The series also excels in denouncing a culture of toxic masculinity that takes its toll on women. Rather it denounces discrimination by contrasting the ease with which the protagonists embrace their gender fluidity with the stereotypical reactions of the men around them. The series doesn’t feature storylines on Jules’s gender identity or any coming out, because its natural for Rue to be in love with a woman. For example, the series contributes to normalizing certain situations of intersectionality for the public. Like the British series Sex Education (Netflix), but in a different style, Euphoria manages to denounce and educate without adopting a moralizing tone. Even the other characters realize that Cassie is undergoing a transformation and that there is something off about her: At the climax of Season 2 she no longer seems to belong. Cassie’s looks become more and more burlesque as her mental state deteriorates, to the point where her friends ask her one morning if she is dressed up for the school play. When Nate loses interest in her, Cassie enters an obsessive spiral: her days are punctuated by compulsive beauty rituals, with their harmful nature emphasized in the repetitive montage. Love addiction also arises with two other characters, Nate and Cassie, who have a secret relationship in Season 2. A break-up seems inevitable until Rue goes to detox, giving new meaning to the expression “ toxic relationship.” The intoxicating feeling of falling in love becomes a substitute for her drug use - and an unsustainable responsibility for Jules. But Rue doesn’t know the meaning of moderation, more so when it comes to love. In contrast to the other relationships in the series, which are heterosexual and steeped in violence, this love story appears to be based on affection and consent. From opioids to love addictionĪt the heart of Euphoria is the passionate relationship between Rue and Jules.
Two special episodes were released between the two seasons providing a slight break from suspense, a sign that the artists behind Euphoria also use staging variations to give the audience some respite. The creator of the series strives for emotional realism. The series offers access to her subjectivity, for better or worse. Rue finds creative ways to connect with the audience, and let them know she cares about their perspective.Įven though Euphoria is built on the narrative of a flawed and irreverent protagonist, Rue elicits empathy because she doesn’t try to hide her fallibility. She admits that as the main character she may be letting her audience down, yet she sets straight anyone who might have forgotten the many times she said she had no desire to stop using. When she confesses her relapse, she intersperses the story with a monologue and slideshow addressed directly to the audience (Season 2). Rue’s grief explodes and comes out as the entire song unfolds for the first time and she becomes part of the music.Įven when she knows she’s at fault, Rue relates her misdeeds with a biting humour that makes her endearing. Rue is usually able to suppress her distress, but she is overwhelmed by it in the season finale, which includes grief after her father’s death and a romantic breakup. The first few notes of the melody were heard several times during the season, though not for more than thirty seconds. The performance symbolizes repressed suffering. She is joined by a gospel choir performing an erratic choreography of the song “ All for us” by Labrinth. The scene unexpectedly turns into a musical number where Rue leads as a soloist with a haggard look and disjointed body. This is particularly evident in the Season 1 finale, where Rue starts using again after a several weeks of abstinence. Coupled with her drug addiction, the teenager’s breakdowns sometimes lead to intense moments where she skids out of control. Or at least that’s what the therapist she consulted as a child suggested, echoed by the extreme emotional swings she experiences. Her narration is one of the few spaces she can control.īut Rue also appears to suffer from bipolar disorder. More than just an off-camera voice, she freezes some scenes to provide context, or presents alternative scenes of what she wished had happened. She frequently addresses the audience directly, even amusing herself by manipulating the order and tone of events. Rue is conscious of delivering a television narrative.
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