by Désirée Blazier, Year 12
What happened to Euphoria? In January 2020, the television series directed by Sam Levinson took the world by storm. Since 2020, there has been talk of the show starting back up, but only two special episodes released in January 2021 to show for it.
Euphoria follows the intense, atypical lives of teenagers in Southern California, in particular of Rue, a 17 year-old drug addict struggling to recover. Portrayals of characters are explicit and show a rougher side to teenagehood. A viewer discretion warning is given at the start of every episode, as the series explores sensitive topics. This side of the show is often critiqued and remains controversial.
On Sunday, January 9th 2022, the show’s second season premiered. After the first season’s incredible success, students at LGB are asking questions about this season’s events and whether the portrayal of high schoolers will continue to be so exorbitant.
Few have actually been able to watch the first episodes of the second season as the show is difficult to stream in Switzerland. However, there are a few students who have persevered and found ways to enjoy the show. Here are their opinions:
“The cinematography is very interesting because the framing and the lighting are extremely vivid, almost like the lighting is vertical. We also do not immediately understand that the narrator’s voice is Rue’s, so it’s cool to figure that out.” Lydia Heurteux, year 12.
“There is so much to talk about in this new season! Like a lot of shows, we expect the second season to be better than the first, and that’s definitely the case with Euphoria.” Grace Hunter, year 12.
The first few episodes of the second season are available to view for free on Radio Télévision Suisse’s website under the Euphoria tab. There are also exclusive interviews and opinion pieces available.
The second season continues a few months after where the first season ended. The show continues to evolve visually; makeup, costumes, set, lighting, and more have changed since the first season aired, two years ago. There are also three new characters in the show, adding layers of conflict onto the characters’ chaotic relationships.
There are still elements of Euphoria which have stayed the same; the soundtrack remains intriguing and fun, Rue is still struggling with addiction, and many of the character’s relationships remain confused and tumultuous.
Season 2 has inspired many online trends, most notably on TikTok, and already has some catch phrases. Many students at LGB also like to poke fun at the absurdity of the show’s portrayal of high school life and fashion and how very different it is from LGB.
If you have not already, Euphoria is a must-see for teenagers available to stream free of charge or with a subscription on the RTS website.
