Mirror Review: Euphoria

Many critics have maligned HBO's Euphoria as a “parent’s nightmare.” This view, however, undermines the intent of a creative triumph.

The show centers itself on a group of high school students who deal with issues teens struggle with on a daily basis. These include deep-rooted abandonment issues, substance abuse, psychopathic tendencies, body image issues, the oversexualization of women, absent parents, toxic/abusive relationships, struggles with sexuality, and mental illness.

Euphoria rivetingly shows how teens cope with these kinds of issues--most notably the characters of Rue, Cassie, and Kat. Rue battles with bipolar disorder, anxiety, ADHD, and has struggled to gather herself after the passing of her father. In response, she uses substances as coping mechanisms to navigate her mental illnesses.

Abandonment issues are deeply rooted in the character of Cassie. The abandonment of her father led to the constant need for her male validation, which in season two has proven to go to immense levels.

Kat struggles with body insecurities and identity issues. Many viewers feel comforted by her character due to the stigma around the “ideal” body type that many people in today's society can relate to. Kat is constantly judging and being too hard on herself and her appearance to the point where she feels undeserving of love and anything good for herself.

A key element of Euphoria is its ability to convey empathy. Fans of the show consistently remark that the characters are relatable to themselves or loved ones, and even serve as a vehicle for education and self-reflection. Every episode opens up conversations between friends and parents where they analyze the characters and discuss the motives behind their actions.

The Emmy-nominated show may not represent every teen's story, but it certainly opens the eyes of its viewers to what is actually going on in the lives of today's adolescents.