Fans had to wait two years for Euphoria to return with its second season, but the delay was worth it -- sometimes. Season 2 had some incredible moments, such as Rue's heart-wrenching breakdown and Lexi's play, that kept viewers on the edge of their seats. The show continued to capture the public's imagination, smashing HBO viewership records.
But for every great moment, there seemed to be a terrible or at least questionable one. Even the season's strongest developments could have been made better if plotlines, characters and creative decisions had been significantly reimagined. Here are all the ways Euphoria Season 2 was a disaster when it could have been just as great as Season 1.
Confusing Character Dynamics
Pretty lighting and artsy shots don't make up for a messy storyline, and Season 2 proved that. Episode 1 set up the potential for a strong season, establishing Rue's relapse into drugs as well as reigniting her relationship with Jules. Cassie and Nate began their fraught relationship behind Maddie's back. Elliot was introduced and Fez and Lexi's romance began. But these relationships and plots became confusing as time went on.
Cassie and Nate's relationship came out of nowhere. Nate seemingly held little regard for her, as in Season 1, he called her "a fucking whore." This was in stark contrast to the way he viewed her in Season 2, when the audience learned he dreamed of creating a picturesque suburban life with her (though that might have some sinister undertones).
Elliot's character was unnecessary. His character seemed to serve two purposes: to enable Rue's relapse and to create division between Rue and Jules. However, both of those issues were present without Elliot. Rue was already deep into her relapse and that made her relationship with Jules tense. Euphoria's audience learned little about Elliot, and he did nothing to move the storyline along. In fact, he slowed it down quite a bit with his song to Rue in the Season 2 finale, which became a meme while fans were setting Twitter records.
Plot-wise, there was unresolved issue of Rue losing Laurie's drugs. In Episode 3, Rue went to the drug dealer with the proposition to deal for her. Laurie gave the teenager a suitcase full of drugs with an ominous warning, saying she'd "have [her] kidnapped and sold to some real sick people" if Rue messed up. Viewers almost see this play out in Episode 5 when Rue fled to Laurie's house hoping for help, and Laurie injected her with morphine instead.
Thankfully, Rue woke up the next morning and escaped out a bedroom window unharmed, but Laurie's threat was never followed up on. Rue never once mentions Laurie in her monologue during the Season 2 finale, indicating she wasn't further harmed. No viewer wants to see something so terrible happen to a beloved character, but it's worth noting this significant issue was unresolved and further added to the confusion of Season 2.
Neglected Characters and Lack of Character-Focused Episodes
Euphoria abandoned several characters altogether in its second season. Kat was a prominent character in Season 1, so the fact that she had little screen time in Season 2 was surprising. She did get a scene in her bedroom depicting her struggle with self-love -- the writers' attempt to flesh out her confidence-discovery storyline from Season 1 -- but nothing more came of that moment. Kat also broke up with Ethan in a petty way by lying and telling him she had a brain illness. She had the potential for a great storyline, but was reduced to a shallow character.
Another prominent Season 1 character was McKay, who was completely dropped from Season 2. McKay had a whole episode dedicated to him in the first season, which highlights another issue -- Season 2 abandoned the character-focused episode format. That was a core part of what made Euphoria captivating. Fans got to learn Rue and her peers' backgrounds while still seeing current events play out. Season 2 started out with the same approach, centering its first episode on Fez and its third on Cal, but the other six didn't focus on anyone in particular and the show suffered because of it.
Lexi's Play Was Brilliant, But Too Convenient
Lexi's play was a fan-favorite part of Euphoria Season 2. Through the process of Lexi writing, directing and starring in a play about her life, viewers got to learn more about he, and saw her viewpoint on Rue's drug addiction and how she dealt with it. The play also served as a way for her relationship with Fez to grow -- something which saved Season 2 multiple times.
However, there were a few issues with the storyline. There's the obvious fact that a high school would never have approved such a production in the first place, because of both budget and its personal content. Lexi must be a teenage prodigy to be able to create a play so profound and well-written, too. But the biggest problem with the play was the disproportionate amount of storytelling responsibility Euphoria placed on it. The play served as a way for Rue to be confronted with her own actions and pain ... but forcing Rue to literally sit down and watch her life struggles play out in front of her on stage was too convenient and almost cheap.
Even with the confusing plot lines and odd character development choices, Euphoria is still Euphoria, and there's no denying that it made an impact with the actors' excellent performances and beautiful cinematography. However, the basic elements of Season 2 -- telling a great story and developing its characters -- failed to meet the high bar set by Season 1. Hopefully when the show returns for Season 3, it will improve on these flaws and deliver something even better.