Nearly every female character in Euphoria now has a sex work storyline – is the show’s sensationalist depiction of degradation play necessary?
Since its release in 2019, Euphoria has been no stranger to dark themes, from Fez (Angus Cloud) smashing a beer bottle over Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) in the first episode of Season 2 to Rue (Zendaya) taking a near-fatal overdose in the pilot episode.
However, the release of the third series on April 13 questions the vision behind some of the scenes. Within the first 10 minutes of episode one, women are uncomfortably trying to swallow balls of fentanyl to smuggle over the Mexican border, and we are immediately introduced Season 3’s seedy and degrading style of storytelling.
Sam Levinson is an American filmmaker who has been the creator of Euphoria since the first season. He has been slammed for his misogynistic outlooks and filming of female storylines, not just in this series, but in his 2023 offering The Idol, which The Guardian called ‘one of the worst programmes ever made’.
Levinson’s tendency to disempower female characters extends into tradwife storylines, and becoming drug mules or ‘sugar babies’ to satisfy the male gaze.
In a recent article published by Dazed, Pamela Blonde, a dominatrix from Edinburgh, was quoted as saying, “It feels like we are watching his fantasy play out on screen.”
The series definitely feels like characters are shaped by the way Levinson wants to portray female sexuality. Instead of exploring themes of degradation play in a way which empowers women, the characters are taking on new roles as OnlyFans creators and sugar babies in a way that sells themselves short.
In the first episode, Sydney Sweeney’s character Cassie poses as a dog for Instagram while Nate holds the leash and considers posting on OnlyFans in order to contribute an elaborate flower arrangement for her wedding. This humiliating and satirical portrayal of her character feels like a mockery of sex workers and instead feeds a fantastical plot that Levinson has imagined.
Meanwhile, the voiceover, supplied by Zendaya’s character Rue, labels Cassie as “so desperate for attention, she’s willing to humiliate herself.”
In a review for Rolling Stone, a critic points out Cassie’s narrative, questioning the direction in which the female characters are portrayed on screen. “One wonders what else writer-director Sam Levinson is doing it this for, if not for shock value, because he seems confused about what he wants to say about sex work and women’.
Critics are labelling the show as ‘adult exploitation’. While there could have been a way for Levinson to authentically represent the lives of sex workers on screen, his dehumanisation seems to remove their stories and simply use them in a hypersexualised and provocative way.
Within the first episode, we learn Jules (Hunter Schafer) has a sugar daddy and Rue flirts with the idea of becoming a pimp. To have most female characters involved with the sex work trope feels like a darker play from Levinson; through this storytelling, it feels like we are moving further and further away from storylines of character development we were getting in the first season.
While Euphoria questions the motives behind Levinson’s degrading filming attitude, his dubious creative approach extends beyond the scenes of Season 3. There is a much wider issue of Levinson ‘playing’ off women’s creativity.
Petra Collins is a photographer whose pictures capture the ‘Gen-Z aesthetic’, portraying the female gaze. However, her style is similar to that of Euphoria’s. The style centres women through a colourful lens, often with glittery effects applied over the top.
Collins’ 2016 photography exhibition 24hr Psycho features near copies of the Euphoria promo photographs – a teenage girl under purple lighting, with a glitter-filled tear tripping down her cheek.
Levinson was inspired by her photography and showed interest in her directing the show. Yet, after envisioning the show in casting, style and direction, HBO told her, “we are not hiring you because you are too young,” Collins told Punkt in a 2023 interview.
“A year later, I walked out my apartment and saw this billboard [advertising Euphoria], and it’s exactly what I am, as a copy of my work.”
In response, Levinson denied these accusations, a source told the Daily Beast “he was hoping there was a possibility they could work together in that way. But no means was anything promised.”
While this may be true, these claims only fuel the dubious way in which Levinson has created the show. With all this backlash, it’s difficult to believe Levinson is not using women to depict his fantasies.
While Euphoria has always explored dark themes through drugs and violence, there seems to be a much more personal attack on the female character’s depiction.
Yes, Cassie isn’t meant to be perceived as a good person. In Season 2, she completely betrays her ‘best friend’ by risking everything to pursue her friend’s ex. However, Cassie’s storyline seems like unwarranted punishment that proves to be degrading.
Cassie’s autonomy appears to be at stake, right from the first episode, which made me think – how far can Levinson take this degradation trope? Unsure if I want to keep watching to find out, I can’t help but feel like I am watching the female characters as puppets, in a play where Levinson is pulling the strings.
It is difficult to determine whether Euphoria would be as popular without exploring the storylines of female degradation or drug smuggling.
However, if you take away the photographs by Petra Collins and the agreement from Sydney Sweeney and Chloe Cherry to perform these acting roles, what would Levinson have left to play with?
Featured image courtesy of HBO.