The much-anticipated series premiered in 2019 on HBO and received rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. Euphoria was written and created by Sam Levinson, who previously wrote the HBO film, Wizard Of Lies. Levinson is undoubtedly a talented writer and director whom we can expect big things from in the future.

Euphoria follows the lives and struggles of a group of Gen-Z high school students. Zendaya plays the lead as the drug-addicted Rue, alongside an ensemble cast of talented young actors including Maude Apatow, Alexa Demie, Jacob Elordi, and many more. We have yet to see a coming-of-age series about high school quite like this. Euphoria gives you a brutally honest look at what life is like for our current youth.

The series is set in Los Angeles and taps on many topics such as drugs, love, sex, and personal identity. The character of Jules (Hunter Schafer) becomes the main focus of the show as she and Rue begin a complicated relationship. The character of Jules gives us an honest look at the struggles that transgender youths must endure today.

Levinson is a genius behind the camera. His writing is honest, thought-proving, and constantly surprises us with each episode. At the same time, the show is beautifully shot, filled with vibrancy and color, and is bound together with fantastic music from Beyoncé, Labrinth, and many more. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, production of season two was delayed, but luckily filming resumed and the second season is set to premiere very soon.

3 Where Season 1 left off

The first season ended with a lot of unanswered questions about the fate of the characters. The explosive finale showcased a beautifully choreographed musical number set to the tune of All Of Us by Labrinth and Zendaya. Drug use is a main theme of the series and much of the show focused on Rue and her struggles to stay sober.

Season one ended with Rue relapsing after deciding at the last minute to not run away with Jules to the big city. The fates of the other characters are also left unknown. The series provided us with a number of cliffhangers. The drug dealer Fez (Angus Cloud) was last seen flushing a huge amount of drugs down the toilet as his house was being raided by the police. Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) is going through the turmoils of seeking an abortion and Maddy (Alexa Demie) has stolen a DVD from Nate's (Jacob Elordi) room that could potentially expose his father played by Eric Dane. Nate is an abusive and confused sociopath who is the show's main antagonist. He is haunted and ashamed by his father's sexual secrets and now with Maddy knowing, many of these secrets could be exposed in season two.

After the series finale, HBO released two one-hour specials in the midst of the pandemic - one focusing on Rue, and the other focusing on Jules. The specials were a refreshing glimpse at what these characters have been up to since the end of season one.

2 Who in the cast is returning

There was an ongoing rumor that the finale's musical number represented the death of Rue. Luckily, creator Sam Levinson has put that theory to rest and has assured us that Rue is not dead. Another character whose fate was not known was that of the local drug dealer Fez, brilliantly played by Angus Cloud. Cloud was completely unknown before the series and had to sleep at various Los Angeles Airbnbs during the filming of the first season. He is undoubtedly a huge talent and a behind-the-scenes photo of a table read with him and Zendaya confirmed that he will be returning.

The rest of the ensemble cast is set to return as well including the breakout star Barbie Ferreira who plays the character Kat, a teenager in the middle of personal metamorphosis. Ferreira is certainly a talent who has big things in her future. She has since starred in the HBO Max film, Unpregnant alongside Haley Lu Richardson. The cast will also be adding some new characters including Minka Kelly, Demetrius "Lil Meech" Flenory Jr., and singer Dominic Fike.

1 Plot and release date

In July of 2021, Zendaya posted a quick sneak peek of season two, consisting of Rue and Jules smiling at each other in the crowded halls of their school. The two characters have a complicated, yet loving, relationship that will surely continue in season two. Although much of season two's plot has been kept under wraps, Levinson did state in an interview with Vogue that we should expect a brutal season that goes to dark places.

Euphoria is a very current show and it is expected that Levinson will continue to tap on a lot of present-day political and social themes in the second season. In an interview with Digital Spy Colman Domingo, who plays Ali, stated that COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement could possibly be incorporated into the script as well. Season two was delayed due to COVID-19 but production started back up in April 2021. There is not an exact release date yet, but HBO has stated that they are hoping to release season two by late 2021 or early 2022.

Euphoria is an extremely important show that is defining a generation. What Sam Levinson has done is take the struggles and tribulations of the modern-day high school experience and he has turned it into a work of art. The vibrant cinematography, camera techniques, and music make every episode a roller coaster ride of emotion and drama.

Credit has to be given to Zendaya's brilliant performance as Rue. She gives us a brutally honest depiction of drug addiction that proves she is a true talent. High school has changed a lot in the past ten years and many adults are ignorant to the struggles that teens these days must endure. There are many social and cultural issues that teens must navigate nowadays and Euphoria is the perfect way to see it.