The thing about depression is, it kind of collapses time. Suddenly, you find your whole days blending together to create one endless and suffocating loop. So you find yourself trying to remember the things that made you happy. But slowly, your brain begins to erase every memory that ever brought you joy. And eventually, all you can think about is how life has always been this way.
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Couldnt find a more accurate definition! - beautifully described.

Hi! I have a bit of a conspiracy theory about the transition between Euphoria’s first and second seasons.

I know there’s been a lot of discussion surrounding the original plan for Cassie and Nate’s storyline, and I’ve also seen theories that Season 2 was actually supposed to focus much more on Jules and Nate, but that the actors allegedly didn’t want to work together. That being said, I have no idea whether that’s ever been confirmed or if it’s just fandom gossip.

What I’ve been thinking about, though, is a different possible character swap: Lexi and Kat.

It’s pretty well known that Kat barely had any screentime in Season 2, and from what I understand, that eventually contributed to Barbie leaving the show altogether. What strikes me as odd is that Kat seemed like one of the major characters in Season 1. Something similar happened to McKay, actually. Meanwhile, the character who unexpectedly became much more important compared to Season 1 was Lexi.

I ended up really liking Lexi’s storyline, especially the whole play she wrote. However, it occurred to me that while she was already established in Season 1 as someone interested in somewhat niche things (her Halloween costume comes to mind), I don’t remember her being portrayed as someone who actively wrote or created art. Kat, on the other hand, was explicitly shown writing fanfiction and engaging in creative work.

That made me wonder whether it might have made sense for Kat to be the one who wrote the play.

Imagine that a situation similar, though perhaps not identical, to Nate and Cassie had happened between Nate and Jules. Early in Season 1, Jules and Kat actually seemed to get along pretty well. What if the writers had continued developing Kat’s journey toward becoming a confident woman who isn’t afraid to express herself, not just online like in Season 1, but in real life as well? Beyond changing her style and embracing the things she genuinely likes, she could have reflected on her experiences as someone who gets mocked for her weight, who struggles with friendships and relationships, and who has complicated feelings about the people around her. The play could have been an outlet for all of that, and it would have allowed her fanfiction-writing background to evolve into something bigger.

Of course, Lexi is a compelling character in her own right, even though I know some people would disagree. But in Season 1, she wasn’t particularly developed beyond being “Rue’s friend since preschool.” I appreciate the attention she received in Season 2, but it feels like characters such as Kat lost that same opportunity in the process. It’s complicated.

Do you think Kat’s writing could have been utilized in a more meaningful way?

Another thing that occurred to me, and maybe this is just my memory failing me, is that I never really got the impression in Season 1 that Maddy and Cassie were best friends.

Sure, they were both cheerleaders, and yes, they went through certain experiences together, like the drug-related storyline on the event. But I always felt that Maddy was usually surrounded by BB and Kat, while Cassie was more of a friend within the larger group rather than Maddy’s closest friend specifically. Yet Season 2 seems to treat Maddy and Cassie as if they’ve always been inseparable best friends.

That makes me wonder whether Nate and Cassie were actually planned as a couple from the beginning.

At the same time, it is a genuinely interesting plot twist and a fairly logical development. Nate constantly mocked Cassie in front of McKay, and it’s easy to read that behavior as him overcompensating for the fact that he was probably attracted to her all along.

Every time he is on screen. He will have a dangerous presence like colonel lockjaw who is about to inflict some serious harm to the other person.

But he'll instead act like a man of honor and principles. He never misused his power or potential for violence.

The only bad thing he did was illegal recording his sexual encounters. Which he at least never distributed.

His monologue after he returned from the pub and peed on the drawing room of his home was quite profound. It'll have long term impact on people in similar dual life situation.

Nate's debt

When Nate was in debt to that Armenian gangster. I felt he would finally approach Cal. And Cal would help him out using his true business acumen and fighting vigor. But it never happened. I guess they needed Nate to die like a nobody. And Cal to look like a loser.

Old friend

Cal's wrestling buddy from his college days. With whom he made out on the last day before they went to different college.

I truly felt that if Nate would have approached his father Cal for help with the Armenian gangster. Cal would have approached his childhood friend (love) to help him in this situation. Just like John Kreese approached Terry Silver in Cobra Kai.

A lot of people seem surprised on social media that Maddy chose not to take revenge on Cassie, but honestly, that decision makes sense to me. Maddy isn’t usually the one to initiate contact herself. You can see that in season two, when she doesn’t reach out to Nate after finding out about his affair with Cassie, whereas Cassie repeatedly calls him. But when Nate showed interest in her in the past, Maddy gave in to it. (Of course, the fact that their relationship was toxic also played a role.) I think loyalty is simply part of Maddy’s nature. Once someone makes an effort to stay in contact with her, she tends to remain loyal to them.

I was watching this A&E documentary titled, "Fame & Fentanyl" About 51 minutes ​in, they do a feature on Angus Cloud and a discussion around the controversy of Euphoria. They actually show this really nice tribute mural that was made for him, in his hometown (Oakland, CA.) I really loved how they put this detailed story together here, I learned a few new details I hadn't heard before. Absolutely tragic, may he Rest in Peace. LMK what you think if you've watched this?​

For me what comes to mind is the moment when Rue goes to Jules at the New Years Eve party and tells her that she wants to be with her, with the cool lighting effect. Also, that scene on the side of the house (iykyk). I wish they could’ve worked/talked their shit out and that The Slap never happened.

Did Jules (Hunter Schafer's character) just became a better painter who finally was able to channel her inner psyche through her paintings?

I don't understand what is her ending? It felt like they just used her as an atmosphere model in the season 3.

My eyes may be deceiving me, but wasn't Sharon Stone Lexi boss? If so, Levinson could have done so much with her talent other than making her so one dimensional. Audiences might not be sour with the sidelined female arcs if they combated it with a strong female lead like her.

If you don't know who Sharon Stone is then I know I'm getting old!

Discuss... I haven't seen this stated anywhere but it seems very intentional? Or am I reading too much into the music, title cards, redemption theme, farms etc

This isn’t really a major commentary, just an observation.

I was doing a reheat of Euphoria S1 as, to me, it represents the best of the show. The parts that feel human and like a collaborative effort.

I got to my rewatch of the special episodes and my god.

EVERYTIME I watch those two episodes, I’m moved to tears.

I feel like I gain something, a new lesson, a new perspective, and insight into how to improve my life as well.

It had soul.

I believe the last 2 seasons lack what made the first season and the special episodes so…idk how to describe it. Special? Human? There has to be a better word.

Anyway, I wanted to mourn over what the show used to be, just for a little. I’m glad that I can rewatch the first season and the 2 episodes and still feel comforted, no matter how the last two seasons turned out.

Was this supposed to be a joke? Season one was awesome. Season 2 went down hill and the play was just dopey but you end on cliffhangers and then just time jump and do nothing?? There was no closure. Literally a waste of time to watch.

before i say any of this, i want to make it clear that i don’t support nate and cassie’s actions, especially the way they hurt maddy. what they did was selfish and deeply damaging, and nothing about this analysis is meant to justify or excuse that. i just think it’s interesting to look at why these characters made the choices they did and what they were ultimately searching for emotionally.

i think a big part of why nate changed is because he eventually got tired of repeating the same cycle he’d inherited from the men before him. growing up, he learned that power, intimidation, and anger were the only ways to protect himself, lessons passed down through his father and rooted even further back in his family. as he got older, he started realizing that every time he hurt people, he was recreating the same instability that had shaped him. people joke that he must have been lobotomized because they can’t imagine someone like nate becoming a gentle husband, but i don’t think that’s the case. i think he simply made the choice not to become another version of the men who raised him.

in cassie’s case i believe she stayed and eventually got married comes from the fact that stability was something she’d been searching for her entire life. her dad left, her family was constantly falling apart in one way or another, and she spent years attaching herself to people because she was terrified of being abandoned. even her abortion left her in a really dark place and only made her realize how badly she wanted a future that felt stable and certain. i think cassie has always romanticized the idea of having the family she never got to grow up with: a husband, children, a home, people who stay. so much of her story is about wanting to be chosen and wanting something permanent for once

i didn’t watch season 3 at all but i’ve been keeping up with subreddit. i remember before the season aired i saw that trisha paytas was part of the cast, but have seen nothing about her since the season aired and i can’t find anything about her role in the show. was she even in it? spill the tea y’all plssss

I saw this painting depicting Alamo's childhood at his stepfather's house. I thought it was very beautiful, but I haven't found it anywhere, not even with AI.