HBO’s “Euphoria” Review
Euphoria may be one of the most controversial shows to ever graze across most people’s television screen. It is a series that tells the story of young teens through the whimsical lens of drugs, violence, and sex.
An Unlikely Protagonist
Euphoria provides a dark, but authentic, lens into the somewhat awful realities of high school. Disney star Zendaya plays “Rue,” an explicit drug addict recently released from rehab. She provides viewers a window into the lives of each character, while desperately struggling to maintain normalcy in her own life. Her inability to remain clean, and deal with the struggles of everyday high school life, has viewers hooked and eager to learn what happens next. Rue’s voice narrates each episode, and her point of view provides viewers with her perception of each character. Objectively Rue is the protagonist of the hit TV series––though she has many negative traits. She is not always honest, she often puts herself in situations for personal gain, and she struggles with drug addiction. She still manages to display hero-like qualities, and viewers ride along with her on the emotional roller coaster of life, filled with secrets, lies, and anxiety.
Zendaya in Euphoria 
Hunter Schafer in Euphoria
Raw and Sincere
But Rue’s story is not the only one we follow in Euphoria. Rue’s best friend, Jules (Hunter Schafer), is a transgender, hopeless romantic who appears to be Rue’s angel and savior. Much like Rue, Jules has endured an exciting life, and one of the side effects of that life is her inclination to cutting herself. HBO’s teen drama takes its viewers back to an essential time––high school. Rue’s story unravels, and it is personal––yet painful––and many views can relate to it. We experience Euphoria’s highs and lows, and we are instantly taken back to a time that some describe as “the best years of your life.” The prose of such a raw and sincere screenplay amounts to the dramatization of the harsh realities that some people experience during their high school years. Rue’s story unravels, and it is personal––yet painful––and many viewers can relate to it.
