‘Euphoria’ season 2 review: Zendaya’s teen drama is gorgeous, captivating television

“Continuing concern” that showrunner Sam Levinson said the filmmaking process continues into the cult drama’s second season, Excitement, Adapted from the 2012 Israeli series of the same name, Excitement Rue (Zendaya), 17, tells the story of her friends, classmates, colleagues and parents who struggle with multiple issues.

Just as all those teen rom-coms aren’t close to real life, it’s hard to imagine a bunch of troubled teens from East Highland High being an accurate picture of growing up in the United States; For one thing, young people of that age are not so good. Levinson has drawn attention to her experiences growing up and her struggles with depression and addiction, and Excitement A beautiful look-and-sound show, and a thrilling drama to boot.

Season 1 ended with Jules (Hunter Schaefer) leaving Rue on stage and two outstanding features viewing that event from the point of view of Rue and Jules. In Season 2, we follow different stories, even as we trace Roo’s terrifying lineage to her mother, Leslie (Nika King), sister, Gia, (Storm Reid) and sponsor, Ali. (Coleman Domingo) at Rock Bottom.

We learn about Rue’s drug dealer friend, Fezco (Angus Claude), and how her adopted brother Ash (Javon “Wanna” Walton) got his name. His friendship with Lexie (Maude Apatow), Rue’s best friend and Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) younger sister, is one of the sweetest things about the show.

Nate (Jacob Elordi), the jock with anger issues, including Maddie (Alexa Demi) with whom he wants to get back, Jules, whom he catfished, and Cassie whom he believes will kill everyone he comes into contact with. hurts. for. The beginnings of Nate’s father, Cal (Eric Dane), reveal the double life as well as its effect on Nate.

It looks like Kat (Barbie Ferreira) has successfully fought for body positivity, but hates her boyfriend Ethan (Austin Abrams) for being too normal! Elliot (Dominic Fike) is Rue’s new best friend when the two get high together at a New Year’s Eve party. However, he comes between Rue and Jules.

The two-part finale is a daring choice with Lexie’s drama as past and present collide to reveal dangerous, disturbing truths, half-truths, lies and misinterpretations. The play serves as a mirror for many of the characters and Fez goes on just enough to prepare for the drama.

In a long tradition of young people taking a quirky look at love, life, death and drugs, Zendaya remains the show’s narrator. The acting is top notch and it has created characters that may not be too cute or recognizable, but are definitely worth investing the time and emotion into. Episode titles again have cryptic origins ranging from Bob Dylan, Henry Miller and Robert Rauschenberg to the French surrealist, Antonin. Artaud and Hunter S Thompson.

Season 2 ends on a cautiously optimistic note and has been renewed for a third season. A discussion on Nordic noir several moons ago prompted a comment that given the amount of crime fiction popping up in the area, one would believe that the Scandinavian nation is a cesspool of serial killers, neo-Nazis, rapists and human traffickers. This is certainly not the case. Nor can every high school in America be filled with issues ranging from fragile, broken people to major identity issues. However, as the Scandi-noir reading compels one, the trials and tribulations of Rue and her friends certainly make television entertaining.

Euphoria is currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar