Euphoria
S.01, E.06 – “The Next Episode”
Probably the funniest joke that Euphoria has done so far is trying to convince audiences that Chris and Cassie’s plot is all that interesting. In an average teen soap, there’s a good chance that they would be given more levity and room to grow, building off of their strained relationship. However, in the world created by Sam Levinson, their problems seem quaint even within the episode where Chris is given the flashback. There's a more sympathetic story about an athlete who never quite went pro that makes him a more compelling character, but not when it’s compared to the likes of someone like Nate or Jules who are constantly at odds with their past.
Though if anything, Chris and Cassie’s whole arc is that they’re boring. As mentioned a few times throughout the episode, Cassie is seen as a boring type with nothing all that significant to offer. She is berated when she cheats. Meanwhile, Chris is frustrated that despite being the college hero in this narrative, he is barely anything in either world. He was never the cool jock nor was he talented enough to stand out on a college level. What is he? For what it’s worth, that is a compelling story to place in a story like this, where everything feels high stakes at all times. What does one do when their whole life lacks the passion or energy that it should?
Because the rest of the episode excels at raising the drama every minute. Levinson clearly took the right lessons from “Shook Ones Pt. II” and set the story in a condensed setting over predominantly one night. It allows all of the characters to interact in a manner that forces them to be authentic, deflecting in ways natural to their character. In most cases, they are for the worst. With everyone intoxicated and having sex upstairs, it’s a constant barrage of stimulation. People are going to crash. Even Fezco’s little speech with Rue about their protective friendship holds a calm before the storm, the hope that everything will work out.
After all, the previous episode had plenty working out just fine. Rue and Jules were on their best behavior, even roller skating together and gossiping about each other to their parents. There was a sense of joy for the future. Even then, the ending featured Jules staring concerningly at the ceiling, realizing that this may be for naught. Was it all going to come crumbling down like other relationships she took for granted? Was Rue going to flake on her, especially at a time where she is so close to being a victim to a very big problem in someone else’s story?
To Levinson’s credit, the series has continued its run of ending on a stronger half. Every episode feels more precise in what it wants to say and even the shocking moments hold more weight. Maybe it’s just because of how well everything was established, but suddenly having the subtext of the episode be Nate basically playing character assassination to almost everyone in town is brilliant. From the way he leans on his father to try and score legal favors to finding loopholes with Tyler and suggestive photos of Jules, it’s all the type of stuff that draws you in, asking just how low this man will sink.
Nate will continue to sink lower. Following his assault on Maddy (who still has his back in its own powerfully tragic way), the clean-up process has been where the real damage lies. He is doing everything to look like a saint, and it comes with basically ruining the lives of Tyler and Jules. Tyler’s assassination is more provocative since he’s remained largely invisible since the initial assault in “Stuntin’ Like My Daddy.” He’s probably been too busy healing from a broken neck, so to have him be the culprit for abuse makes it equally tragic not necessarily because it’s plausible, but because Nate has that power. Even as a teenager, he is able to juke the system to his favor. What a pitiful man whose awfulness is only made more exciting by Jacob Elordi’s great performance, where even his douchebag entrance at the end of the episode dressed as an old-timey prison mate has that divisive appeal. He knows he’s guilty, but he’s going to exploit how far he can go with his scheme.
Though for most audience members, the more obvious assassination comes with Jules. Just when things were looking up for her, Nate had to remind her of the trap. She has the potential to go to prison for underage suggestive photos. Even when she confesses that Tyler assaulted Maddy, there is the reality that if Nate gets caught, she is going down with him. Still, does she want to end up like Tyler? Does she want to have her entire reputation ruined because of one insecure man taking advantage of the system, knowing very well that society favors the opinions of cisgender white males the most?
This is where the real fire for the “Jules is the villain” argument comes from. In this episode she is seen drinking to excess, falling into pools, and not exactly caring about Rue. Some could argue that her even drinking that much is an insensitive trigger for Rue. Most of this is true and the contradiction of her dressed like an angel makes for a fun contradiction. She was seen as a savior, but is she about to be seen as an angel from hell, dragging Rue with her beneath the surface, into the suffocating waters below? From the outside, in an unexamined lens, this is how things look. Jules is being awful. It’s reckless and there’s plenty she could’ve done to better control the situation.
But at the same time, those throwing hatred onto Jules alone are wrong. Nate is a figure who has an overbearing presence on the show. Even in scenes he’s not in, there’s the worry that he’s going to ruin your life. Jules is a figure who already comes from an insecure background and doesn’t deal with stress well. It was seen in “Pilot” when she was first cornered by Nate, setting up a series-long tension between the two. The idea that Rue would heal her was poetic and, to some extent, feels like it could still be true since Rue doesn’t exactly hate her yet. She recognizes the pressure. Even then, the shakes to get back onto drugs are inside of her, the imbalance growing. Watching your girlfriend basically spiral out of control is a distressing situation.
Keep an eye on Rue for a little bit. While she has been doing well for a few episodes, it does feel like the fallout from this moment won’t end well. Levinson’s ability to make everything so complicated is brilliant, and having Jules be both in the wrong and not entirely unsympathetic shows gifted writing. Even the way he has incorporated small moments of joy throughout reflects some growth from even the early episodes because it balances, a way that not everyone’s journey is doomed to end in tragedy. The main characters may end up that way, but looking at Kat it’s easy to argue that she’s at the start of a beautiful, kinky relationship.
In a different way, Kat is in control of her relationships online. As she leads men on from behind a cat mask, she plays with their emotions while winning their money. Even if this isn’t unethical necessarily, there’s the sense of a one-sided look at love, where she’s at times dehumanizing them more for her gain. Still, she needs them for her pleasure. It can be paralleled with Nate, who uses his power for bad. Kat uses hers not necessarily in ways that coexist, but still bring satisfaction to both parties. Having her get a real-life boyfriend at least suggests that she is moving towards something more recognizable, less reliant on distance that she’s probably felt most of her life. After all, she was better known for writing One Direction erotica before a few episodes ago. Anything is an improvement.
Considering that the next episode (no pun intended) is the penultimate for the season, it’s exciting to see the show starting to reach its denouement. Where are things possibly going to go now that everyone is showing their true colors? On some level, there is a concern for Rue because she has felt like she’s made progress over the series. There has been the joy in her life and there’s a desire for us to get back to those moments. The question is, will she and will it be with Jules? Will Jules be able to maintain a stable relationship if she’s at a constant push and pull with other people in her life? If word gets out, she is forever shamed on a new level. Whereas Tyler is just going to be mocked for being another aggressive white dude, she is shamed for being a trans woman who “forced” herself on Nate with suggestive photos.
Though again, it’s exciting to see where things will go. Nate doesn’t feel like he’s anywhere near finishing his plan. Similarly, one has to wonder what Cassie’s inevitable backstory will look like, and if it could possibly compare to the established six so far. For a story that centers around a fairly conventional boring couple (teen soap-wise), it’s impressive how much drama has happened in one house. Also, Levinson’s craft for visual flair is impressive as he makes every room feel electric with great lighting, where no matter how big the crowd it feels like there’s its own type of fantasy at play.
Given that this is an episode centered around Halloween and the idea of wearing masks, it’s more impressive. Nate’s mask is least obvious and even Maddy dressing up as Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver (1976) reflects some pseudo-commentary about their relationship. Also, Tyler’s framed poster of A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Dead (1985) is a great subtext for Nate’s repressed sexuality given that the film has a coded queer subtext. Finally, I can’t help but love Lexi dressing up as Bob Ross and admitting that she doesn’t see Halloween as a sexual holiday. She’s just out there having fun, and I have to support the good-hearted asexual who comes to rescue Rue when she’s at her worst. Also, kudos on fitting in an interrogation scene involving The Wire character references in a way that is silly and fun. Nice balance of tone right there.
“The Next Episode” as a title suggests that everyone is entering another phase of their conflict. In a show that has effortlessly handled high-stakes teen drama with the best of any HBO series, it’s impressive where things have gone. It’s no longer trying to force ribald imagery and ideas onto the viewer and instead presents a story about damaged youth trying to mend their ways and become better people. It’s beautiful and tragic, finding a balance that makes you see the humanity in even the worst characters. While Nate is the most difficult to root for, I hope that most don’t see Jules the same way. She’s becoming a tragic figure, a victim of anxiety-induced stress. She’s done wrong, but she isn’t wrong. The question is how will the series seek to redeem her after this. As the song says, just chill till the next episode.
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