The second season of Euphoria isn't quite as good as the debut season, but it's still rock solid.
There's a difference between what you think you should want and what you actually want.
It took a while, but we finally got to enjoy the second season of the HBO hit series Euphoria earlier in 2022. Since the series launched in 2019, the series has built up a large fan base. The provocative subjects, intriguing visuals and strong acting performances created high expectations for the second season. These have only been partially fulfilled.
Euphoria follows a group of teenagers who deal with the problems of growing up. But then all at once and with all the worst things you can think of thrown into the mix; and that times ten. It's delightfully provocative and exposes real issues, albeit at times to a somewhat extreme degree.
The first season of Euphoria succeeded in intertwining many different storylines, but at the same time connecting them to the big picture. In the second season, some storylines get snowed under and forgotten, while other storylines are stretched too long. Due to the intense subjects, it is less noticeable that this season's story is a bit thin, but it is. In fact, too little has been told in the eight sixty-minute episodes that this season counted. That's a factor that didn't make the season any less entertaining, but it did make it less strong. After all, each individual episode is fantastic, but together they do not form a complete season. More like half a season.
The criticisms I have of the pacing of the story do not detract from the story itself. There are magnificent episodes in the season that take the acting of the cast to new heights. Zendaya (Shake it Up) is once again fantastic as Rue Bennett. It is not for nothing that she won an Emmy for her performance in the first season. I also want to give big compliments to Sydney Sweeney (The Handmaid's Tale) and Alexa Demie (The OA) for their performances. It is noticeable that the cast has gained a bit more experience and that they are really into their roles. For example, Maude Apatow (Hollywood) and Angus Cloud have grown enormously compared to the first season.
Due to the somewhat messy pace of the story, we have seen much less of some beloved characters/actors from the first season. In my opinion, Hunter Schafer, Barbrie Ferreira (Divorce) and Storm Reid (When They See Us), among others, have had far too little time this season. That's too bad. Nevertheless, the styling, atmosphere and cinematography of Euphoria were once again breathtaking. It is not for nothing that Euphoria filters, Euphoria make-up trends and Euphoria light effects are popping up in all corners of social media. Along with the music, the cinematography really sets the tone of the series, helping to oversee some weaker points in the plot and script.
I wish you could see yourself the way the rest of the world does.
All in all, let's hope that next season will see a lot of tweaking to the script. It's just an awful shame that the script wasn't on par with all the other elements of the series this season. Keeping looking for the provocation is good, but it has to move the story further. The same goes for beautiful, artful shots. I prefer to have as many as possible, but not at the expense of a well-filled story.
