S01.E01: Pilot

[Meredith Quill]

Episode Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Rue returns home from rehab with no plans to stay clean. She meets Jules, who's new in town, at a party at McKay's house. Nate gets in McKay's head when McKay takes an interest in Cassie. Nate and Maddy, who have broken up once again, attempt to make each other jealous. Meanwhile, Kat is pressured to lose something.

[luckyroll3]

Anyone else catch this?  I thought it was decent.  Reminded me a bit of Skins (original version, not that awful MTV rehash).

[nb360]

Saw it, still thinking about it. Zendaya’s great. Not sure if I will keep watching though - lots of triggers for me...

[prelanov]

I kinda have a bad feeling about Euphoria. I don't think it is going to be a good show.

[Dejana]

Hmmm, I didn't hate the pilot, but the show is a lot, gratuitous edginess made me wary even when I was a teenager:

Both "McSteamy" and "Mark Sloan" were trending last night, heh. 

[meatball77]

Yeah, so Skins was fun.  This was not.

[tennisgurl]

It certainly was interesting, it has a lot of style and the acting all seems to be great, but I dont know. I thought the pilot was alright, but I hope to see more substance than style in later episodes. 

I suspect something really fucked up is going on with the jock kid, his anger seems to be more than just typical alpha male teenager bullshit. 

[revbfc]

First of all, I find it hilarious that a couple of weeks after GOT ends, HBO decides that this is the show they’re going to slap a special content warning on.

Finally, this show is bad.  Really bad.

[Panda Bear]

This felt like an update of the movie Kids. Pretty bleak to watch on a week-to-week basis, though I might give it a shot because I found Jules interesting. I kind of wish she had gone through with stabbing the jock, though. He is tedious. 

[sadie]

Maybe I’m not their target audience being a 51 year old but I just found it bleak. If this is really what’s happening with our youth I think I’m scared crapless. I don’t mind edgy but it just seemed like it was trying too hard to throw so much edge at us in the first hour that I just didn’t enjoy it. For me, for this type of thing to work they have to give me some moments where things lighten up (just a bit).

[luckyroll3]

1 hour ago, meatball77 said:

Yeah, so Skins was fun.  This was not.

I agree.  This much more serious and bleak than Skins.  

[revbfc]

This may just be the Showgirls of teen drama shows (though far less quotable so far).

[Dminches]

Was the dad character played by Eric Dane looking for a someone for anal?  Did he know that that Jules was a transsexual?  Maybe I missed something in their exchange.

[tennisgurl]

I guess every generation of teens needs a story about disaffected youth drinking, swearing, and having all kinds of questionable sex. It’s like Kids, if Kids was watched while high on mushrooms and looking through a kaleidoscope.  

[MrWhyt]

5 hours ago, Dminches said:

Was the dad character played by Eric Dane looking for a someone for anal?  Did he know that that Jules was a transsexual?  Maybe I missed something in their exchange.

his dating profile said he liked twinks and fembois, and there was the whole "you kids today are lucky you get to be yourselves" bit, he knew what he was getting.

[scrb]

Jules was injecting herself around the hips with hormones?

I thought the explanation of all the nude pics teens share with each other was interesting.

It's the currency for love she said.

As in, the girls are being gaslit into sending nudes of themselves to guys?

Girls are either prudes or sluts and it seems for some, it's worse to be called a prude.  Again, more gaslighting.

[nb360]

I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know Jules was trans until I read a review. I saw the bulge in her panty but thought it was just the tv screen or something. I thought the injections were some kind of drug to get high.

Does any one know if the actress who plays Jules is really trans? She’s good.

[Dminches]

4 hours ago, nb360 said:

I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know Jules was trans until I read a review. I saw the bulge in her panty but thought it was just the tv screen or something. I thought the injections were some kind of drug to get high.

Does any one know if the actress who plays Jules is really trans? She’s good.

According to wikipedia, the actress playing Jules, Hunter Schafer, is a transgender woman.

[revbfc]

4 hours ago, nb360 said:

I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know Jules was trans until I read a review. I saw the bulge in her panty but thought it was just the tv screen or something. I thought the injections were some kind of drug to get high.

I got that Jules was trans when I looked up what she was injecting (thank you pause button).  To be fair, showing the label to the viewers was a good decision on the part of the showrunners. If not for that, I might have lumped it in with all the recreational  substance use on the show.

Edited June 18, 2019 by revbfc

[topanga]

I enjoyed the scenes with Zendaya, bleak though they were. I think she has a future as a dramatic actress.

The rest I found—not enjoyable. It’s like the show runners were trying to create shocking scenes just for shock’s sake.

I thought Rue’s journey was going to be the focus of the show. Unfortunately, there’s much, much more  

And I know at least some of these actors were not minors, but the fact that they were all supposed to be high school juniors or younger made me feel icky for even watching.

Not sure if I’m going to be watching more  

[nb360]

I do like the fact that this is such a diverse cast, including having a transwoman play a transwoman. Most people just pay lip service to "diversity."

[Zima]

As a 39 year old who has arrested development and loves teen dramas, I absolutely loved this.  I will not be watching with my husband, but I think my friend who is in his 20's would love it too.  The teens seem to be written like actual teens, and not  like what adults think teens would sound like. 

I liked the twist with the jock asshole being the kid of the hotel creeper.

Both Jules and Rue are fascinating to me. 

I can't wait to see where it all goes! 

[topanga]

9 hours ago, Zima said:

As a 39 year old who has arrested development and loves teen dramas, I absolutely loved this.  I will not be watching with my husband, but I think my friend who is in his 20's would love it too.  The teens seem to be written like actual teens, and not  like what adults think teens would sound like. 

I liked the twist with the jock asshole being the kid of the hotel creeper.

Both Jules and Rue are fascinating to me. 

I can't wait to see where it all goes! 

The jock's reaction made me wonder if he knew his dad was cheating on his mom with transwomen and fembois (I'm assuming that's something different). His reaction to Jules being at a party at someone else's house was so angry and over-the-top.

But do teens act this way?? I work with teenagers, and I have two high school aged sons. My sons both have friends who drink and/or smoke weed, but none of their friends, acquaintances, classmates, or teammates are that flippant about sex, drugs, and alcohol.  Or the language. I've overheard teenagers talking to one another, and yes, they use plenty of profanity. But the profanity in this episode seemed overly harsh--almost violent. 

I know that many, if not most, teenagers struggle with issues that would make them sad or angry. But on this show, every single character seemed like they were on the verge of suicide or homicide. In his attempt to make the high school experience seem gritty and real, I'm worried that Levinson might be slipping into caricature. At the very least, he's taking his experiences and the experiences of a subset of teenagers he knew and making them THE definitive life of a teenager. 

Going back to the beginning of the episode: Rue's parents, while they certainly loved her, always seem confused by her and have no idea how to relate to her. If I saw my daughter counting cells in a light fixture, I might join in with her or praise her for her counting skills.  It probably would have come out later that her behavior did suggest OCD or GAD or ADD, but as I mom, I wouldn't yell "What's wrong with you? What are you doing?" multiple times at my daughter until she started crying. 

And the mom crying at the psychiatrist's office in front of Rue? Way to make it all about you, Mom. And way to make your daughter feel bad for making her mom cry. 

I feel most sorry for Gia, who's caught in the middle. She loves Rue but doesn't understand her behavior at all. 

[meatball77]

3 hours ago, topanga said:

But do teens act this way?? I work with teenagers, and I have two high school aged sons. My sons both have friends who drink and/or smoke weed, but none of their friends, acquaintances, classmates, or teammates are that flippant about sex, drugs, and alcohol.  Or the language. I've overheard teenagers talking to one another, and yes, they use plenty of profanity. But the profanity in this episode seemed overly harsh--almost violent.  

That's part of the problem.  This is apparently the worst town in the US.  This is a "normal" HS blowout party that even randoms are being invited to.  Where girls are having sex in swimming pools in front of everyone? 

 

[Zima]

3 hours ago, topanga said:

The jock's reaction made me wonder if he knew his dad was cheating on his mom with transwomen and fembois (I'm assuming that's something different). His reaction to Jules being at a party at someone else's house was so angry and over-the-top.

But do teens act this way?? I work with teenagers, and I have two high school aged sons. My sons both have friends who drink and/or smoke weed, but none of their friends, acquaintances, classmates, or teammates are that flippant about sex, drugs, and alcohol.  Or the language. I've overheard teenagers talking to one another, and yes, they use plenty of profanity. But the profanity in this episode seemed overly harsh--almost violent. 

I know that many, if not most, teenagers struggle with issues that would make them sad or angry. But on this show, every single character seemed like they were on the verge of suicide or homicide. In his attempt to make the high school experience seem gritty and real, I'm worried that Levinson might be slipping into caricature. At the very least, he's taking his experiences and the experiences of a subset of teenagers he knew and making them THE definitive life of a teenager. 

Going back to the beginning of the episode: Rue's parents, while they certainly loved her, always seem confused by her and have no idea how to relate to her. If I saw my daughter counting cells in a light fixture, I might join in with her or praise her for her counting skills.  It probably would have come out later that her behavior did suggest OCD or GAD or ADD, but as I mom, I wouldn't yell "What's wrong with you? What are you doing?" multiple times at my daughter until she started crying. 

And the mom crying at the psychiatrist's office in front of Rue? Way to make it all about you, Mom. And way to make your daughter feel bad for making her mom cry. 

I feel most sorry for Gia, who's caught in the middle. She loves Rue but doesn't understand her behavior at all. 

While the show may not be true to the experiences of every teenager, I certainly knew kids like them growing up. One of them was my brother.  The obsession with having sex to be edgy or even to fit in,  and the constant and casual drug abuse was all too familiar. The police had to raid one of my brother's friend's houses while he was staying there, and my parents were told that it was a "drug den" full of teenagers. 

I agree with you about the mom. I don't have kids, but my first thought would have been to count along with Rue, and praise her for her counting skills. 

As for the jock...I guess we'll have to wait and see to find out. 

Edited June 19, 2019 by Zima

[topanga]

1 hour ago, Zima said:

As for the jock...I guess we'll have to wait and see to find out. 

Ah, damn. You’ve just  convinced  me to watch more episodes. I was on the fence. 

I’m sorry about your brother. I hope he’s doing better. 

1 hour ago, meatball77 said:

That's part of the problem.  This is apparently the worst town in the US.  This is a "normal" HS blowout party that even randoms are being invited to.  Where girls are having sex in swimming pools in front of everyone? 

 

That right there. So far we’ve been led to believe that every teen in this town acts this way. Except Rue’s old friend Liza. And so far she seems very lonely. She and her sister. 

Edited June 19, 2019 by topanga

[woodstock]

48 minutes ago, topanga said:

That right there. So far we’ve been led to believe that every teen in this town acts this way. Except Rue’s old friend Liza. And so far she seems very lonely. She and her sister. 

I spent most of the show thinking I had the most boring adolescence ever. I was a shy, wallflower nerd who had no interest in partying, drinking, drugs or sex. 

Well hello there McSteamy!

Gia is the person I’m most interested in.

[IndyMischa]

On 6/17/2019 at 11:05 AM, tennisgurl said:

I suspect something really fucked up is going on with the jock kid, his anger seems to be more than just typical alpha male teenager bullshit. 

I agree. I just hope they don't go the "enraged in the closet" trope route. 

18 hours ago, Zima said:

The teens seem to be written like actual teens, and not  like what adults think teens would sound like. 

This. 100%. Not everyone I knew, and not every weekend (ha), but yes. 

On 6/17/2019 at 11:00 AM, meatball77 said:

Yeah, so Skins was fun.  This was not.

You're not wrong, but I'm still watching the (increasingly tedious) Handmaid's Tale, so clearly my tolerance for non-fun television is HIGH. 

On 6/17/2019 at 12:33 PM, sadie said:

 If this is really what’s happening with our youth I think I’m scared crapless. 

I graduated from high school in 1993, and other than the obvious (cell phone pictures were mercifully not a thing), this felt pretty real. 

Eta: I just read the "original actor dropped out" story. Can't say I'm sad about that, because the replacement is GREAT. I've never seen the new actor, Algee Smith, in anything else, but he's really solid. His character stood out as being the one not-jerkface cool guy, while still feeling real. 

Edited June 20, 2019 by IndyMischa
Couldn't stop yapping, clearly.

[Dee]

Algee was pretty great in the New Edition miniseries and in last year's The Hate U Give, opposite Amandla Stenberg.

[nb360]

9 hours ago, meatball77 said:

 This is a "normal" HS blowout party that even randoms are being invited to.  Where girls are having sex in swimming pools in front of everyone? 
 

That did seem somewhat ... not credible.

[Gurkel]

10 hours ago, IndyMischa said:

I graduated from high school in 1993, and other than the obvious (cell phone pictures were mercifully not a thing), this felt pretty real. 

These kids all seemed miserable, despite the loud partying and frequent sex. Were you all miserable?

My HS years were more like this:

13 hours ago, woodstock said:

I spent most of the show thinking I had the most boring adolescence ever. I was a shy, wallflower nerd who had no interest in partying, drinking, drugs or sex. 

Well hello there McSteamy!

Yeah, that was me. Not one of the party goers. And while I knew kids who did, on this show it seems like this is the norm for the majority of the town. 

One thing that hasn't changed is slut shaming. On one hand, girls are encouraged to be proud of their bodies and their sexuality. But then they are criticized and humiliated when they do. Not that I'm advocating sending nude pics to love interests. I like Zendaya's line about it being the "currency of love." Meaning, if a girl likes or loves someone, she must do these things to get their interest and keep then wanting her. And then they're shamed for posting. So even though these nude pics are supposed to be symbols of female empowerment, it sounds more like these girls' bodies and how they exhibit them are being controlled by someone else. Which is the opposite of empowerment. 

And McSteamy has become McCreepy. 

Edited June 20, 2019 by Gurkel

[IndyMischa]

6 hours ago, Gurkel said:

These kids all seemed miserable, despite the loud partying and frequent sex. Were you all miserable?

We weren't, but I don't think the Euphoria kids are entirely miserable either. They're people - they have some fun times and some craptastic times. They have awesome friends and ridiculous relationship drama. YMMV! :)

[Gurkel]

24 minutes ago, IndyMischa said:

We weren't, but I don't think the Euphoria kids are entirely miserable either. They're people - they have some fun times and some craptastic times. They have awesome friends and ridiculous relationship drama. YMMV! :)

I don't know--none of the kids on this seemed  happy, even the ones laughing because they were high, drunk, or in the midst of having sex. Maybe the twin boys--the party host's little brothers. They were having a great time hanging out at the party and looking at hacked nude photos of their schoolmates. 

It's like what Rue said about drugs. She was always chasing a feeling she experienced once. And that's what these kids seem to be doing--always chasing a feeling they can never quite reach. 

[BooBear]

23 hours ago, woodstock said:

I spent most of the show thinking I had the most boring adolescence ever. I was a shy, wallflower nerd who had no interest in partying, drinking, drugs or sex. 

When I saw 13 reasons why I was like, none of this would have happened if they didn't go to the party.. and same thing here. These supposed issues that teens deal with wouldn't happen if they didn't go to these parties. But most kids don't go to these parties, because they aren't hip enough, or their parents wouldn't let them or, if they do go, they just end up in the corner alone. So right off the bat this show seems disingenuous.  All the *issues* they choose to focus on could best be classified as sexy ones.

Even Rue's highs all have pretty colors and lovely times. Though I did laugh at Rue learning not to bike while high.  But I admit at first I thought this show would be mostly about her and drugs. How do all the other characters fit under the title of Euphoria?  I am sure it will be some strained explanation. 

[SoWindsor]

On 6/18/2019 at 4:42 AM, nb360 said:

I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know Jules was trans until I read a review. I saw the bulge in her panty but thought it was just the tv screen or something. I thought the injections were some kind of drug to get high.

Does any one know if the actress who plays Jules is really trans? She’s good.

I had no clue. The bruises on her hip were shown immediately after she fell off her bike. Thought it was from that. 

[BuyMoreAndSave]

On 6/19/2019 at 7:18 PM, woodstock said:

I spent most of the show thinking I had the most boring adolescence ever. I was a shy, wallflower nerd who had no interest in partying, drinking, drugs or sex.

Well this is a dramatization of teenage life, like Skins. In real life many people I knew, including most of my friend group, didn't even start partying, using substances, or dating until college. I still think My So-Called Life was the most realistic teen drama (although I was a late bloomer so it related more to my late teenage years) because it did address serious issues in a non after school special way, but it also didn't have this over the top glamorized/caricatured "the kids are out of control!" Maybe some people have a high school experience that wild, but I don't think it's the majority.

On 6/20/2019 at 7:02 PM, BooBear said:

When I saw 13 reasons why I was like, none of this would have happened if they didn't go to the party.. and same thing here. These supposed issues that teens deal with wouldn't happen if they didn't go to these parties. But most kids don't go to these parties, because they aren't hip enough, or their parents wouldn't let them or, if they do go, they just end up in the corner alone. So right off the bat this show seems disingenuous.  All the *issues* they choose to focus on could best be classified as sexy ones.

None of my friends in high school went to these types of parties and we ALL had issues. Just the wild emotions caused by hormonal changes alone are basically like being on drugs.

[Ubiquitous]

On ‎3‎/‎17‎/‎2019 at 9:47 AM, SilverStormm said:

Seventeen-year-old Rue returns home from rehab with no plans to stay clean. She meets Jules, who's new in town, at a party at McKay's house. Nate gets in McKay's head when McKay takes an interest in Cassie. Nate and Maddy, who have broken up once again, attempt to make each other jealous. Meanwhile, Kat is pressured to lose something.

 I was only able to endure 30 minutes of this garbage. Among those who are more hip and enlightened than me, I'm sure that this show qualifies as artistic and profound in some way, and as proof that society is moving in the right direction, but not me.

[methodwriter85]

I feel like I'm watching an edgy indie teen movie, but with the gloss of an HBO budget. Kids, Prozac Nation, and Daydream Nation are immediately springing to mind.

[AnimeMania]

I thought it was kind of weird that some of the kids seemed to be rich, have nice cars, houses, swimming pools whiles the others seemed to be middle class, but they all seemed to know each other, go to the same school, live in the same neighborhood and all seemed be getting along together. Am I missing something, how big is this "suburb?" Is that how they are normally arranged?

[TattleTeeny]

On 6/17/2019 at 11:51 AM, Panda Bear said:

This felt like an update of the movie Kids. Pretty bleak to watch on a week-to-week basis, though I might give it a shot because I found Jules interesting. I kind of wish she had gone through with stabbing the jock, though. He is tedious. 

I am 5 all of minutes into this episode and the name Larry Clark just springs to mind.

[Neurochick]

On 6/19/2019 at 10:16 PM, IndyMischa said:

I graduated from high school in 1993, and other than the obvious (cell phone pictures were mercifully not a thing), this felt pretty real. 

I graduated from high school in 1977 and I co sign this post.  I mean, in the 1970's, AIDS wasn't on our radar.  People didn't talk about STD's and that was the era of parents telling their kids to do drugs at home, rather than going out to do them.  I remember going to a party at some kid's place, where the parents were in one room drinking, while the kids were smoking pot, having sex and dropping acid.  

I think every generation feels that the shit they have to deal with is such that their parents won't understand.  It's true that these kids grew up with terrorism and school shootings, but my generation grew up fearing nuclear war and the Russians.  I remember how the air raid sirens went off at noon in NYC.   We don't talk to each other.  I remember being out with some folks, some were a lot younger than me.  One of them saw one of those old fallout shelter signs and wondered what it was.  I told them.  They were shocked.  

[zafirkalvinS]

On 3/17/2019 at 2:47 PM, SilverStormm said:

Episode Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Nox Vidmate VLC Rue returns home from rehab with no plans to stay clean. She meets Jules, who's new in town, at a party at McKay's house. Nate gets in McKay's head when McKay takes an interest in Cassie. Nate and Maddy, who have broken up once again, attempt to make each other jealous. Meanwhile, Kat is pressured to lose something.

  Maybe I missed something in their exchange.

Edited July 12, 2019 by zafirkalvinS

[Nicmar]

On 7/12/2019 at 10:03 AM, zafirkalvinS said:

  Maybe I missed something in their exchange.

I watched the pilot episode last night just to see what the hype was about. I didn't know itwas Eric Dane as the hotel creeper. Also didnt know that Jules was trans until the end of the episode when she laid in the bed with her underwear on. While this show is bleak but so is Foxes, kids and 13. I may give it another shot.

[pasdetrois]

Great acting, but I don't buy the implication that every kid is this out of control.

Also, the cynic in me perceives that the extreme teenage sex, nudity and drugs are a calculated effort to bring in viewers...all entertainment is about ratings and money.

Edited July 21, 2019 by pasdetrois

[BigDfromLA]

I think there are individual schools and/or communities spread around the country where the sex and drug use are this extreme. Just as there are schools and communities where the sex and drug use among the kids is far less than the national average. I saw recently that nationally about 63% of high school juniors are currently virgins today, compared to only 43% in the Nineties. Teen pregnancies and teen births have dropped DRAMATICALLY in the last 20 years...which is excellent news in a world filled with rotten news all the time. Thanks to the spread of electronics, I think porn use is dramatically high among teens, even among those that aren't sexually active. Also years ago porn was expensive for a teen and now it is free everywhere on line. I am concerned about vaping, which is rising dramatically among teens, and it possibly leading to more cigarette and drug use very soon.

Edited July 21, 2019 by BigDfromLA

[teapot]

I graduated in 1988;  I skipped a shitload of classes & hung out with the stoners.  Pieces of this were somewhat familiar.

But I don't think this show is very realistic;  my coworkers still have their high-schoolers enrolled in summer camp and track their whereabouts at all times.  that might not happen everywhere, but lax parenting like this just isn't done anymore.

This show reminded me a lot of Skins, which I loved (we don't have an effervescent Effy here) but, like that show, this many things do not happen to such a small group of people!  there are scandals, but for the most part, I think teens are basically bored out of their minds at home and school, wishing for excitement, and then hyping up the one outrageous thing that happens during any given year.

My So-Called Life was way more realistic.

[PBSLover]

I watched the first episode and as much as I love Zendaya, the show stressed me out.

No can do.

[cmfran]

Finally watched the pilot a couple nights ago. I think it's too dark for me to devote 8 hours to, but there was definitely some interesting visual stuff going on. If Gaspar Noe made a TV show, it would probably look and feel like this. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

My biggest takeaways after watching this episode:

(1) I am so glad I'm not a teenager anymore
(2) I'm REALLY glad that I was a teenager when the internet was in its infancy so I didn't have to worry about things like boys sharing videos of their classmates having sex
(3) Teenage boys are the absolute fucking worst

Only one episode in and I'm already worried about most of the characters. Obviously Rue and her decision to go straight to her drug dealer after getting out of rehab is of concern, but so are many of the others. Jules is lying about her age so she can hook up with randos she meets on sex apps (because let's be real, it's not a dating app). Kat the virgin responded to some guy's casual misogyny by taking off her top and then having sex. Maddy had very public sex with some guy she just met to make her asshole ex jealous. And McSteamy is a married man who is cheating on his wife because he can't admit who he really is.

[kieyra]

On 7/22/2019 at 12:36 PM, teapot said:

This show reminded me a lot of Skins, which I loved

It’s funny, I’m so stressed out by the pilot that I was thinking “I miss the relatively innocent days of Skins”.

I’m about two-thirds through and I feel like I’m watching a mashup of Queen’s Gambit and I May Destroy You, and my neck muscles won’t unclench. 

Edit: It took me until episode three to realize Jules was trans,

Spoiler

and then only because shy boy asks about her transition in a text.

In the pilot, I assumed the hip injection was (I don’t know, insulin?, it kind of went right past me). I noticed the slight panty bulge but was bizarrely unable to put two and two together. I say bizarrely because I’m always interested in trans performers, trans portrayals, and had just watched Disclosure (Netflix doc, highly recommend) for the fourth time. I was kinda “she’s so thin the fabric is bunching up I guess?”

None of this is commentary on the show/character, more bemused that it just whiffed right over my head even though the show was showing me. (Probably because I was so busy worrying that everyone was about to be raped and murdered, perhaps on a livestream.)