The first reviews for Euphoria Season 3 are in, revealing a divided critical response. While some critics praise the performances, others argue the season struggles with focus and coherence.
Core Facts:
- Critics describe the season as scattered, with plotlines drifting rather than building. The Hollywood Reporter noted a lack of cohesion, calling it a 'season of lurid neon signs and tasteless shag carpeting.'
- The BBC criticized the show for leaning into darker themes without adding new perspectives, calling it 'repetitive rather than revelatory.'
- Despite the criticism, performances by Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney continue to earn praise for their emotional depth.
Deeper Dive & Context:
Storytelling and Focus:
Critics at Variety and The Hollywood Reporter highlight a lack of narrative focus in Season 3. The season is described as jumping between ideas without fully developing them, leaving the story feeling unfocused. The Hollywood Reporter compared it to a 'season of lurid neon signs and tasteless shag carpeting,' suggesting the show is overwhelmed by its own ambition.
Themes and Tone:
The BBC and Mashable note that the show leans harder into its darker themes but without adding much new perspective. The result, they argue, is a series that feels more repetitive than revelatory. The BBC wrote that the season is a 'strained attempt to make the closed circle of friends it follows, now in their early 20s, somehow the same only different.'
Performances:
Despite the criticism, performances remain one of the show’s strongest elements. Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney continue to earn praise for delivering emotionally charged work. The Daily Mail noted that while the season has a dismal 53 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the performances are still a highlight.
Aesthetic and Setting:
TV Guide’s Lyvie Scott praised the use of the American West as an aesthetic touchstone, calling it 'actually really effective.' The New York Post’s Lauren Samer, however, criticized the season for lacking the human drama that anchored the first two seasons, calling it 'Breaking Bad meets Looney Tunes.'
Rotten Tomatoes Rating:
The season has scored a 53 percent approval rating out of 19 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating a significant drop from the previous seasons' reception.