Critic Reviews

An early career-defining performance from Zendaya, who is an absolute revelation here; a similarly fantastic breakout performance from trans actress and model Hunter Schafer in her first major role; and strong work from Levinson, who created, wrote and directed (five of the eight episodes), getting the vehicle that emphatically announces his arrival.

By the end of episode 4, some of the parallel storylines in “Euphoria” begin to cross paths, sometimes in stunning fashion. If the second half of this story is as compelling as the first, this will end up being one of the best limited series of the year.

Creator Sam Levinson always pushes further than most, shoving the desperation and disillusionment of a young and apparently mostly hopeless generation right in front of the camera. It’s strong stuff. It’s meant to be. “Euphoria” is its own kind of twisted high.

People watch Euphoria for an abundance of reasons, but the show really is so much more than absurd Y2K outfit inspo, an ad for sparkly eye makeup, or dreamy blue and red lighting. At its core, it’s a heartbreaking story of a girl trying to survive.

This season of Euphoria is doing the most, and sometimes it’s so much that key figures fall somewhat by the wayside. This is a television series that doesn’t just depict the darker impulses of adolescence — horniness, jealousy, resentment, a flippant attitude toward one’s mortality. It wears them like a bodycon dress, a fresh gel manicure, and carefully applied eye glitter. And more often than not, this version of “too much” is a hell of a drug.

Blazing with creativity and screen-popping visuals, “Euphoria” is a crackling live wire of a series with frightening and chilling insights into the world of far too many teenagers — and their parents — whose lives are in danger of being swallowed up by addiction-fueled actions.

For all its clutch-the-pearls content and narrative twists, Euphoria tracks its characters' coming-of-age with honesty.

Euphoria is admittedly better at establishing a distinctive mood and style than at telling a story, at least early on. ... But Euphoria‘s exhilarating style and achingly incisive observations more than make up for any storytelling flaws it might have.

It has some humor and sincere moments of friendship, but viewers won’t mistake it for a comedy. “Euphoria” has a story to tell, and its simple frankness packs a punch. Prepare for brutal candor with a heavy dose of empathy.

It’s a gripping performance by a charismatic young actress with a very good supporting cast and a tightly woven artistic vision. It’s also, honestly, a bit of a drag. Incredibly well-executed, yes. Problematic too. On balance, highly worth a watch.