Key Takeaways
- The “Euphoria” Season 3 premiere introduces a time jump and shifts the tone of the HBO drama’s final chapter.
- Fans are questioning major character arcs, including Rue’s debt, Cassie’s wedding plans, and Nate’s new responsibilities.
- Social media reactions range from jokes to criticism, with many viewers debating whether the show still feels the same.
“Euphoria” is not the same show many of us were introduced to several years ago, not that anyone really expected it to be. On Sunday (April 12) night, the Sam Levinson-created drama returned to HBO for its third and final season, and the internet has thoughts.
Mainly, what's going on with Rue (Zendaya)? Where’s Jules (Hunter Schafer)? And perhaps most importantly, what’s up with Cassie (Sydney Sweeney)? While the first episode, titled “Ándale,” doesn’t answer every question outright, it at least gives us a glimpse into almost everyone’s life “a few years after high school.”
According to the synopsis, “Rue's debts finally catch up with her. Hoping to finance her dream wedding, Cassie tries to become internet famous — to the disapproval of Nate, who's juggling the demands of running Cal's business.” Without further ado, here are some of our favorite reactions to the premiere.
“Euphoria” Season 3 has viewers asking a lot of questions
“So, nobody went to college and bettered themselves??” one X user hilariously asked. Another joked, “$50,000 floral arrangements?? I’m kinda on [Nate's] side. Cassie out her damn mind,” referring to Cassie’s fixation on outrageously expensive flowers for their wedding.
Someone else claimed, “Zendaya and Colman Domingo are proof that great actors can do anything with a s**tty script.” Meanwhile, another tweet read, “Is this ‘Euphoria’ or ‘Breaking Bad?’”
Why “Euphoria” looks so different heading into its final season
For starters, it took years — four, to be exact — for Season 3 to finally arrive. As Levinson explained to Vanity Fair, the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes caused major delays, in addition to “trying to make a schedule work with [the show’s] very in-demand cast.” Fans might recall that during that long wait, several actors, including Barbie Ferreira and Storm Reid, stepped away from the series.
Some circumstances were completely out of anyone's hands. Angus Cloud, who portrayed Fezco, tragically died in 2023, leading Levinson to write his character off as serving a 30-year sentence in prison due to events from the Season 2 finale. We also lost producer Kevin Turen, who died after suffering a cardiac event that same year, along with Eric Dane’s passing from respiratory failure caused by ALS this past February.
Also, we’re only one episode into an eight-episode run, so it’s probably best to reserve final judgment for a few more Sundays as “Euphoria” unfolds. In the meantime, keep scrolling to check out more reactions to the first installment.