First four episodes are a must watch
Before we get into all the gritty details, I think I should give a warning to those of you that haven’t seen this show before and want to give it a go. This show is extremely beautiful as it is dark. This is a show that I recommend you be mentally and emotionally ready to watch as it can have some triggering elements for some viewers.
Euphoria is back for its second season on HBO Max two years after its pilot episode in 2019 and it is as dark and provocative as ever. The main cast has returned including Zendaya in her main role as Rue.
The second season opens while continuing the events of the first season. The last scene we saw in season one was Jules (Hunter Schafer), leaving Rue at a train station as she escapes their troubled town. So much has gone down in these first four episodes and it is only the beginning.
The drama happening in the show wouldn’t be as impactful if it weren’t for the amazing and painfully believable performances by the cast. Zendaya leads the cast with a beautifully tragic portrayal of Rue as she struggles and fails to stay sober as her world seems to be crumbling around her.
Sydney Sweeney’s performance as Cassie Howard is also surely to turn heads this season as she is frightfully portraying the troubled teen. The way that Sweeney portrays Cassie in this season as unhinged and manic is terrifying. It has you worried for not only her well-being but for anyone else who may try and cross her. This factor makes her performance one of the best on the show so far.
Another performance that is one of a kind and really grounds the show is Angus Cloud’s performance as the fan favorite friendly Fezco. As strange as it sounds, Cloud’s character is what you could call the light and soul of the show. The way he portrays Fezco with such coolness and poise it’s easy to forget what he does for a living. So much chaos is constantly going on in each episode. The moment you are taken into a scene with Fezco the aura of the show shifts to an offbeat yet comforting tranquility.
Along with the performances being amazing the cinematography is phenomenal. Even if the plot line of the show is not something that particularly catches your attention, I would recommend watching at least one episode just to see the camera and aesthetic work.
Every scene no matter how significant or non-significant is so artfully designed. The color palettes, the camera work, the lighting and set layout all work simultaneously to entrance and immerse you into their world. You’ll notice that almost every character has a color palette for their scenes on screen.
In my opinion this is some of the best cinematography work on a series or maybe even film in the past 10 years. There is nothing that the aesthetic of this show can be compared to; it is truly in a league of its own. This season is already so dramatic, emotional and action packed that it will surely finish off just as strong and continue to grasp the audience’s attention and make waves.
There is a high chance that we will be seeing Euphoria and its phenomenal cast take the lead at the Primetime Emmy Awards this year.
This series is totally worth a watch and can be viewed on HBO and HBO Max with new episodes premiering at 8 p.m. Sundays.
