and minimizes their inherent value. By depicting how easy it is to get sucked into the industry, Levinson emphasizes the erosion of traditional values; as Euphoria normalizes sex work, the show implies that ‘easy’ money is worth the sacrifice. Shortly after, Levinson takes things a step further when Lexi (Maude Apatow) asks Jules to paint a benign summer picnic scene for a TV set. When Jules paints a field of nude women (which the director rejects), we wondered: Could it be that Jules’ story arc is a metaphor for trans censorship and alienation?
Meanwhile, Maddy (Alexa Demie) and Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) also commodify their bodies. Though Maddy is the same glamorous baddie we remember her to be, she is stuck as an assistant social media manager. Constrained by a tainted system that doesn’t reward young, ambitious women of colour, she’s barely scraping by. In response, Maddy turns to online pimping to create more income. She’s always been cunning, but economic circumstances force her to use her wit for manipulation. She entices naïve women like Cassie into online sex work. Cassie, for her part, uses her body as currency. With abandonment issues and a clear lack of self-worth, Cassie seeks external validation and stability at the click of a button.
2. We Don’t Buy the ‘New’ Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs
Another stark contrast in Euphoria Season 3 is the new Nate (Jacob Elordi). Previously a narcissistic, manipulative, and abusive character, Nate has been rewritten. This season, he’s docile and passive rather than unhinged. Yet, in absence of on-camera growth, Nate’s character change feels forced.
The dissonance carries into Nate and Cassie’s relationship, built on Cassie’s desire to be owned and Nate’s innate need for control. Cassie provides the submission that Maddy never entertained — and never could — which leads us to wonder whether this union is out of love or convenience. This season., the pair showed up for the wedding but not for each other, only reinforcing the idea that their relationship is superficial and disingenuous. How long will it last?
3. Every Connection is Transactional
Previously, Rue and Jules had a close relationship. They found safety in each other. This season, however, Levinson writes an explicitly transactional relationship. When Rue pays for Jules to be her plus-one to the Jacobs wedding, she indirectly takes the position of sugar daddy. Jules accepts the offer, despite knowing Rue has limited funds. They’re both filling roles for each other, but it’s no longer out of genuine companionship.
Maddy and Cassie’s strained reconnection suffers from the same problem. Cassie has rekindled this broken friendship for her own social benefit. Maddy has professional strategy and connections — something Cassie desperately needs in her quest for social media fame. Behind a glamorous facade, it’s a predatory game, and Maddy knows how to play. Meanwhile, Nate is battered and bruised, owing “a million-ish” to loan shark, Naz (Jack Topalian); as Nate goes from predator to prey, Cassie packs her bags and abandons Nate without hesitation. Clearly, her feelings for Nate are contingent on wealth. Otherwise, wouldn’t she stay when the going gets tough? Throwing away some of the greatest symbols of love, their response to challenges reflects an empty, unsustainable relationship.
4. Familiar Faces Are Missing
Transactional relationships and over-sexualized bodies aren’t the only hot topics in Season 3 of Euphoria. The roles of absent cast members are political in themselves. Take Cal Jacobs — portrayed by the late Eric Dane, who passed away from ALS prior to the season’s release — for instance. Levinson determined to work Cal into the script despite Dane’s progressive disease, turns Cal into a sloshed sex offender (Dane mentioned he already sounded drunk, so he didn’t even have to act). While Cal’s decline showed Dane’s resilience and humour, it felt cunning; Levinson could have chosen a number of different approaches to integrate Dane’s ALS, but he chose an alcoholic lens. That’s no coincidence.
Meanwhile, Angus Cloud (Fezco) — a backbone of the series — passed away in 2023 due to an accidental drug overdose. Levinson stated that, if he couldn’t keep Cloud alive in the real world, he’d do so in the show. Accordingly, Fez remains sprinkled throughout the season while serving a 30-year prison sentence. Despite Levinson’s intentions, viewers debate whether Fez’s new role is sentimental or exploitative. Did viewers misinterpret the point?
Finally, Barbie Ferreira (Kat Hernandez) — who departed the show last season — revealed the real reasons she left the show on the ‘Not Skinny But Not Fat’ podcast. Last season, a teenage Kat was already partaking in online sex work. Allegedly unable to come up with a more substantial storyline, Levinson simply decided to call it quits on Kat. Ferreira, for her part, says she no longer wanted to be a background character, nor simply play a stereotype. Given the emphasis on sex work this season, it doesn’t hold that Kat’s character was discontinued for lack of ideas — Levinson has plenty of those.
Shock Over Substance?
Season 3 of Euphoria proves that everything has a price tag. Whether it should is another question, however.
Of course, Levinson didn’t make these decisions on a whim. He’s known to write each season as though it’s the last. While we don’t know Levinson’s true intentions, he seems to be forcing hard conversations. What we do know for sure is that Cassie was right: the fairy tale is over.
FEATURE IMAGE: JACOB ELORDI IN “EUPHORIA” SEASON 3. PHOTO BY EDDY CHEN/HBO.
