If Your Kids Are Secretly Watching HBO’s ‘Euphoria,’ You Should Be Worried

 

 

As a child, I remember sneaking around my basement to watch episodes of "Glee," a television show that many parents found controversial due to its depiction of teen pregnancy. It's difficult to imagine that show, with its messages of community, acceptance, and hope, being considered controversial a decade ago, when today's teens obsess over the jarring and distasteful HBO smash-hit "Euphoria."

 

The show "Euphoria" has a vocal cult following and is enjoying record-breaking viewership in its second season. Last month, it was the most popular show in the United States. The show follows Rue, a recovering drug addict, and her high school classmates Cassie, Jules, Nate, Maddy, Fezco, and Ash as they deal with backstabbing friendships, deteriorating family lives, and poor mental health.

 

Every leading character is plagued by overly graphic sex scenes, extreme drug use, and paralysing mental struggles. Everything from the show's overall crudeness to the extremely harsh lighting choices creates a constant sense of darkness in the lives of the young characters. The show depicts high school life in a bleak and aggressive manner, and it lacks aesthetic beauty.

 

Wildly Inappropriate and Unrelatable

Parents Television and Media Council Program Director Melissa Henson told The Federalist that the show's vulgar portrayal of such risqué themes to a vulnerable audience is unlike previous shows of its kind.

 

"There is an almost constant barrage of expletives and foul language." This show probably has around 100 'F words' per episode. Beyond that, I find the sexualized depictions of high schoolers very troubling, as well as the recreational drug and alcohol use, and the fact that there is no real condemnation for any of this behaviour," Henson said. "It's simply presented in this manner. And, while that may be true for a subset of the population, I believe it is not true for the majority of teenagers."

 

This behaviour defies reality for Generation Z, as teens today are less likely than previous generations to drink alcohol, use drugs, engage in physical fights, or have sex. When the show first aired, Emily Jashinsky of The Federalist commented on the "puzzling disconnect."

 

There is also a lot of nudity in the show. Sydney Sweeney, who plays Cassie, had to request that the show's creator reduce the number of scenes in which she was topless, which he did. Nonetheless, Cassie is naked a lot this season, particularly in episode two, where nearly the entire first five minutes are devoted to her naked body.

 

Particularly Vulnerable Audience

The second season, which debuted last month, has attracted a significantly larger audience than the first season's pre-lockdown audience. This resurgence of interest risks glorifying the show's themes among a generation of teenagers who were isolated during the pandemic and are acutely unfamiliar with the typical high school experience. It gives the impression that this is typical high school behaviour.

 

It's also much easier for high schoolers to access the show without their parents' knowledge than it was even a decade ago, and they can easily share it on social media. Regardless of what HBO says, the show's marketing targets a high school demographic, and the high school setting naturally appeals to high schoolers. Zendaya, the lead actress, is a former Disney star whose fan base primarily consists of high school-aged students.

 

In December, U.S. Attorney General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory emphasising the critical nature of the burgeoning mental health crisis confronting America's youth. With depression and suicidal ideation on the rise, "Euphoria" paints a picture that is anything but uplifting and encouraging for children, and actively encourages dangerous coping mechanisms. Rue, for example, constantly breaks down on screen and declares that she no longer wants to live in this world. "Euphoria" even provides a step-by-step tutorial for teens on how to become addicted to oxycontin.

 

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Zendaya expressed her desire for viewers to feel a sense of solidarity:

 

If anything, the feeling behind 'Euphoria,' or whatever we've always tried to do with it, is to help people feel a little less alone in their experience and pain. And perhaps they'll feel as if they're not the only one going through or dealing with what they're going through.

 

Although the actors may claim that the show's themes show teens that they are not alone, such demoralising and depressing content is ineffective. While viewers may believe they are not alone in their feelings of meaninglessness and sorrow, they remain meaningless and sorrowful. There isn't a single character who has risen above their circumstances to experience genuine joy. This lacks any sense of optimism.

 

The show made me feel hopeless after a few episodes. Fortunately, I am aware that "Euphoria" portrays a wildly inaccurate depiction of adolescent life, but not all students are. As a once depressed, anxious, and impressionable adolescent, the show's rising popularity raises serious concerns about normalising egregiously harmful behaviour and perpetuating an already dire mental health crisis among young people.