I remember reading an article called "Euphoria is the wokest show to fail the bechdel test," and I think that is the essence of this show. It is a show that proports to be about the messy struggles of teenage girls, but is really just a man taking voyeuristic looks into those lives without properly exploring them. I think that Kat and Jules both getting written out, elliot being an embodiment of the "man who tears two women apart" trope, and both Nate and Cal getting episodes dedicated to explaining why they are so awful supports my case.
Nate and Cal complexity episodes i can dig, but ya gotta give at least Jules more independent focus. Her special ep revealed that she’s traumatized by her addict mom and that she’s reconsidering her sexual/gender identity. Neither got *acknowledged* beyond that ep, instead she became a pure plot device for other characters. She was arguably the second most important character in S1, by far my biggest complaint of the series is how she was used in S2
The Bechdel test is cringe to begin with, but Euphoria doesn’t even “fail” it so that description makes zero sense, it seems like whoever said that either didn’t watch the show or doesn’t know what the Bechdel test is. Also how does Cals episode “explain how he’s awful”, it explains how he suppressed his sexuality and turned to living a double life, which is something a lot of people experience, that doesn’t make him awful, you can see a character develop and understand their motivations without excusing their actions, I think it does a very good job of fleshing out his character and is probably the best episode of the season behind episode 5. And the Elliot “trope” you were talking about doesn’t even really apply to his character, he didn’t tear Rue and Jules apart, they did that themselves, Jules just made the decision to cheat with Elliot after feeling hurt because of Rues actions, it’s not like Elliot came in and charmed them and broke them apart or something so labeling his character as that seems misplaced. Don’t get me wrong I think this season is very flawed and poorly written at times but I feel like a lot of the criticisms being thrown at it just don’t make a lot of sense.
@@jpeg204 rue and jules didnt choose to do these things themselves though... they were written this way. the point being made is that they were written to revolve around elliot when there were so many other ways their relationship could have been examined. especially with the low amount of queer women on tv and fact that this is an actual stereotype of queer women, people have a right to side eye it especially when we know theres only one writer
@@Ronkyort0dox cal cheats on his wife and films people he has sex with without their consent, as well as completely ignoring their uncomfortable body language (that first scene with jules). He is a shit person and he deserves to be in jail
i know that you said you don’t want to give this show the “13th reasons why treatment,” but i just want to say i would absolutely love to hear what you’d have to say about the specific plotlines & threads :)) lovely job as always!
the show's reliance on shock factor makes it borderline Riverdelian at multiple points, meanwhile it claims to be "character-focused, deep and authentic" though all we get is some patchy strokes, with 70% of said 'depth' being undercooked and somewhat shallow
good point about the shock value...it's like sam levinson made the show's environment & characters teenagers/high school, because it's likely to make the audience shocked (duh), confronted and even intreged
Not only that, but the show often gives off major "and then everyone clapped" BS Tumblr post energy. Like I can imagine many of the scenarios being the product of an edgy teen girl pretending to be hard-core on her blog, while fooling absolutely no one.
S2 left me so conflicted. It had me glued to every scene and give Zendaya and Sweeney their Emmys. But after it was all over it sat with me and I liked it less all because of the writing. Even Zendaya and Sweeneys characters stories were super messy. Their acting saved it.
I think that Sam has talent; a lot of people agree that season 1 was amazing even with its flaws, so he has to get some credit. But imo, it all boils down to this show being too much for 1 person and Sam needs a writing team. Arguably, Rue's scenes are generally considered to be the best and I think that's because she's based on Sam's life; he doesn't need to imagine how an addict will act or react because he knows. Rue's scenes have a certain level of authenticity that the other characters lack. Jules' special episode also has this genuine quality because it was co-written by Hunter Schafer. You can really feel her voice in it when it comes to her gender identity, which again, is something Sam wouldn't be able to authentically deliver on his own. Sam doesn't know what it's like to be a teen girl in any of these situations, so if he had a diverse writing team, we could get that same authenticity for every character. In addition, it could help keep the show on track and alleviate some of the burden. There's a *rumor* (it's never been confirmed by reputable sources) that Kat's actress disagreed with Sam's decision for Kat's character in season 2 and stormed off set. Some people have then said that Kat's lack of a story is punishment for her actress refusing to film. If this is true, I would see it as less of a punishment and more of an issue of having no time or team to rely on to write Kat an entirely new plotline in the midst of also directing every episode and dealing with other rewrites. Honestly, cutting Kat's plot rather than forcing Barbie to film something she's uncomfortable with or firing her is the better option in my opinion, but if he had had a team, he could have had someone else focus on rewriting Kat's plot while he focused on his many other duties. It would also reign him in and keep him on track; actors have explained the set conditions and that he's changed major plotpoints while they're shooting that very same scene which causes more stress and longer days for everyone. We've heard from the actors that he can be collaborative and take their suggestions into consideration but he still has a control issue. He needs to let go of some of his power over the show in order to make it better with new voices and fresh ideas.
Eh, mr robot is arguably one of the best shows ever made if anything THE best show ever made and I’m pretty sure Sam Esmail wrote and directed every season except some outlier episodes in season 1. This guy just kinda sucks
As a photographer, I was absolutely charmed by the show's visual aspects and the use of symbolism (again, visually). That first grip that the production had me in really gave off the impression of it being a good show. However, there were moments where I thought "Really? Wow, I'm missing quite a lot here". But then another breathtaking wave of visual beauty would distract me from those shortcomings. And that made think further. We are after all slaves to the era of image. Everything is an image. Image is what we consume the most these days, especially the demographic of Euphoria. I wonder if Levinson is consciously taking advantage of that. Because even with all these flaws, I do find myself liking the show and being amazed. There are certain story factors that hit that emotional spot, which makes watching it more personal. So with the younger generations being so absorbed by mental health and psychological matters, being more open about things that were considered taboo back in the day, I also have the urge to think that Levinson also cashed in on that mentality of the viewers (and very effectively so). It's almost like he's reflecting the current and collective state of mind of his general demographic. The way he executes that is a whole other discussion, but I do get that impression, looking back at all the episodes and where he puts the emphasis on throughout the storylines.
@@theshimmereffect3506 Yeap,it's not better than Euphoria imo but to each their own,I liked the show especially Caitlin's storyline which wasn't really explored properly but other than that idk
the lack of development and the amount of plots that are never resolved this season makes it impossible for me to imagine season 3 actually being good if sam levinson doesn’t get his head out of his ass and get a writers room
At least the music is good and thematically makes sense. Like season 1 had better music. But ‘I’m tired’ is like a masterpiece of a song. Brought me to tears the first time I heard it in conjunction to the scene. Let’s not talk about the Spotify version though…
The show talks about the struggle of addiction to drugs and how addiction happens and how it really isn’t fun or something you want for yourself so don’t go down that path it may not be deep to you but it may be for people who have struggled or are close to people who have struggled with drug addiction
@@audramcdonaldapologist3676 Yeah I enjoy this part of the show, not a bad show and I will watch s3 when it comes out. The thing is, sometimes a thing is just visuals and that could have been delivered in a better way you know
@@audramcdonaldapologist3676 As a person with mental health issues and addiction, I haven't even watched the show bc our culture's obsession w glorified victimhood is overdone. I've seen Skins, Shamless, Degrassi, Perks of Being A Wallflower, etc etc. already, so the only main difference being over emphasis on social media and cinematography turns me off. I can't be fucked to take other people's overexplained, and ultimately trivialized, trauma seriously via fiction anymore. Culture needs to move forward
@@turnthonkee just because you haven’t experienced it doesn’t mean their trauma is trivialized and over explained trauma is trauma and that’s their struggle just because you don’t relate to it doesn’t mean it’s “not as bad” or whatever you may think
As someone who thought season one was pretty good (7 or 8/10), and had a lot of potential to become a classic, I was severely disappointed by season 2. There were red flags all over the place with the specials and M&M, but I still felt let down by season 2. Really good video man, spot on with everything you articulated.
@@Desb-ui9vx can you elaborate? I’m genuinely curious because I don’t remember feeling like they had very many (if anything the pacing was a bit off at times but I think covid restrictions played a part in that)
The most frustrating thing is that Rue NEVER suffers any consequences!! What was the point of Lori???? How can Rue steal $10,000 worth of drugs and not face any consequences??? They set Lori up to be this terrifying drug dealer but she never does anything. She should’ve just gave Rue the suitcase if she wasn’t going to follow through with her threat or if the writers were just going to write her off the show. And what was Cal arrested for? Nate gave Jules the tape and he said that he didn’t know if there were copies. So were there other underage people on those tapes? And if so how would Nate even know that they were underage? He only knew Jules was underage because they go to school together. It just seemed very random.
hard agree on the Cal part. It just didn't make any sense that (supposedly) there weren't copies of Jules' video but suddenly Cal goes to jail for statutory r4p3, even tho we don't know the age of all the people he filmed himself with (unless some of them were literal children, which was never shown or even implied in the show, or that Nate lied to Jules and actually made a copy of the video to show the cops) edit: typo
I think teens recognize each other, also filming people while naked with their consent and knowledge is illegal as well, so either way, whatever Nate put on that Thumb Drive was incriminating.
I like to think about Sam Levinson as Flip McVicker from fifth season of BoJack Horseman. Both got too much creative and executive power in their own show, writing processes of both are chaotic and messy and both like to think about themselves as geniuses while their show kinda sucks.
This is a perfect analogy lol. (I also find it kind of ironic the Flip is voiced by Rami Malek, and Mr. Robot was such a truly wonderful show in terms of addiction and mental illness.)
I had a lot of hope for this latest season, since I loved the first one so much. However, I didn't like that certain previously important characters, namely Kat and Jules, had less plot relevance this season. Jules cheating on Rue with Elliot just seemed so unnecessary, and Kat was lucky if she got to say anything in an episode, due to Barbie objecting to Kat's eating disorder storylines.
Disagree. Euphoria is like 13 Reasons Why, touching on social problems for shock value while Riverdale has the curtesy to no pretend to be something it isn't and decides to lean into the stupidity.
Euphoria has made me appreciate pixar/g & pg ratings so much more. The point of explicitly in media should be to be able to demonstrate one's artistic vision better. The fact that Pixar and G ratings can still create great movies with mature messages is great. Euphoria revels in the words "cunt" (which is an odd word for U.S teens to use) and "fuck" and at some point feels like a soft-core porn, but never does anything with it. You could make this show easily TV-14 and it would take nothing of value away from it. Also, Sam Levinson is the next Zach Snyder.
Yea that’s how I feel about the show. The cursing is excessive and it feels like I’m watching porn and idk…God knows I’m no angel but this show just seems to be over the top with those things.
It was surprising to even see normies and generally non-affected (by sexuality) people blush in response, especially after so many people ate up Game of Thrones. I think everyone is giving too much credit to what I'll now call "thinksploitation" shows/TV. If you have skilled cinematography, unique music, and the writer puts a few IG captions in the script, the viewer won't feel exploited by the sexual/violent overstimuli. Instead, they'll get the Feeling of contemplation and character development, because they think the shows visuals are doing it for them already. In my opinion, it's bad form and shows a lack of principles for a writer. If an 80s B-movie director listened to Arcade Fire for a week, we'd more or less get the same show.
I also want to point out how the common use of the c word is (in the tv show). like I'm not offended myself - I know they're characters and it's all fiction, but does Sam Levinson know that the word originated as a slur used derogatorily against women? and the C word isn't that commonly used in the US I believe, it's more in Australia and the UK.
All of the characters and their backstories at the beginning of the episode, to me at least, aren't just put forward and then forgotten by the shows writer, but if anything help forward their story and explain certain choices they might take, eg Cassie's need for pleasing men, Maddie's obsession with nate, Fezco's relationship with Ashtray, Jules' relationship dynamic with her family and her mental state, Kat's insecurity, and her breaking apart from that
Yeah I keep hearing very mixed things about this show. It just seems like it is really going for shock value as opposed to richly drawn characters. A show like Succession which I think is a masterpiece hooked me because the characters are so richly drawn and well developed. Are they likeable? A lot of the time not at all but I really get a sense of who these people are and there are moments where I really sympathize with certain characters particularly Kendall and Tom. Anyway, I know this video isn't about Succession but I wanted to bring it up because I think it's a show with some of the most brilliant writing I have ever seen.
@@TaylorJWilliams Yeah I think I remember that! Something about season 3 being the worst season but the show still being phenomenal. It was a great video, although I will say in my opinion the final 4 episodes of the season was the best the show has ever been lol. Anyway, keep making great analysis videos! These are really enjoyable :).
I'm probably in the minority but I prefer Euphoria over Succession because I feel more connected to the characters in Euphoria (especially Rue ) than in Succession and I find Euphoria more emotional (even funnier) than Succession Take Rue and Kendall for example,my favorite characters in the respective shows who are both drug addicts : Rue is addicted to opioids and Kendall is addicted to Crystal meth but I'm more empathetic toward Rue's struggles with addition mainly because the shows treats her struggles seriously and she has withdrawals and codependent issues that I never forget she's addicted to drugs because that's mainly her storyline but with Kendall I sometimes forget he's supposed to be a drug addict until they bring it up which is a good and and bad thing because unlike Rue he's more than just an addict (he's a business man with a family) Succession is the better written,acted and directed show of the two but Euphoria is the most connectable and affecting to me (ito emotions and memorable scenes that stayed with me) and imo that's why it's the most popular of the two
hm i think euphoria's characters are the least of it's problems. a lot of these characters (mostly in the first szn i admit) are shown to be very complex and euphoria is definitely also a show where the characters aren't likeable but can still be sympathetic. it's the situations they're put into and the absurd way they've all been twisted in this second szn that bothers me. so much of what happened feels so out of nowhere that part of me thinks sam just doesn't care about the show anymore and is throwing whatever he can at the wall to see what sticks while his main focus has been making it look pretty and impressive (visually).
Ep 1 of S2 felt like it was continuing off s1 and then the rest of the season felt like a completely different show. It had some good moments here and there but it was pretty all over the place
last episode made me question if the show was ever good. I thought it was a good watch up until that point. s2 just wasted sooo much time, barely anything happens.
based on how I’ve seen some people talk about it, I think some people watch it to feel smart or like they’ve made a grand revelation about our society. but when you watch it you’re like “you have to be extremely sheltered to not know that this all exists in reality on some level”
it's honestly such a big mess, that's all that i can say. certainly the amount of nudity he wants in the show is disturbing and makes me uncomfortable. nothing before has had such a sex-negative impact on me as euphoria has.
You can tell it's more for the male viewers pleasure, the way they're framed, which character is always naked, the fact Sam wants any women on set to get naked for the sake of sexual tension it's repulsive ppl like him can have full control over actors bodies & actors can't fight back too much or they'll be deemed trouble
The problem is that season 2 had sloppy writing due to the overconfidence on the show's creators's part knowing that people would eat it up (I'm guilty too lol) but the only thing that saved this season was the acting. All of the actors were carrying this show on their backs .
I definitely can see the criticisms that season 1 was wayyyy better than season 2. It actually felt like it was doing something unique, instead of pandering to most fans.
I haven't kept up with your content lately, but I saw this video and I've had friends talking about this series. Forgot how good your criticisms and observations were. Also glad to see you're nearly at 100k. You earned it.
The biggest question I ask myself when watching is WHO IS THIS FOR? If it’s for teens (oh no), then it’s more excusable for the writing to be shortsighted like the Skins and Degrassi predecessors. If it isn’t, I want better.
@@audramcdonaldapologist3676 Lmaoo…. But who is actually watching it. The rating does not always correlate with the intended audience. Big yikes & big attitude from u Sydney.
@@7856841 “but who is actually watching it?” Uh like I said teens and young adults, it’s a show meant for teens and young adults it’s the most talked about show on Twitter and twitter is an app that’s for people 13+ lmao also how was I having an attitude? All I said was that it’s not that hard to figure out who’s watching it if you look at the rating, if anyone is a big yikes and big attitude it’s you, Madeline
@@7856841 also someone even commented that the main demographic is 15-25 especially since they have young stars like Zendaya on it and even if a rating doesn’t always garner the targeted audience Euphoria has trigger warnings before each episode and it talks about extreme episodes it’s not for people who are younger than 15 or 16 it’s for mature audiences for a reason
Euphoria, for filmmakers, is a joy to watch even though it can be dramatic with the teen drama. Sam Levinson says he's more concerned about the Emotional reality of the characters in Euphoria instead of the physical reality. He's a sensationalist and takes a lot of homages from amazing films and cinema. References to In Cold Blood, The Red Shoes, and other phenomenal movies from the last 70 years.
HBO learned nothing after the D&D fiasco. Having a table of writers and consultants would make this show great because the acting and the technical aspects are all there.
@@arianagarcia732 How is it Riverdale. Riverdale is a madcap crazy show that doesn't pretend to be anything else than schlocky madness, just constantly testing how far they can push things--other universe, superpowers, the Devil, etc. I don't see many similarities but maybe I'm wrong.
Yeah, agree with you 100%. This season was so messy and disappointing. One time we see Rue hitting the rock bottom, being kept by criminals, having IV, withdrawal, few moments later we are forced to believe everything is okay and ended very smoothly. Whole plotline and questionable tension built in first episodes ended literally nowhere. The play? Which shool would produce such play with near-sex scenes, while at the same time, Cal is arrested for sex tapes. Season one was so great, I really loved the idea of it and also it's visual aspect, while in the 2nd season everything was completely different and a total mess, like there were no ideas for the plotlines.
This is such an excellent video! I generally enjoy the show quite a bit but as you said, the second season in all its flaws, pointed me to realize the issues I had are really all over the bones of the series as a whole. Your takes are put simply but are so astute! You’re blowing my mind a bit.
you are my go to guy when it comes to dumb teen dramas. they're my guilty pleasure and as much as i enjoy the performance i also love to acknowledge how dumb they can be.
I enjoyed season 1 and season 2 I felt like it took a few steps backwards. I’m curious about “The Idol” which Sam Levinson is a writer, creator, and executive producer, but he’s now having to work and share creative control with other people. I’m also a fan of The Weeknd, so I’m definitely gonna give it a watch when it comes out. UPDATE….Well they’re doing reshoots, the director left, and Sam is likely to take over….Oh dear
I'd actually like to see more colorful camerawork and such. As a central European, the shows content itself is already far too foreign to me, I can't anything there see happening in real life - nobody in my family even owns a car.
“I’d like to see more colorful camerawork and such” this isn’t a happy show, why would there be colorful camerawork the show is literally about addiction and how trauma affects people lol also addiction and trauma happens to people in real life what do you mean you can’t see any of this happening in real life?
As someone who grew up in Southern California, euphoria’s depiction of rich, drug addicted teenagers isn’t a far cry from reality. Crazy how different the culture must be where u live from I, thank you for sharing!
@@7856841 What do you mean not you again? I can have an opinion and I can state it if you don’t like my opinion you don’t have to be an asshole, also if they stated why the couldn’t relate and it was just that that’s one thing but saying “I can’t see this happening in real life” is another because addiction actually affects people in real life, just because you didn’t experience it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen
@@7856841 Most of the characters aren’t rich, Rue isn’t rich, Cassie and Lexi aren’t rich and I don’t think Kat is either and Maddy definitely isn’t either the only one that really has money is Nate
A messy spectacle of heightened reality is perfect but Season 1 felt purposefully messy. It was messy in a way that there were so many things happening that as they began to collide, we got some really entertaining moments. I think about the fair scenes and how chaotic and fun that moment was. Season 2 loses all sense of forward momentum. Most of these characters don’t really change, they’re all just the same for the most part but that can work. You can hide a character’s lack of change by making them wildly proactive, it’s why Season 1 worked because everyone is INSANE! Season 2 does NOT have that so instead, they’ve ramped up the insanity of these moments like Rue running around and destroying the town, Cassie having to hide in a bathtub, Ashtray doing anything and that’s the problem. This show becomes a caricature of itself for sure and that’s why the 2nd season doesn’t work
i just think that Sam is literally just throwing all of his ideas and past experiences onto film and having it filmed very well in technical aspects, without actually implementing film techniques and understanding how to create a story
ompletely agree honestly the final last episode really lost me on the show. For a show that takes itself so soo super seriously you definitely have to turn off your brain in the finale when it comes to lack of staff and teachers during inappropriate play scenes or an actual confrontation between two students with intervention from one parent .The play was super unethical and weird and it’s odd to me that nobody puts themselves in any of the other characters shoes, if a girl at your school SOMEHOW got away with THIS shit and outted her sister, multiple friends’ intimate moments, you’d think it was weird as hell …yet this really got Twitter to root for an actual child to expose her classmates lmao. Like really think… IN -universe … what… exactly is the point of this fuckin play and why was it approved lmao I don’t mean narratively so Lexi‘s character can get some sort of come-uppance or something i mean … why is any of this happening and don’t give me that heightened-reality or unreliable narrator BS. We got a very real- emotional scene of Rue arguing with her mom and then this.. smh like there’s literally no way I could tell season one was going to eventually lead to this … Jerry Springer ass exposé finale lmao. We definitely wonder what is going to happen to Rue bc of the suitcase situation and other characters & while it was fun to see a character in the background like Lexi be a sort of audience POV , and even genius in someways, I did not know it would eventually lead to this narcissistic random play she’d put on and it doesn’t work for me, and if it was written in someway where she would get critiqued for doing this weird shit it would be fine… But the universe turns realism off so we can watch highschoolers fight on stage in front of more high schoolers , One mom intervening ( The mom of the daughter who put on the play to publicly humiliate her OTHER daughter ) bc fuck being a parent i guess , wacky ass Cassie villain shots, every obvious good character we root for conveniently approving of this and the villain characters having a problem with it only; but mostly confusion leaving the second season. like come on this is right in front of you… Why did anyone buyyyy this shit? I totally agree & season one felt really cool… But everything is out the window now it’s getting Riverdale ridiculous.
I am impressed at the ability of being positive while describing something that fails at the basic level of a TV series. It's a moodboard you pay for rather than see on Tumblr, Pinterest or whatever. And yes, directors are their own type of artist and cinema is it's own thing, even if people seem to forget It, but that's not a good enough excuse in this context. No only a TV series works differently from a film, they also SAID EXPLICITELY that this show had character driven narrative and explored them in the First place. Which It doesn't. So it's not like they were comfortable with just being a good example of film making
@@judeconnor-macintyre9874 Eh, season 2 had good moments, for sure but as the video stated, he's the only credited writer.... yeah the show needs a writers room 💀💀
I hear you but I still believe that writing-wise Rue is the most compelling and best written because her motivations are clear,the special episode(s) are still the show's best work ito writing and the only people who can and did appreciate those are the ones who they were meant for,people who can relate to the characters
I’m screaming at you comparing sam levinson to ryan murphy cos I’ve literally been calling sam ryab murphy 2.0 lmfao happy I’m not the only one who sees their similarities!!!
i started late with euphoria and i think i'm too old for it as i found myself skipping some scenes forward out of boredom and cliches. i love the fashion and make up but season two was really boring to watch - i felt like nothing happened
i remember watching edits of this show and it rlly made me want to watch this show. when i finally got to watch the show, i only got through 2 episodes before i had to stop. it was far too overwhelming and too disgusting. a lot of it just made me too uncomfortable. especially when the show is based off high schoolers
Does the intro to this also go for season 1 for you? I just watched S1 and enjoyed myself, but don't see how it could move forward other than becoming teenagers melodrama bs we are used to. I'm just glad I got an amazing soundtrack out of it. Labrinth ❤️
I never really got the obsessive hype over this show, and I’m not trying to be a pretentious contrarian. I understand the hype on a twilight level - the aesthetic, the engaging story or concept, the soundtrack, the characters you get attached to. But if you look at the actual script or anything beyond just surface level aesthetics, it is such a shitty show. The writing, especially the dialogue, has always been mediocre at best for the most part. But it takes on a thirteen reasons why flavor with the criminal part of the show and the way social dialogue is addressed in-script and it just takes you out of it. I can handle heightened reality. But only if it is executed skillfully and engagingly. And in order to enjoy it I really have to clear my head of any critical thought. Like Maddy’s tirade at the fair in season 1? Riverdale level cringe
Could the “Joker” movie also be praised for catering to both sides of the zeitgeist? The content of the movie itself didn’t create much conversation on twitter (from my POV at least), but I feel like anyone who watched it left that movie with their pre-watch opinions validated. Same could be said for Euphoria, but maybe I’m not making the most cohesive point here.
Describing Euphoria as a well, put together, technically spectacular series of music videos but impossible to truly emotionally connect or invest in is probably the best description of Season 2 I've heard. For a season with so much "drama", it felt like nothing of substance even really happened (even though, technically stuff did). It felt like by Episode 3, after a spectacular season premiere, the show ran out of plot. It's bizarre
I think people like to confuse visual storytelling with flashy visuals carrying a production's dead weight. Directors like Refn, Noe, Levinson, basically anyone that overuses neon lighting and flashy backgrounds end up telling mediocre stories in service of eye catching visuals, which is not true visual storytelling.
I really hope Sam Levinson takes a day to watch all the videos and read all the articles criticizing his writing and makes a change in season 3. At this point I’ll only check out Euphoria if word of mouth suggest a positive change in quality
the dialogue in euphoria is absolutely atrocious oh my god. like. as a teenager, they do speak like teenagers but annoying ones. and not all teenagers are annoying!
Describing the show as a "messy spectacle of heightened reality" is a perfect description imo
It's litteraly a melodrama.
Are you a conservative, I'm just wondering because of your profile picture
Its called emotional realism
@@neohlongwane8147 not really but okay
“I can appreciate it as a collection of technically accomplished music videos”
RIP
"He put all of his points into marketability and Twitter moments"
I need a clip of that uploaded to Twitter, right now.
The Sam Levinson and Ryan Murphy power craze comparison is perfect
And now I wonder what the Hell would become a show created by both of them together...
Right? When he said he hadn’t seen someone this drunk on power (television wise) I automatically said, “Don’t forget Ryan Murphy.”
@@ajtmove4226 I honestly don't understand how more people are not talking about Ryan Murphy's great shows that descend into madness
@@DrGregoryHouseIT
It'd be a mess but a great one at least for a while
Great shows? They're all anthology, so he doesn't have to focus too much, and yet he menages to lose the thread in 12 episodes ir less.
I remember reading an article called "Euphoria is the wokest show to fail the bechdel test," and I think that is the essence of this show. It is a show that proports to be about the messy struggles of teenage girls, but is really just a man taking voyeuristic looks into those lives without properly exploring them. I think that Kat and Jules both getting written out, elliot being an embodiment of the "man who tears two women apart" trope, and both Nate and Cal getting episodes dedicated to explaining why they are so awful supports my case.
Cal isn't awful.
Nate and Cal complexity episodes i can dig, but ya gotta give at least Jules more independent focus. Her special ep revealed that she’s traumatized by her addict mom and that she’s reconsidering her sexual/gender identity. Neither got *acknowledged* beyond that ep, instead she became a pure plot device for other characters. She was arguably the second most important character in S1, by far my biggest complaint of the series is how she was used in S2
The Bechdel test is cringe to begin with, but Euphoria doesn’t even “fail” it so that description makes zero sense, it seems like whoever said that either didn’t watch the show or doesn’t know what the Bechdel test is. Also how does Cals episode “explain how he’s awful”, it explains how he suppressed his sexuality and turned to living a double life, which is something a lot of people experience, that doesn’t make him awful, you can see a character develop and understand their motivations without excusing their actions, I think it does a very good job of fleshing out his character and is probably the best episode of the season behind episode 5. And the Elliot “trope” you were talking about doesn’t even really apply to his character, he didn’t tear Rue and Jules apart, they did that themselves, Jules just made the decision to cheat with Elliot after feeling hurt because of Rues actions, it’s not like Elliot came in and charmed them and broke them apart or something so labeling his character as that seems misplaced. Don’t get me wrong I think this season is very flawed and poorly written at times but I feel like a lot of the criticisms being thrown at it just don’t make a lot of sense.
@@jpeg204 rue and jules didnt choose to do these things themselves though... they were written this way. the point being made is that they were written to revolve around elliot when there were so many other ways their relationship could have been examined. especially with the low amount of queer women on tv and fact that this is an actual stereotype of queer women, people have a right to side eye it especially when we know theres only one writer
@@Ronkyort0dox cal cheats on his wife and films people he has sex with without their consent, as well as completely ignoring their uncomfortable body language (that first scene with jules). He is a shit person and he deserves to be in jail
i know that you said you don’t want to give this show the “13th reasons why treatment,” but i just want to say i would absolutely love to hear what you’d have to say about the specific plotlines & threads :)) lovely job as always!
This show is quickly showing signs of self-absorption.
the show's reliance on shock factor makes it borderline Riverdelian at multiple points, meanwhile it claims to be "character-focused, deep and authentic" though all we get is some patchy strokes, with 70% of said 'depth' being undercooked and somewhat shallow
Riverdailian ☠️
good point about the shock value...it's like sam levinson made the show's environment & characters teenagers/high school, because it's likely to make the audience shocked (duh), confronted and even intreged
At least in Riverdale it was funny
@@557deadpool Riverdale was fun until the Dad died and you were like, oh WoW!
"Sam Levinson is drunk with power to a degree we've never seen before." Bahahaha!!! You're so right.
Are we forgetting Harvey Weinstein?
Euphoria is the same as the “upscale” fan fiction we all wrote in the 3rd person with no dialogue and a ton of unneeded exposition.
Not only that, but the show often gives off major "and then everyone clapped" BS Tumblr post energy. Like I can imagine many of the scenarios being the product of an edgy teen girl pretending to be hard-core on her blog, while fooling absolutely no one.
Euphoria is my guilty pleasure. The soundtrack and visuals honestly are the best part, Labyrinth is an incredible musician.
what a shame its being wasted on *this* kind of show
S2 left me so conflicted. It had me glued to every scene and give Zendaya and Sweeney their Emmys. But after it was all over it sat with me and I liked it less all because of the writing. Even Zendaya and Sweeneys characters stories were super messy. Their acting saved it.
I think that Sam has talent; a lot of people agree that season 1 was amazing even with its flaws, so he has to get some credit. But imo, it all boils down to this show being too much for 1 person and Sam needs a writing team. Arguably, Rue's scenes are generally considered to be the best and I think that's because she's based on Sam's life; he doesn't need to imagine how an addict will act or react because he knows. Rue's scenes have a certain level of authenticity that the other characters lack. Jules' special episode also has this genuine quality because it was co-written by Hunter Schafer. You can really feel her voice in it when it comes to her gender identity, which again, is something Sam wouldn't be able to authentically deliver on his own. Sam doesn't know what it's like to be a teen girl in any of these situations, so if he had a diverse writing team, we could get that same authenticity for every character.
In addition, it could help keep the show on track and alleviate some of the burden. There's a *rumor* (it's never been confirmed by reputable sources) that Kat's actress disagreed with Sam's decision for Kat's character in season 2 and stormed off set. Some people have then said that Kat's lack of a story is punishment for her actress refusing to film. If this is true, I would see it as less of a punishment and more of an issue of having no time or team to rely on to write Kat an entirely new plotline in the midst of also directing every episode and dealing with other rewrites. Honestly, cutting Kat's plot rather than forcing Barbie to film something she's uncomfortable with or firing her is the better option in my opinion, but if he had had a team, he could have had someone else focus on rewriting Kat's plot while he focused on his many other duties. It would also reign him in and keep him on track; actors have explained the set conditions and that he's changed major plotpoints while they're shooting that very same scene which causes more stress and longer days for everyone. We've heard from the actors that he can be collaborative and take their suggestions into consideration but he still has a control issue. He needs to let go of some of his power over the show in order to make it better with new voices and fresh ideas.
Eh, mr robot is arguably one of the best shows ever made if anything THE best show ever made and I’m pretty sure Sam Esmail wrote and directed every season except some outlier episodes in season 1. This guy just kinda sucks
As a photographer, I was absolutely charmed by the show's visual aspects and the use of symbolism (again, visually). That first grip that the production had me in really gave off the impression of it being a good show. However, there were moments where I thought "Really? Wow, I'm missing quite a lot here". But then another breathtaking wave of visual beauty would distract me from those shortcomings. And that made think further. We are after all slaves to the era of image. Everything is an image. Image is what we consume the most these days, especially the demographic of Euphoria. I wonder if Levinson is consciously taking advantage of that. Because even with all these flaws, I do find myself liking the show and being amazed. There are certain story factors that hit that emotional spot, which makes watching it more personal. So with the younger generations being so absorbed by mental health and psychological matters, being more open about things that were considered taboo back in the day, I also have the urge to think that Levinson also cashed in on that mentality of the viewers (and very effectively so). It's almost like he's reflecting the current and collective state of mind of his general demographic. The way he executes that is a whole other discussion, but I do get that impression, looking back at all the episodes and where he puts the emphasis on throughout the storylines.
luca quadanino's teen hbo mini series" we are who we are" really calmed me down after euphoria's second season
I really loved that show. I don't see many people discuss it, but I enjoyed it.
GUADAGNINO
No offense but we are who we are suffered the same problem the second season of euphoria did. It felt like nothing happened.
@@theshimmereffect3506 Yeap,it's not better than Euphoria imo but to each their own,I liked the show especially Caitlin's storyline which wasn't really explored properly but other than that idk
the lack of development and the amount of plots that are never resolved this season makes it impossible for me to imagine season 3 actually being good if sam levinson doesn’t get his head out of his ass and get a writers room
"A collection of music videos", LOL
At least the music is good and thematically makes sense. Like season 1 had better music. But ‘I’m tired’ is like a masterpiece of a song. Brought me to tears the first time I heard it in conjunction to the scene. Let’s not talk about the Spotify version though…
The show isn't bad, but most of it is "the emperor's new clothes" and we have to pretend it's deep
The show talks about the struggle of addiction to drugs and how addiction happens and how it really isn’t fun or something you want for yourself so don’t go down that path it may not be deep to you but it may be for people who have struggled or are close to people who have struggled with drug addiction
@@audramcdonaldapologist3676 Yeah I enjoy this part of the show, not a bad show and I will watch s3 when it comes out. The thing is, sometimes a thing is just visuals and that could have been delivered in a better way you know
@@audramcdonaldapologist3676 As a person with mental health issues and addiction, I haven't even watched the show bc our culture's obsession w glorified victimhood is overdone. I've seen Skins, Shamless, Degrassi, Perks of Being A Wallflower, etc etc. already, so the only main difference being over emphasis on social media and cinematography turns me off. I can't be fucked to take other people's overexplained, and ultimately trivialized, trauma seriously via fiction anymore. Culture needs to move forward
@@turnthonkee just because you haven’t experienced it doesn’t mean their trauma is trivialized and over explained trauma is trauma and that’s their struggle just because you don’t relate to it doesn’t mean it’s “not as bad” or whatever you may think
@@turnthonkee yeah but what other struggles do we have in our generation? First world problems basically
As someone who thought season one was pretty good (7 or 8/10), and had a lot of potential to become a classic, I was severely disappointed by season 2. There were red flags all over the place with the specials and M&M, but I still felt let down by season 2. Really good video man, spot on with everything you articulated.
I forgort what season 1 was even about. forgettable season.
same lol
what was wrong with the specials? they seemed like the best parts of the show for me honestly
@@beyondviolet the Jules one was good but Rue‘s had a lot of Levinson’s shortcomings present. There were a few in Jules’ episode too.
@@Desb-ui9vx can you elaborate? I’m genuinely curious because I don’t remember feeling like they had very many (if anything the pacing was a bit off at times but I think covid restrictions played a part in that)
The most frustrating thing is that Rue NEVER suffers any consequences!! What was the point of Lori???? How can Rue steal $10,000 worth of drugs and not face any consequences??? They set Lori up to be this terrifying drug dealer but she never does anything. She should’ve just gave Rue the suitcase if she wasn’t going to follow through with her threat or if the writers were just going to write her off the show. And what was Cal arrested for? Nate gave Jules the tape and he said that he didn’t know if there were copies. So were there other underage people on those tapes? And if so how would Nate even know that they were underage? He only knew Jules was underage because they go to school together. It just seemed very random.
hard agree on the Cal part. It just didn't make any sense that (supposedly) there weren't copies of Jules' video but suddenly Cal goes to jail for statutory r4p3, even tho we don't know the age of all the people he filmed himself with (unless some of them were literal children, which was never shown or even implied in the show, or that Nate lied to Jules and actually made a copy of the video to show the cops)
edit: typo
I think teens recognize each other, also filming people while naked with their consent and knowledge is illegal as well, so either way, whatever Nate put on that Thumb Drive was incriminating.
I like to think about Sam Levinson as Flip McVicker from fifth season of BoJack Horseman. Both got too much creative and executive power in their own show, writing processes of both are chaotic and messy and both like to think about themselves as geniuses while their show kinda sucks.
LMAOOO THIS IS THE PERFECT ANALOGY
This is a perfect analogy lol. (I also find it kind of ironic the Flip is voiced by Rami Malek, and Mr. Robot was such a truly wonderful show in terms of addiction and mental illness.)
HAHAHA! Superb. Jesus, this is too perfect.
I had a lot of hope for this latest season, since I loved the first one so much. However, I didn't like that certain previously important characters, namely Kat and Jules, had less plot relevance this season. Jules cheating on Rue with Elliot just seemed so unnecessary, and Kat was lucky if she got to say anything in an episode, due to Barbie objecting to Kat's eating disorder storylines.
Euphoria is the A24 version of Riverdale as of season 2.
Disagree. Euphoria is like 13 Reasons Why, touching on social problems for shock value while Riverdale has the curtesy to no pretend to be something it isn't and decides to lean into the stupidity.
Euphoria has made me appreciate pixar/g & pg ratings so much more. The point of explicitly in media should be to be able to demonstrate one's artistic vision better. The fact that Pixar and G ratings can still create great movies with mature messages is great. Euphoria revels in the words "cunt" (which is an odd word for U.S teens to use) and "fuck" and at some point feels like a soft-core porn, but never does anything with it. You could make this show easily TV-14 and it would take nothing of value away from it.
Also, Sam Levinson is the next Zach Snyder.
Yea that’s how I feel about the show. The cursing is excessive and it feels like I’m watching porn and idk…God knows I’m no angel but this show just seems to be over the top with those things.
It was surprising to even see normies and generally non-affected (by sexuality) people blush in response, especially after so many people ate up Game of Thrones. I think everyone is giving too much credit to what I'll now call "thinksploitation" shows/TV. If you have skilled cinematography, unique music, and the writer puts a few IG captions in the script, the viewer won't feel exploited by the sexual/violent overstimuli. Instead, they'll get the Feeling of contemplation and character development, because they think the shows visuals are doing it for them already. In my opinion, it's bad form and shows a lack of principles for a writer.
If an 80s B-movie director listened to Arcade Fire for a week, we'd more or less get the same show.
I also want to point out how the common use of the c word is (in the tv show). like I'm not offended myself - I know they're characters and it's all fiction, but does Sam Levinson know that the word originated as a slur used derogatorily against women? and the C word isn't that commonly used in the US I believe, it's more in Australia and the UK.
@@yuenmienyu show writers on hbo are obsessed with the word because it’s the edgiest word they think of. it’s really only uk/aussie slang though lol
All of the characters and their backstories at the beginning of the episode, to me at least, aren't just put forward and then forgotten by the shows writer, but if anything help forward their story and explain certain choices they might take, eg Cassie's need for pleasing men, Maddie's obsession with nate, Fezco's relationship with Ashtray, Jules' relationship dynamic with her family and her mental state, Kat's insecurity, and her breaking apart from that
Yeah I keep hearing very mixed things about this show. It just seems like it is really going for shock value as opposed to richly drawn characters. A show like Succession which I think is a masterpiece hooked me because the characters are so richly drawn and well developed. Are they likeable? A lot of the time not at all but I really get a sense of who these people are and there are moments where I really sympathize with certain characters particularly Kendall and Tom. Anyway, I know this video isn't about Succession but I wanted to bring it up because I think it's a show with some of the most brilliant writing I have ever seen.
You should see what I covered two videos ago 👀
@@TaylorJWilliams Yeah I think I remember that! Something about season 3 being the worst season but the show still being phenomenal. It was a great video, although I will say in my opinion the final 4 episodes of the season was the best the show has ever been lol. Anyway, keep making great analysis videos! These are really enjoyable :).
I'm probably in the minority but I prefer Euphoria over Succession because I feel more connected to the characters in Euphoria (especially Rue ) than in Succession and I find Euphoria more emotional (even funnier) than Succession
Take Rue and Kendall for example,my favorite characters in the respective shows who are both drug addicts : Rue is addicted to opioids and Kendall is addicted to Crystal meth but I'm more empathetic toward Rue's struggles with addition mainly because the shows treats her struggles seriously and she has withdrawals and codependent issues that I never forget she's addicted to drugs because that's mainly her storyline but with Kendall I sometimes forget he's supposed to be a drug addict until they bring it up which is a good and and bad thing because unlike Rue he's more than just an addict (he's a business man with a family)
Succession is the better written,acted and directed show of the two but Euphoria is the most connectable and affecting to me (ito emotions and memorable scenes that stayed with me) and imo that's why it's the most popular of the two
hm i think euphoria's characters are the least of it's problems. a lot of these characters (mostly in the first szn i admit) are shown to be very complex and euphoria is definitely also a show where the characters aren't likeable but can still be sympathetic. it's the situations they're put into and the absurd way they've all been twisted in this second szn that bothers me. so much of what happened feels so out of nowhere that part of me thinks sam just doesn't care about the show anymore and is throwing whatever he can at the wall to see what sticks while his main focus has been making it look pretty and impressive (visually).
@@loen1z he also wants to sexualize tf out of everyone but that’s nothing new
I can always trust Taylror to tell it like it is. He doesnt try to be funny, or edgy or snobby. He's real
0:22 describes how I feel very perfectly. There are some well done episodes but then the rest of the show undoes itself.
Ep 1 of S2 felt like it was continuing off s1 and then the rest of the season felt like a completely different show. It had some good moments here and there but it was pretty all over the place
Rue had the makings of a varsity athlete
last episode made me question if the show was ever good. I thought it was a good watch up until that point.
s2 just wasted sooo much time, barely anything happens.
based on how I’ve seen some people talk about it, I think some people watch it to feel smart or like they’ve made a grand revelation about our society.
but when you watch it you’re like “you have to be extremely sheltered to not know that this all exists in reality on some level”
it's honestly such a big mess, that's all that i can say. certainly the amount of nudity he wants in the show is disturbing and makes me uncomfortable. nothing before has had such a sex-negative impact on me as euphoria has.
You can tell it's more for the male viewers pleasure, the way they're framed, which character is always naked, the fact Sam wants any women on set to get naked for the sake of sexual tension it's repulsive ppl like him can have full control over actors bodies & actors can't fight back too much or they'll be deemed trouble
The problem is that season 2 had sloppy writing due to the overconfidence on the show's creators's part knowing that people would eat it up (I'm guilty too lol) but the only thing that saved this season was the acting. All of the actors were carrying this show on their backs .
I definitely can see the criticisms that season 1 was wayyyy better than season 2. It actually felt like it was doing something unique, instead of pandering to most fans.
I haven't kept up with your content lately, but I saw this video and I've had friends talking about this series. Forgot how good your criticisms and observations were.
Also glad to see you're nearly at 100k. You earned it.
The biggest question I ask myself when watching is WHO IS THIS FOR? If it’s for teens (oh no), then it’s more excusable for the writing to be shortsighted like the Skins and Degrassi predecessors. If it isn’t, I want better.
Euphoria is for adults/late teens that’s why the TV rating is MA, it’s for mature audiences lol not that hard to figure out
@@audramcdonaldapologist3676 Lmaoo…. But who is actually watching it. The rating does not always correlate with the intended audience. Big yikes & big attitude from u Sydney.
@@7856841 Out of the people i know, it's anywhere from 15 to 25
@@7856841 “but who is actually watching it?” Uh like I said teens and young adults, it’s a show meant for teens and young adults it’s the most talked about show on Twitter and twitter is an app that’s for people 13+ lmao also how was I having an attitude? All I said was that it’s not that hard to figure out who’s watching it if you look at the rating, if anyone is a big yikes and big attitude it’s you, Madeline
@@7856841 also someone even commented that the main demographic is 15-25 especially since they have young stars like Zendaya on it and even if a rating doesn’t always garner the targeted audience Euphoria has trigger warnings before each episode and it talks about extreme episodes it’s not for people who are younger than 15 or 16 it’s for mature audiences for a reason
I love the first season, but I agree with everything you said, nothing feels earned in euphoria because the set up is so bad
Euphoria, for filmmakers, is a joy to watch even though it can be dramatic with the teen drama. Sam Levinson says he's more concerned about the Emotional reality of the characters in Euphoria instead of the physical reality. He's a sensationalist and takes a lot of homages from amazing films and cinema. References to In Cold Blood, The Red Shoes, and other phenomenal movies from the last 70 years.
HBO learned nothing after the D&D fiasco. Having a table of writers and consultants would make this show great because the acting and the technical aspects are all there.
I'd say that would be a nightmare ego wise for him, but yeah, you're so right. History repeats itself
this put to words the ideas ive only been able to phrase as "euphoria feels like if 13 reasons why was glee"
There's more Riverdale than glee (Elliot is bringing glee tho)
@@arianagarcia732 How is it Riverdale. Riverdale is a madcap crazy show that doesn't pretend to be anything else than schlocky madness, just constantly testing how far they can push things--other universe, superpowers, the Devil, etc.
I don't see many similarities but maybe I'm wrong.
Malcolm and Marie was such a painful watch, I can't imagine liking euphoria.
Sam Levinson abouta write a purple-lit prison break for season 3
Yeah, agree with you 100%. This season was so messy and disappointing. One time we see Rue hitting the rock bottom, being kept by criminals, having IV, withdrawal, few moments later we are forced to believe everything is okay and ended very smoothly. Whole plotline and questionable tension built in first episodes ended literally nowhere. The play? Which shool would produce such play with near-sex scenes, while at the same time, Cal is arrested for sex tapes. Season one was so great, I really loved the idea of it and also it's visual aspect, while in the 2nd season everything was completely different and a total mess, like there were no ideas for the plotlines.
19:23 “Whenever in 2024 season three actually comes out” how naive we all were……..
Finally,I've been waiting for this one, turn it up!
This is such an excellent video! I generally enjoy the show quite a bit but as you said, the second season in all its flaws, pointed me to realize the issues I had are really all over the bones of the series as a whole. Your takes are put simply but are so astute! You’re blowing my mind a bit.
I clicked as soon as got the notification. So excited to watch this
thank you for verbalizing all my thoughts about this show lmao
you are my go to guy when it comes to dumb teen dramas. they're my guilty pleasure and as much as i enjoy the performance i also love to acknowledge how dumb they can be.
H Bomber Guy voice: Secret! Good! Third! Season!
“Nate with his little road beers” had me rolling.
I enjoyed season 1 and season 2 I felt like it took a few steps backwards. I’m curious about “The Idol” which Sam Levinson is a writer, creator, and executive producer, but he’s now having to work and share creative control with other people. I’m also a fan of The Weeknd, so I’m definitely gonna give it a watch when it comes out.
UPDATE….Well they’re doing reshoots, the director left, and Sam is likely to take over….Oh dear
Sam Levinson is the Yin, to Tyler Perry's Yang.
I'd actually like to see more colorful camerawork and such. As a central European, the shows content itself is already far too foreign to me, I can't anything there see happening in real life - nobody in my family even owns a car.
“I’d like to see more colorful camerawork and such” this isn’t a happy show, why would there be colorful camerawork the show is literally about addiction and how trauma affects people lol also addiction and trauma happens to people in real life what do you mean you can’t see any of this happening in real life?
@@audramcdonaldapologist3676 LMFAO NOT U AGAIN! the oc literally gave you details as to why they couldn’t relate.
As someone who grew up in Southern California, euphoria’s depiction of rich, drug addicted teenagers isn’t a far cry from reality. Crazy how different the culture must be where u live from I, thank you for sharing!
@@7856841 What do you mean not you again? I can have an opinion and I can state it if you don’t like my opinion you don’t have to be an asshole, also if they stated why the couldn’t relate and it was just that that’s one thing but saying “I can’t see this happening in real life” is another because addiction actually affects people in real life, just because you didn’t experience it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen
@@7856841 Most of the characters aren’t rich, Rue isn’t rich, Cassie and Lexi aren’t rich and I don’t think Kat is either and Maddy definitely isn’t either the only one that really has money is Nate
You have perfectly put my problems with this season after falling in complete love with the first one into words.
I loved season 1 more than season 2. Season 2 was good, but it was all over the place at times.
A messy spectacle of heightened reality is perfect but Season 1 felt purposefully messy. It was messy in a way that there were so many things happening that as they began to collide, we got some really entertaining moments. I think about the fair scenes and how chaotic and fun that moment was.
Season 2 loses all sense of forward momentum. Most of these characters don’t really change, they’re all just the same for the most part but that can work. You can hide a character’s lack of change by making them wildly proactive, it’s why Season 1 worked because everyone is INSANE! Season 2 does NOT have that so instead, they’ve ramped up the insanity of these moments like Rue running around and destroying the town, Cassie having to hide in a bathtub, Ashtray doing anything and that’s the problem. This show becomes a caricature of itself for sure and that’s why the 2nd season doesn’t work
i just think that Sam is literally just throwing all of his ideas and past experiences onto film and having it filmed very well in technical aspects, without actually implementing film techniques and understanding how to create a story
ompletely agree honestly the final last episode really lost me on the show. For a show that takes itself so soo super seriously you definitely have to turn off your brain in the finale when it comes to lack of staff and teachers during inappropriate play scenes or an actual confrontation between two students with intervention from one parent .The play was super unethical and weird and it’s odd to me that nobody puts themselves in any of the other characters shoes, if a girl at your school SOMEHOW got away with THIS shit and outted her sister, multiple friends’ intimate moments, you’d think it was weird as hell …yet this really got Twitter to root for an actual child to expose her classmates lmao. Like really think… IN -universe … what… exactly is the point of this fuckin play and why was it approved lmao
I don’t mean narratively so Lexi‘s character can get some sort of come-uppance or something i mean … why is any of this happening
and don’t give me that heightened-reality or unreliable narrator BS. We got a very real- emotional scene of Rue arguing with her mom and then this.. smh
like there’s literally no way I could tell season one was going to eventually lead to this … Jerry Springer ass exposé finale lmao. We definitely wonder what is going to happen to Rue bc of the suitcase situation and other characters & while it was fun to see a character in the background like Lexi be a sort of audience POV , and even genius in someways, I did not know it would eventually lead to this narcissistic random play she’d put on and it doesn’t work for me, and if it was written in someway where she would get critiqued for doing this weird shit it would be fine… But the universe turns realism off so we can watch highschoolers fight on stage in front of more high schoolers ,
One mom intervening ( The mom of the daughter who put on the play to publicly humiliate her OTHER daughter ) bc fuck being a parent i guess , wacky ass Cassie villain shots, every obvious good character we root for conveniently approving of this and the villain characters having a problem with it only; but mostly confusion leaving the second season.
like come on this is right in front of you… Why did anyone buyyyy this shit? I totally agree & season one felt really cool… But everything is out the window now it’s getting Riverdale ridiculous.
I am impressed at the ability of being positive while describing something that fails at the basic level of a TV series.
It's a moodboard you pay for rather than see on Tumblr, Pinterest or whatever.
And yes, directors are their own type of artist and cinema is it's own thing, even if people seem to forget It, but that's not a good enough excuse in this context.
No only a TV series works differently from a film, they also SAID EXPLICITELY that this show had character driven narrative and explored them in the First place. Which It doesn't. So it's not like they were comfortable with just being a good example of film making
Sam Levinson can't write to save his life
He just needs like a writing friends. So we still get all the cool flashy camerawork, but you know, in a good show.
@@judeconnor-macintyre9874 Eh, season 2 had good moments, for sure but as the video stated, he's the only credited writer.... yeah the show needs a writers room 💀💀
You’re the Jesus of movie reviews, hands down ✋
Damn. When did he flip a table on the money changers? I Wana see Taylor beat some ass.
Great analysis!
I hear you but I still believe that writing-wise Rue is the most compelling and best written because her motivations are clear,the special episode(s) are still the show's best work ito writing and the only people who can and did appreciate those are the ones who they were meant for,people who can relate to the characters
I completely agree.
Couldn’t agree more
I’m screaming at you comparing sam levinson to ryan murphy cos I’ve literally been calling sam ryab murphy 2.0 lmfao happy I’m not the only one who sees their similarities!!!
9:43 “this is the exact kind of stupid bullshit I tune in for!” he’s so real for that
Great video, one of the best criticisms of a work I’ve ever seen! I learned some new phrases I’m going to start using. Subbed!
i started late with euphoria and i think i'm too old for it as i found myself skipping some scenes forward out of boredom and cliches. i love the fashion and make up but season two was really boring to watch - i felt like nothing happened
Sam Levinson has Dan Schneider energy no I will not elaborate.
And that’s what missed on Glee
Excellent analysis!
Having just gotten the Idol from Levinson, this aged like fine wine
sir this is the most devastating takedown on the internet. absolutely brutal
Yes
THANK YOU! Someone finally said it!!!
I WAS PRAYING YOUD HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ON THIS SHOW OMGGGG
i remember watching edits of this show and it rlly made me want to watch this show. when i finally got to watch the show, i only got through 2 episodes before i had to stop. it was far too overwhelming and too disgusting. a lot of it just made me too uncomfortable. especially when the show is based off high schoolers
Does the intro to this also go for season 1 for you? I just watched S1 and enjoyed myself, but don't see how it could move forward other than becoming teenagers melodrama bs we are used to. I'm just glad I got an amazing soundtrack out of it. Labrinth ❤️
Oh it’s time yes yes
Thank you I learned a lot from the video.
I feel like Levinson just needs a really good friend who's good at writing.
i want to say 8 episodes limits are ruining tv shows but i guess 2hr movies have accomplished more than season 2 of euphoria
I’m too high to fully understand a word you are saying… I’mma watch this later.
This guy is sooo handsome :) love the paul hollywood clip btw so true
I never really got the obsessive hype over this show, and I’m not trying to be a pretentious contrarian. I understand the hype on a twilight level - the aesthetic, the engaging story or concept, the soundtrack, the characters you get attached to. But if you look at the actual script or anything beyond just surface level aesthetics, it is such a shitty show. The writing, especially the dialogue, has always been mediocre at best for the most part. But it takes on a thirteen reasons why flavor with the criminal part of the show and the way social dialogue is addressed in-script and it just takes you out of it. I can handle heightened reality. But only if it is executed skillfully and engagingly. And in order to enjoy it I really have to clear my head of any critical thought.
Like Maddy’s tirade at the fair in season 1? Riverdale level cringe
Someone please explain that insane musical high school play with the budget (and rehearsal time) of an off-Broadway show.
Could the “Joker” movie also be praised for catering to both sides of the zeitgeist? The content of the movie itself didn’t create much conversation on twitter (from my POV at least), but I feel like anyone who watched it left that movie with their pre-watch opinions validated. Same could be said for Euphoria, but maybe I’m not making the most cohesive point here.
good point
So many truths told about this show in this video.
Describing Euphoria as a well, put together, technically spectacular series of music videos but impossible to truly emotionally connect or invest in is probably the best description of Season 2 I've heard.
For a season with so much "drama", it felt like nothing of substance even really happened (even though, technically stuff did). It felt like by Episode 3, after a spectacular season premiere, the show ran out of plot. It's bizarre
I think people like to confuse visual storytelling with flashy visuals carrying a production's dead weight. Directors like Refn, Noe, Levinson, basically anyone that overuses neon lighting and flashy backgrounds end up telling mediocre stories in service of eye catching visuals, which is not true visual storytelling.
I really hope Sam Levinson takes a day to watch all the videos and read all the articles criticizing his writing and makes a change in season 3. At this point I’ll only check out Euphoria if word of mouth suggest a positive change in quality
Taylor chose a warmer version of Blade Runner 2049 lighting for this video on purpose.
Hey! Your back!
mckee would definitely enjoy the analysis. great vid, bud.
> Taylor will be here
> Reading
tea
Euphoria is Maury, if Maury ever had a Game of Thrones level budget.
you're very intelligent
the dialogue in euphoria is absolutely atrocious oh my god. like. as a teenager, they do speak like teenagers but annoying ones. and not all teenagers are annoying!