Euphoria

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Its louder moments are graphic and brash but its quieter moments are equally impactful, a well-modulated drama that knows when to push and then pull back. It’s hard to know where it will go and that’s part of its untamed appeal but as it stands, it’s one of the most audacious and effective new shows I have seen this year.

The series calms somewhat from its brash start into an empathetic portrait of what it means to be a kid born in the shadow of disaster and growing up in an era informed by it.

Specificity might have helped Euphoria be less provocative—these aren’t your kids, they’re some kids—but frankly, that would have been besides the point. Euphoria wants to provoke. That’s what the cool kids do.

This show isn’t an easy watch, nor a particularly pleasant one. It’s often brash and blunt, defiantly refusing to tie up loose ends or let its characters take easy ways out. But just like the teens it depicts with such staggering candor, once you get past its immediate attempts to hold the audience at arms length, “Euphoria” has an undeniable pull that makes it too intriguing to ignore.

I worry this series will fall victim to its own provocations — and there is an ongoing threat of gorgeously filmed violence. In its quieter moments, though, this is a sensitive teen drama, digging past characters’ identities into their souls.

Not everything on Euphoria works, but when a moment hits, there’s a rush to it not unlike the one its characters keep chasing.

It’s a rough show that intends to slap the audience around a little along with its characters. I suspect that’s part of the point, though I can’t say Euphoria has necessarily earned its indulgences in the first four episodes, it certainly makes the most of them.

Despite Levinson’s clear command over his storytelling aesthetic, Zendaya’s strong turn, and a rich authenticity driving each scene, viewers shouldn’t expect to enjoy the series, which is ultimately its biggest downfall. ... As it stands, the severe darkness dulls the impact beyond blunt force trauma. There’s a connection to be made with Rue and her journey, but joy seems too far out of reach.