I know I’m a little late to the bandwagon but there are still so many people who haven’t watched Euphoria yet. This is an HBO TV show that was released in 2019. This short series took the world by storm, especially among young adults. How couldn’t it? I mean, it was honestly a great show (that’s why I waited 2 years to watch it, sorry). Anyway, I kind of didn’t buy the hype at first but eventually, I caved into all my friends asking me to watch it and I did. Honestly, I have a love-hate relationship with the show and I’ll tell you why (this is my opinion, whether you agree or not is entirely up to you).
Major disclaimer if you haven’t watched the show: This show contains abuse, rape, self-harm, drug addiction and more. If you feel like those scenes may affect you negatively, I advise against watching this show.
I won’t give any spoilers- unless…
First And Foremost, The Storyline
In the first episode, we are already introduced to the main character of the series, Rue Bennett, played by the one and only Zendaya. This episode introduces us to her, her family as well as how she has a drug addiction. Later on, we are introduced to Jules played by actress Hunter Schafer. She is a transgender girl who doesn’t really fit in but she stands out. Usually, back in the day, people would cast cisgender people to play transgender roles but what I like about Euphoria is that they actually cast a transgender woman to play a transgender character (she/her pronouns, everybody!). Anyway, Rue and Jules bump into each other at a house party and they instantly connected. Other characters who were introduced in the first episode as the main cast include Nate Jacobs, Maddy Perez, Cassie and Lexi Howard, Katherine Hernandez and Chris McKay.
Another thing that people, including me, really liked about Euphoria is how they dedicated each episode to each of the characters with the stories of how they grew up until the present time. Each of these characters carries their own childhood traumas and issues which make them relatable to a lot of the people battling mental health issues right now. I think with everything aside, these issues or problems that each of these characters faces is what people are attracted to the most. This is most probably because out of every teenage coming-of-age show, this series shows the realness of problems that people face in life at that age. However, the reason I have a love-hate relationship with this show is because of Rue and Jules’ character development. But you need to see that for yourself (don’t come at me, this is my opinion).
The Ever Fabulous Fashion And Makeup
The most talked-about aspect of the whole series is how their outfits and makeup just stand out. I loved every single outfit worn by the girls of the show, especially worn by Jules, Maddy, Cassie and Katherine. Even though a lot of other people’s style looked great, I feel like those four characters really stood out with what they wore. Their stylist, Heidi Bivens really allowed their style to reflect each of their different personalities. A lot of people, especially those on TikTok recreated a lot of the looks from Euphoria.
Aside from recreating the outfits, a lot of people also recreated the makeup looks from Euphoria. This is because almost all the characters had an iconic makeup look. Incorporating glitter and bold eyeshadow or lip colours, Doniella Davy (their head makeup artist) did a great job at bringing individuality to each of the characters.
The Beautiful Cinematics
Since I have a love for films, I kind of somewhat have an appreciation for good cinematography and honestly, I loved everything about the cinematics in this show. The lighting and camera work was exceptional. They mostly incorporated colours like purple, pink, red, blue and green in different scenes, mostly to reflect what the characters were feeling at that moment. Fun fact, this can also affect how you feel while watching those particular scenes. You might either share the emotions of the character or, at the very least, understand what those characters were going through. When a character is sad, you’d feel sad. When the characters were high or happy, you’d get the sense of it too. The cinematics of a show or film is one of the most important parts and Euphoria pulled it off.
The Soundtrack We Play On Repeat
After finishing the show, I played the Euphoria playlist on repeat and a lot of other people did too. A lot of the songs were produced and performed by Labrinth, a singer, songwriter, rapper and record producer. I don’t really know how to properly explain it but the songs simply made me feel good. Some of the songs also gave off an emotional realism which, to me, it made me want to listen to them over and over while I slowly sink into the ocean (just a figure of speech). It’s all calm and intense at the same time, especially “All For Us” by Labrinth. Also, that emotional realism allowed us as the viewers to connect even better with the characters and understand how they feel as we watch the show.
The Acting
Ah, the cherry on top. One of the most important parts of any film or show, in my opinion, is the acting. Also, to me, good acting is defined as when actors are able to carry the character and portray what was meant to be portrayed perfectly. This doesn’t mean following the script to the letter but it means that they present every raw emotion until the viewers feel what they’re feeling too. The actors and actresses like Zendaya and Jacob Elordi put on a phenomenal show as their raw emotions seep out of the screen and into your hearts. I promise you, you’d appreciate the acting.
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That’s all from me on HBO’s TV show, Euphoria. I really enjoyed watching the show but these are just my opinions on it. You could also enjoy some other good shows on Netflix if you don’t find Euphoria to your liking.
