Sam Levinson’s hit teen drama Euphoria premiered in 2019 to a lot of buzz and has gone on to be both criticized and praised by fans and critics alike. Headlined by Zendaya and featuring an ensemble of young actors, Euphoria centers on the extremely heightened exploits of a group of interconnected high school teens. If you want to watch the show so you can make up your own mind about it, we’ve got you covered with this guide to streaming Euphoria.
Where can you watch Euphoria?
Euphoria is an HBO original series, so if your country has access to the channel or the HBO Max streaming service, you should be good to go. You can subscribe to HBO through your cable service of choice, or you can subscribe via the HBO Max app, which is available to download on most Smart TVs.
If you’re in a country that has neither, though, you might be able to catch it elsewhere. Unfortunately, Netflix isn’t one of the places that streams the internet’s favorite, drug-fueled show either in the U.S. or abroad. In the U.K. for example, you can watch Euphoria (and other HBO shows) on Sky Atlantic.
Hulu subscribers can get the HBO Max as an add-on to their subscription without downloading a separate app.
What is the plot of Euphoria?
The show follows 17-year-old Rue Bennet (Zendaya) as she struggles with drug addiction and the fallout it causes against the backdrop of high school life and the teenage experience. Along with substance abuse, the show delves into topics like sex, first loves, social media use, friendships, and death.
Who’s in Euphoria?
The show has made stars of many of its actors, but the major pull for us as viewers when it premiered was Zendaya’s casting as Rue. Many know Zendaya from her breakout role in Disney’s Shake it Up in 2011. She has since starred alongside Tom Holland in three Spider-Man films and continues to gain a lot of recognition for her performance in Euphoria.
Zendaya’s co-stars include:
- Alexa Demie as Maddy Perez
- Sydney Sweeney as Cassie Howard
- Hunter Schafer as Jules Vaughn
- Maude Apatow as Lexi Howard
- Barbie Ferreira as Kat Hernandez
- Jacob Elordi as Nate Jacobs
- Angus Cloud as Fezco
How many seasons of Euphoria are there?
The series currently has two seasons and a total 18 episodes, two of which were released as specials between the first two seasons. A third season has been announced by HBO, but likely won’t air until 2024.
What are the controversies surrounding Euphoria?
Many viewers have said that there is no need for so much nudity in the series, with many highlighting how often Cassie actress Sydney Sweeney appears topless. Sweeney told The Independent last year that her character was set to appear in a lot more nude scenes before she had discussions with series creator Sam Levinson about cutting them down:
“There are moments where Cassie was supposed to be shirtless and I would tell Sam, ‘I don’t really think that’s necessary here’ … He was like, ‘OK, we don’t need it’. I’ve never felt like Sam has pushed it on me or was trying to get a nude scene into an HBO show. When I didn’t want to do it, he didn’t make me.”
Other actresses on the show have also talked about being asked to do nude scenes, such as Minka Kelly, who plays the mother of a child Maddy babysits in season 2. Kelly told Vanity Fair that she was asked to do a nude scene on her first day, but when she told Levinson she was uncomfortable with it, he said she didn’t have to do it. Similarly, Faye actress Chloe Cherry said that she originally had more nude scenes and that Levinson was “keen” for her to do them. When Tyler Chase, who portrays Chloe’s on-screen boyfriend, stepped in to say he thought it “was a lot,” Levinson said Cherry didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to.
Nudity isn’t the show’s only issue. After the second season premiere, Barbie Ferreira announced her departure in a post on her Instagram Story, fueling rumors of a toxic environment on set. “After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character Kat, I’m having to say a very teary eyed goodbye,” Ferreira wrote. “I hope many of you could see yourself in her like I did and that she brought you joy to see her journey into the character she is today. I put all my care and love into her and I hope you guys could feel it. Love you Katherine Hernandez.”
Around the time of Ferreira’s announcement, there were rumors circulating that she left due to clashes with Levinson, suggesting to some that this was the real reason that Kat’s role was significantly reduced in season 2. However, in an interview with Insider, Ferreira said, “Sometimes, things take on a life of their own, and they’re not rooted in the truth, but it’s OK because I know it’s just out of passion and out of curiosity and all that good stuff.”
(featured image: HBO)
Published: Mar 27, 2023 03:35 pm