The third season of Euphoria concluded with a 93-minute episode broadcast by HBO, a chapter that not only resolved several of the series’ main plotlines but also generated a wave of reactions among critics and fans.
Although the network has not yet officially confirmed if this is the definitive end of the production, the outcome has been the subject of numerous questions regarding the narrative decisions made by creator Sam Levinson.
One of the most discussed points has been the death of Rue Bennett, a character played by Zendaya. In the final episode, Rue passes away after suffering a fentanyl overdose after consuming pills provided by Alamo, one of the criminal leaders introduced during this season.
Page Six wrote in its review that the way this character died was “grim and disappointing.” As if that were not enough, the outlet asserted that Euphoria “ended as it began: vulgar, tasteless, and wasting its stellar cast with a ridiculous script.”
For its part, Variety asserted that the series “already felt like it had fragmented into several different shows under the name of what was once HBO’s version of a teen drama.”
He also highlighted that Rue’s death not only relegated the other characters to the background, making their storylines seem irrelevant throughout the long chapter. “Rue felt neglected by a long, almost movie-like episode that tried to reconcile a grim warning about the real opioid epidemic with an operatic revenge thriller and underdeveloped religious themes,” he expressed.
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On other topics, The Guardian criticized the use of biblical references for the end of the episode, which in fact ends with the phrase “God bless us everyone”.
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The biblical references in the last episode seemed absurd to some. (HBO)
“This sudden turn toward a nostalgic and patriotic morality evidences a confusing series that, until the very last moment, was not clear about what message it wanted to convey to us. As a lesson in ethics, it is a failure. However, if we analyze it more deeply, we see that there is something more complex at play,” he/she expressed.
Furthermore, the media outlet pointed out that the last season seemed as if Euphoria “never knew what kind of series it wanted to be”.
“The decision to focus the plot on a turf war between rival drug traffickers Laurie and Alamo made the series feel more like a gangster movie. It was harder to grasp its message when we were constantly immersed in Tarantino-style shootouts,” he noted.
Despite the criticism, the final episode closed the stories of several of its protagonists. Cassie, Maddy, and Lexi end up living together, while Rue’s death marks the end of the figure who had served as the narrative anchor since the series’ premiere in 2019.
For now, HBO has not officially announced a fourth season. However, Sam Levinson recently stated that he has no plans to continue the story, while Zendaya noted in interviews that she believes the third season offers a sense of closure for the characters.
