Eliza Barton | entertainment editor
HBO’s Euphoria has made quite the conversation topic in popular media lately after its release of season two this January. The series exhibits violence and drug use often and is labeled as controversial.
Euphoria debuted in 2019 and has since gained the title of critically acclaimed with some of its actors having won or been nominated for Emmy awards. As the series gained traction many have pointed out some of its unrealisticness in the portrayal of high school life.
I feel as though the unrealistic portrayal of certain instances and visuals serves an important purpose in the makeup of the show’s meaning. When I watched Euphoria, all I could think about was the storyline and how it was showcased. It was really there to give viewers a visual representation of human emotion.
From the hair and makeup and clothes to the actual scenes themselves the unorthodox life of these teens is colorful and terrifying and beautiful. Throughout the series they explore new feelings and situations extremely complex and also very unlikely to be what is happening in real life. The show being a drama leaves it more opportunities to be extreme but I think that there is a limit of reality that can seem believable.
The lives of these teens are very harsh and complicated at best so I feel as though the outward representations of their emotions and circumstances are very beautiful and realistic. It is basically a very saturated look into their minds.
There is so much symbolism to be found and that alone makes the show entertaining. It makes sure that you always have something to think through and interpret for yourself. The human mind is beautiful and complex and so many thoughts are there that might only make sense to us and because that is what Euphoria is trying to depict I find it very realistic.
The amplified sense of self in Euphoria really made this show what it is, even if many don’t realize it. You can look at it from a reality-based perspective if you want to and the show is still captivating. The fact that we can make it whatever we want makes it all the more captivating.
Illustration by Eliza Barton
The Charger 
Leave a Reply