Calling season three of Euphoria “long-awaited” is an understatement. HBO’s high school drama first aired in 2019, capturing widespread attention with its potent blend of raw trauma, stunning makeup, and audacious moments—like a locker room scene featuring 30 penises. Over the years, it established itself as a series with plenty to say about Gen Z’s experiences with sex, drugs, and mental health, propelling stars like Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, and former Disney star Zendaya to A-list fame. Yet, in that time, it has released only 18 episodes, delayed by everything from the COVID-19 pandemic to wildfires in Los Angeles. Much like a new Rihanna album, Euphoria season three has gradually become synonymous with a pop culture mirage—something that might, possibly, arrive before 2030. Or at least, we hoped, before most of the cast hit their thirties.
Excitement for the show has also faded over time. Rumors of tensions between the cast and creator Sam Levinson have only multiplied since the season’s return was confirmed last autumn. The subsequent press tour had a distinct air of “contractual obligation”—social media posts from the cast were rare, and Zendaya vaguely described filming as a “whirlwind” in an interview with Variety. So, it brings me no joy to report that, based on the three episodes provided for review, Euphoria‘s third (and likely final) season was absolutely not worth the wait. It’s a grim, humorless exercise in torture porn, simultaneously obsessed with and repulsed by sex work.
The season picks up five years after season two, with recovering addict Rue (Zendaya) dragged into the seedy world of drug dealer Laurie (Martha Kelly) to settle her debts. Her life as a drug mule between Mexico and the U.S. is depicted through cinematic sequences inspired by westerns and blaxploitation films, bearing some resemblance to the sex worker-focused movies of Sean Baker. It’s gritty stuff: drug-filled balloons are lubricated and swallowed (“And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how fentanyl is smuggled into the U.S.,” Rue explains in a heavy-handed voiceover), accomplices like Chloe Cherry’s Faye are recruited, and Rue ends up working for Alamo (played by Lost‘s Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), a Stetson-wearing club owner with a rehab clinic on speed dial. In short, she can’t—and doesn’t—catch a break.
Elsewhere, Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) is on the verge of becoming a traditional wife with toxic jock Nate (Jacob Elordi), who was once at the center of a love triangle involving her and ex-best friend Maddy (Alexa Demie). Now, they appear to be the perfect all-American couple—except for Nate’s failing business and Cassie’s side hustle creating OnlyFans content while dressed as a puppy. The show’s handling of her cam-girl ambitions feels bafflingly outdated (“You wanna sell your body for floral arrangements?!”), while storylines about sugar babies and kink come across as both voyeuristic and judgmental. All this unfolds while ensuring Sweeney is topless by episode two and casting Grammy winner Rosalía as a Spanglish-speaking, ass-shaking stripper. If nothing else, Levinson is a master of contradictions.
The Euphoria of old could be shocking, surreal, occasionally cringeworthy (remember Dominic Fike’s musical interlude as Elliot?), and often darkly funny, with meta school plays and plotlines like Kat (the sadly departed Barbie Ferreira) faking a terminal illness to break up with her boyfriend. Now, its humor is reduced to Colman Domingo’s character Ali cursing “butt sex” as Rue’s AA sponsor. A potentially witty scene, where Nate and Cassie’s housekeeper asks them which uneaten buffet items to throw away—highlighting their wastefulness by listing each item one by one—is instantly undercut by Nate threatening to kill her. He was always a sociopath.Sure, but now he’s just plain mean.
Sociopathic… Jacob Elordi as Nate. Photograph: Patrick Wymore/AP
Levinson has described the series as a tribute to the third step in AA—”surrendering to a power greater than ourselves”—and as a tribute to Angus Cloud, who played Fezco and died in 2023 at age 25. (A sense of loss certainly hangs over this season; it’s also the final on-screen role for Eric Dane as Nate’s father, Cal.) Levinson was clearly trying to make a point about how synthetic opioids are devastating ordinary Americans’ lives. But did he have to make his characters’ lives so horrifically bleak to do it?
As for Rue’s relationship with Jules (Hunter Schafer), it was once the show’s unapologetically queer heart and a rare, non-exploitative portrayal of trans life on TV. Here, it’s just another vehicle for a muddled look at the sex economy and a storyline that seems desperate to apply Euphoria’s brand of brainless “bimbo-ism” to one of its most interesting women. Jules is an artist and a sugar baby, but mostly she’s just a blank canvas for various shades of male perversion.
The performances are mostly good—and sometimes excellent, as with Zendaya, Sweeney, and Akinnuoye-Agbaje. But Euphoria’s third season is grim television that seems determined to shock us just for the sake of it. If the cast seemed desperate to get it over with, well, now we know why.
Euphoria season three is on Sky Atlantic and HBO Max in the UK from April 13, and on HBO and Max in the US and Australia from April 12.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Euphoria Season 3 Reviews Sleazy Frantic and a Total Letdown
Q1 Why are so many reviews calling Season 3 sleazy
A Critics use sleazy to describe a feeling that the shows signature graphic content felt more gratuitous and shockfocused this season rather than serving a deeper character or story purpose
Q2 What does frantic mean in these reviews
A Frantic refers to the seasons pacing and editing Many felt the plot jumped erratically between characters and subplots without enough depth creating a chaotic anxietyinducing watch that lacked the focused storytelling of earlier seasons
Q3 Is Season 3 really a total letdown Should I even watch it
A Total letdown is a strong subjective opinion often from fans who had high expectations after the long wait Whether you should watch it depends on you If youre deeply invested in the characters you may want to form your own opinion but be prepared for a shift in tone and pacing
Q4 Were there any positive aspects mentioned in these negative reviews
A Yes even critical reviews often praise the shows technical achievementslike its cinematography makeup and soundtrackand the continued strong performances from the main cast particularly Zendaya
Q5 What specific storylines or characters are people most disappointed with
A Common criticisms include underdeveloped new characters existing characters being sidelined or written out poorly and major plotlines feeling rushed or unresolved
Q6 How does Season 3 compare to Seasons 1 and 2
A Many feel Season 1 was a raw groundbreaking character study Season 2 escalated drama with memorable episodes but Season 3 lost its narrative anchor Its often described as style over substance with less emotional payoff
Q7 Did the long gap between seasons hurt Season 3
A Possibly The multiyear hiatus created immense hype and allowed audience expectations to solidify The new seasons different direction may have felt like a sharper departure than if it had aired sooner
