When Euphoria first glitter-bombed its way onto our screens in 2019, jaws collectively dropped. Created by Sam Levinson, it was an audacious melodrama that cracked open the x-rated lives of suburban teens with giddy camera work, sparkly eye make-up and hormonal meltdowns. Focusing on teenage drug addict Rue, played by Zendaya, and her boundary-pushing adolescent peers, it was bold in every way: unflinching in its exploration of addiction, abuse and violent crime, unafraid of full frontal nudity and graphic sex and willing to take creative risks like the stunning musical number that ended series one. Watching it was often exhilarating and sometimes exhausting.
But where once Euphoria was one of the most talked about shows on television, the news this week that its third season will shortly begin filming has been met with a mixed and muted response. When production resumes – in January, according to recent comments from HBO’s Casey Bloys – it will be three years since the premiere of season two and likely another year (at least) before new episodes make it to viewers.
For a show that made its name by depicting beautiful messiness, there is an irony that it’s the behind-the-scenes messiness that may be its undoing. The long wait between series has been peppered with headlines about creative differences, personality clashes and script rewrites. Where Levinson was once one of TV’s most exciting talents, he is now tainted by the disaster of The Idol, his catastrophic 2023 series that starred The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp. Not only was it a critical and commercial flop but also the subject of a damning Rolling Stone investigation that alleged a toxic work environment.
Teased by HBO Max as a darker and even more risqué Euphoria, The Idol followed troubled pop star Jocelyn (Depp), who finds herself in the “sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood” with sordid cult leader Tedros (The Weeknd).
With anonymous claims to the outlet comparing Levinson’s new story to “torture porn” and alleging the set’s environment was chaotic and poorly managed, the director was put under scrutiny again.
In a statement sent to The Independent responding to claims about The Idol, HBO said at the time: “The creators and producers of The Idol have been working hard to create one of HBO’s most exciting and provocative original programs.
“The initial approach on the show and production of the early episodes, unfortunately, did not meet HBO standards so we chose to make a change.
“Throughout the process, the creative team has been committed to creating a safe, collaborative, and mutually respectful working environment, and last year, the team made creative changes they felt were in the best interest of both the production and the cast and crew.”
Back at Euphoria, there were similar unhappy murmurings over Levinson’s autocratic approach – rumours that he and Zendaya had fallen out and controversy over Barbie Ferreira whose character barely appeared in season two and who subsequently announced she would be leaving the show (claiming the decision was “mutual”). There were wide reports that Levinson’s ideas for the third series (which apparently included Rue becoming a private investigator) were poorly received by its star and by HBO.
