Euphoria co-producer passionately defends divisive new season amid fan backlash
Zendaya in Euphoria. (HBO)
Euphoria co-producer Jeremy O Harris has taken to Twitter to defend the show as a work of “cinema”.
From claims it is glamourising drug abuse to complaints it is putting style over substance, reviews for Euphoria season two have been mixed, to say the least. As Digital Spy put it, “the problem is, season two doesn’t quite seem to know the story it wants to tell”.
Whilst the teen drama has never shied away from addressing difficult topics, there has been criticism of the show’s gratuitous nudity and violence, as well as scenes depicting a man teaching a queer woman how to perform oral sex. And the less said about Jules’ disappointing character development, the better.
sam levison resisting the urge to put some form of nudity in this episode #EUPHORIA pic.twitter.com/hSf7ag9d2W
— the kaaang of the raaang | ? (@pAYOdriver) February 7, 2022
Just remembered Sam Levison made a man teach a sapphic how to eat pussy pic.twitter.com/FBePtj44Nm— Sonia (@soniacomplex) February 2, 2022
Idk why Sam Levison is trying to ruin Jules character like this smh m. Her special episode was so good but her personal growth this episode was inconsistent— Nani (@thelastinny) January 31, 2022
Fans have taken to Twitter to vent their frustration at showrunner Sam Levinson. One wrote: “There’s no way he had two years to make season two and this is what we get”. Another Euphoria fan suggested that he “should just pass the pen to Hunter and Zendaya”.
The show has also been criticised by the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program (D.A.R.E.) for its portrayal of addiction. In a statement, D.A.R.E lambasted the hit drama for “[choosing] to misguidedly glorify and erroneously depict high school student drug use, addiction, anonymous sex, violence and other destructive behaviors as common and widespread in today’s world.”
need sam levison’s brain studied in lab because there’s no way he had 3 years to make season 2 and this is what we get— mariam siddiqui (@mariamsiddiqui_) January 31, 2022
sam levison should just pass the pen to hunter and zendaya pic.twitter.com/t5hq1ASmyQ
— hifza (@getou616) February 7, 2022
In response to the backlash, Euphoria co-producer Jeremy O Harris has leapt to defend the season, asking fans to “stop talking s**t about my boy Sam Levinson”.
He argued that season two “is made for ppl with an intellect for CINEMA and not the impatience of TELEVISION”.
I been told y’all to stop talking shit about my boy Sam Levinson bc THIS SEASON OF #EUPHORIA is made for ppl with an intellect for CINEMA and not the impatience of TELEVISION. Episode 5 is that bitch.
I screamed when I read the first draft. My writer’s screamed seeing Z on set. pic.twitter.com/Y032NjLY2W— NYT Least Relevant Notable of 2021 Jeremy O Harris (@jeremyoharris) February 7, 2022
He later added: “I see this season of Euphoria as a Gesamtkunstwerk that rejects the ‘episode’ by ‘episode’ mentality of most shows. I hope this episode inspires more patience in how the piece will feel as a whole when it’s done. Think of it like Dickens’ periodicals and not serialized tv.”
I see this season of #Euphoria as a Gesamtkunstwerk that rejects the “episode” by “episode” mentality of most shows. I hope this episode inspires more patience in how the piece will feel as a whole when it’s done.
Think of it like Dickens’ periodicals and not serialized tv.— NYT Least Relevant Notable of 2021 Jeremy O Harris (@jeremyoharris) February 7, 2022
Some fans backed him up, with one writing: “Sam Levinson deserves every accolade for not shying away from showing the devastating effects of drug addiction.”
That was an intense episode, and Sam Levinson deserves every accolade for not shying away from showing the devastating effects of drug addiction. Zendaya's acting is breathtaking. Brilliant episode.— ilkopmar (@ilkopmar) February 7, 2022
Despite the controversies, Euphoria continues to break viewer records and the series has just been renewed for a third season.
