In fact, her attraction to Jules is not made a big deal. In fact, Rue’s sexuality is very loosely discussed. There are plenty of movies that have given way to the trope too, but Euphoria refreshingly doesn’t. Many shows (Glee, Atypical, Gossip Girl) have entertained audiences with the traditional overdone coming out scene. Since we’re unpacking the queerness of Euphoria, it’s worth mentioning a few of the characters’ direct intersections with queer sexuality. Euphoria may have an award-winning cast, but credit is due to its stage team that seamlessly pairs its soundtrack, imagery and aesthetic to pull off what it does. As a viewer, there were plenty of times I felt taken by the mood of a scene. Euphoria’s hyperreal feeling of excess, flamboyance and drama is only heightened by its focused cinematic visuals. This environment, paired with the main cast’s overlapping narratives, draws in an inevitable feeling of camp sensibility.
Turbulent scenes are guided by ambient coloured lighting (blues and reds) that would wash across the set, capturing the show’s hyperreal intimacy.
The show is known for its unique stylisation and its translation of emotional realism. Take Rue’s striking golden glitter tears in episode four or Jules’ iridescent eyelashes, it’s a self-aware actioning of camp that strikes a love with subversive “unnatural” styles and reclaims them in brilliant Gen Z flare.Įuphoria’s inherent queerness, outside of the portrayal of sexuality, is also imbued in its visuals. I don’t think any of us forgot how outmatched the series’ eye make-up truly was. Its epicene (genderless) make-up style caught on and we later saw Euphoria-inspired looks rehashed online and on the runway. Euphoria positions a creative intimacy that pushes us to examine the characteristics of each individual further.
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The 2019 TV show became an unofficial ambassador of this. As Susan Sontag puts it, camp is an aestheticism that can be deemed a “badge of identity” that blends “extravagance” and “exaggeration”. Styling and visuals have been fundamental to Euphoria’s success and its portrayal of queerness and, more significantly, its reinvention of the modern camp aesthetic. Whether it was Rue’s worn out hoodies, Jules’ vibrant colour palette or Kat’s love for chokers, each character’s unique style was tailored to their self-expression and visibility. Euphoria has cultivated digital narratives that not only American high schoolers see themselves in, but the show has been made appealing through an attainable aesthetic. Elsewhere, Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie) endured an abusive relationship at the hands of toxic and controlling boyfriend Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi). From the portrayal of a struggling addict Rue Bennet, portrayed by 25-year-old Zendaya, to Jules Vaughn, played by Hunter Schafer, audiences are met with graphic scenes of her sexual experiences with men who she has matches through online apps. Few shows depict teenagers with the coming-of-age nuance they deserve. While previous shows knitted out their quirky styles of outfitting, mantras and visual cues, Euphoria pushed past being a shock factor hit packed with teen realism and provocative explicitness to an on-screen phenomenon.įor many, the stark relatability to the characters was enough.
Euphoria can be likened to previous American high school contemporaries such as Gilmore Girls, Pretty Little Liars and Glee, but it’s a drama that thrives on excess and image.
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So, when the pilot came around fronting flawed, unfiltered characters and scenes of drug use, sex, abuse and teenage rebellion, it was unquestionably a series anchored in youthful nuance. Although on the older Gen Z spectrum, I was intrigued to see how this high school drama – fronted by former Disney star Zendaya and new actor Hunter Schaffer – would differ from those that came before it. An adaptation of an Israeli series with the same name, the series loosely fell into my age category. Euphoria first aired in June 2019, two days before I turned 22.