“Euphoria” captivates a young generation with drugs and drama
According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, euphoria is “a feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness.”
“Euphoria,” an original television series that can be streamed on HBO max, is an American teen drama from the adaptation of an Israeli show with the same name. The show circles around the life of the main character who goes by Rue. The first season of “Euphoria” follows the lives of a group of high school students as they struggle with love, friendships and battle explicit issues such as the use of drugs, sex, and violence. “Euphoria” has a 8.4/10 ranking in the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), from when it originally released back in June 2019.
Regardless of the controversial way “Euphoria” portrays these issues, this television series has become a huge topic of conversation, especially within younger generations of teens and young adults. Season one had everyone on the edge of their seats, waiting urgingly for the next episode to be aired. It has become so huge, that no matter the social media platform, “Euphoria” will frequently be a topic of debate, conversation and entertainment. Because the first season was a huge success in the entertainment industry, it was announced that they would return with season two and the first episode would be aired Jan. 9, 2022. Each episode would be aired every Sunday on HBO Max.
Every Sunday at 9 p.m., everyone patiently awaits a new episode of “Euphoria,” simply for entertainment, waiting to be disappointed by certain characters and praising others for their way of handling the drama. In return, viewers have a conversation topic for the next day or two and people get to give their own takes on the most recent episode through different social media outlets.
One thing is for sure, “Euphoria” shines a spotlight on the issues that surround teens and how violence and drugs can truly shift the lives of individuals in split seconds—which is why the television series and some of the actors have warned their audiences to watch with caution. The show has its own warning openings, informing the watcher of scenes that could be triggering or deeply emotional. This doesn’t seem to hold back viewers, because the majority of the time, the audience is there for the drama and entertainment.
So, what is the message behind “Euphoria?” Despite controversial opinions, “Euphoria” is simply an honest and raw portrait of what addiction, anxiety and the navigations of life in general feels like to teens and young adults. If you were to ask more reserved and older generations their opinions, you might be told “Euphoria” is only glorifying drugs and romanticizing hookup culture, which is understandable. However, the lack of aid for teens who suffer with mental health issues has created a culture where buying narcotics and engaging in such activities has become more affordable than therapy sessions.
“Euphoria” is not appealing for everyone, and it certainly doesn’t want to glorify these types of situations. But it is the stone cold truth, that no matter how major or minor events may seem in a teenager’s life, these events can still have the same hyperbolic weight on them.