Annie Koop
HBO’s Euphoria has sparked quite the debate on social media… and for a good reason.
If you’re not familiar with the popular drama series, you may have heard about its shocking content online. Euphoria’s second season finished airing recently and has been wildly successful on an international scale. Its creator, Sam Levinson, has proved that he’s not shy about portraying dark themes as accurately as he can. Heavy topics depicted in the show include abusive relationships, childhood trauma, and drug addiction. It also examines teenage sexuality through several characters, and whilst sexuality itself isn’t dark, Euphoria’s depiction of it has certainly been labelled that way. Here’s why.
Are graphic sex scenes really that necessary?
According to the heated arguments on social media, no. Many have pointed out that whilst teen sexuality isn’t a negative subject on its own, Euphoria’s blunt sex scenes certainly are. They argue that the raw nature of the characters’ sex lives is unnecessary. Since most episodes include instances of graphic nudity and sex, the point is definitely valid.
Season two, more artistically written than the first, often includes random shots of nudity and sex. They interrupt whatever scene they’re written into and come off as strange, and not creative, as I’m sure Levinson intended them. A lot can be said about Euphoria’s artistic perspective but the constant sexual theme isn’t part of it.
i enjoy watching euphoria but the nudity is used for shock value & i hate that. i do think it’s a nice show that shows the tribulations of being a teenager but at times it borders the line of “okay teens have sex! it’s okay to show that” and “this program is an adult p*rn film!”
— ࿏ (@redhotbrunette) February 18, 2022
Should the nudity of underage characters be criticised?
This question frequents online discussions and doesn’t exactly have a unanimous answer.
Some argue that yes, the criticism is not only valid but essential when the sex lives of minors are involved. Teenage versus adult sexuality should be treated very differently in film, especially due to the unfortunate way teenage girls continue to be depicted on screen by countless filmmakers. Women in film are consistently sexualised to an overt extent, and when it comes to minors, the unfair treatment is dangerous.
For one character, Cassie (Sydney Sweeney), nudity is a familiar concept. Her storyline in season two involves more sexual intimacy than any other character combined. More often than not, the high school student is nude during these scenes. Those against Levinson’s portrayal use Cassie’s nude sex scenes as an example of unnecessary content — if there was a point to be made, it has been, and Sweeney’s topless scenes are excessive.
On the other hand, some argue that because Sweeney is an adult and agreed to the content, the nudity is ethical. And they’re right — legally, no actor has to undress on screen if their contracts don’t warrant it. Every actor in Euphoria’s numerous sex scenes is of legal age, and signs a contract containing a ‘nudity rider’ or clause that states exactly what kind of content the person is comfortable participating in.
The logistics just make the content legal, though. Something can be legal but also not be ethical, and it’s important to keep that in mind.
I wonder what the Euphoria backlash will be when folks finally realize Sam levinson is a gross creep, who makes the majority of his non-male cast feel uncomfortable with the random nudity and sex he wants them to depict while playing literal children.
— Shadowheart’s burner account. (@MoralesAcosta2) February 17, 2022
Why is Sam Levinson to blame?
Perhaps the most upsetting factor in this debate is Sweeney’s outspoken discomfort on set, along with several others’. Euphoria actors Minka Kelly (Samantha), Chloe Cherry (Faye), and Martha Kelly (Laurie) have also spoken about their uncomfortable experiences with Levinson. Each actor was called to shoot various explicit content, and several brought their discomfort to Levinson, which thankfully lead to some or all of the nudity being cut from the scene.
Whilst most had positive outcomes, Cherry in particular spoke about her experience on set. “It probably would’ve been more comfortable had we had a little more time to get to know each other,” the actor explained in an interview with The Daily Beast. “Sam [Levinson] wanted to do the scene with me completely naked and Tyler [Chase] was like, ‘That’s a lot’ so they decided not to.”
After she declined, Levinson had Cherry shoot the scene undressed whilst covering her nether regions with props. Yes, she wasn’t completely naked, so he technically had respected her wishes. But doing the bare minimum to accommodate an actor’s comfort zone definitely isn’t the right way to go about it.
this is the third time an actor in euphoria has mentioned being uncomfortable with excessive nudity sam is so sick https://t.co/PRdRZFVLk6
— sara (@fruitinfilm) February 16, 2022
Why is the frequent nudity of some female characters harmful to the others?
In the first episode of Euphoria‘s second season, lead character Rue (Zendaya) is told to undress along with three others (Faye, Custer and Fezco). Long story short, Rue ends up being the only character who doesn’t completely follow through. The stark contrast between the others’ outright nudity and her full dress comes off as strange.
The fact that the lack of nudity comes as a surprise says enough about Euphoria. It’s become the norm. Debates about whether Zendaya should have also been nude in that scene are numbered. People have argued that the scene made it clear that the actress has a strict no-nudity contract. Many think that Levinson would’ve called for Rue’s undress had the assumed contract not been in place. The fact that there’s so much discussion about a private matter is upsetting. Without a doubt, the familiarity between Euphoria and graphic sex is to blame.
On the whole…
There’s a wide variety in public opinion on both Euphoria and Levinson. The criticism for both remains valid, especially when coming from the series’ cast and crew. Whilst forming an opinion is up to the viewer, we shouldn’t disregard the experiences of those directly involved. The dangers of misrepresenting teen sexuality are unsettling and doing so can even lead to fetishisation.
At the end of the day, when dealing with real stories and relatable struggles, the focus should be on connecting with an audience. Whether or not Levinson intended it, Euphoria is now well-known for its graphic sexual content. Conversations on unnecessary sex in the show have far outweighed conversations on more important issues.
Hopefully, Euphoria eases up on the troubling portrayals in its newly announced season three, which will likely air late 2023. Seasons one and two are available with a NOWTV subscription.
Featured image courtesy of Michele.LF on Wikimedia. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.
Annie Koop
Student journalist based in London, specialising in entertainment and lifestyle journalism.