Euphoria first graced our screens back in 2019 with the primary season ending on a dramatic note, the suspense building up for the highly anticipated arrival of season 2 on January 9th this year. Not only did the season premier and the episodes since reach beyond expectations but there was a clear transformation in aesthetic between season one and two with completely new storylines emerging that have the possibility of really delving into the unexpected. Although Euphoria is a clearly dramatised version of youth experience and culture, I think that behind all the hyperbole there lies a truth and universality to how real it feels to be young and free yet so confined and controlled by society, is any teen drama ever comparable to real life though? 

The premier focused on a New Year's Eve party with an array of momentous events taking place such as a clash between Nate and Fez, a relationship emerging between Cassie and Nate, with the hint towards the possibility of one between Fez and Lexi. Fans are highly hopeful for this to become a reality however Cassie's scandalous act of betrayal against her best friend Maddy has caused the most lovable character of season 1 to turn into the antagonist of this secret love triangle. However, I believe as the season will go on, we will regain sympathy for Cassie as we understand her complex and unstable mental state more, this causing her to need a relationship and validation this touching on real life experience of peer and relationship expectation as teenagers we crave. Placing this alongside Nates abusive tendencies this causes great trepidation for Cassie's fate this season. We have also got new layers to some of these characters with Maddy’s warmer qualities coming to focus through her babysitting of Theo highlighting her in a position of contempt however Kat's insecurities have yet again emerged after such a confident turn in season 1, yet another character begins to display their assertiveness, this being Lexi. This again significantly relates to the rollercoaster experience of emotional experience as a young person and how positivity has its peaks and troughs.

A part of Euphoria that is so ingenious is the opening sequences with an insight into the characters' lives before their current situation with Cal and Fez’s childhoods so far being shown as brutally impactful to their current state of life. In addition to this a second love triangle is forming between Rue, Jules, and Elliot played by Dominic Fike the newest cast member and musician, his involvement in the group already causing rue to relapse even further and cracks starting to form between the strength of Rue and Jules’ relationship, this showcasing how impactful peer groups are. Due to Rue relapsing this has caused her to enter work with a dangerous drug ring, this putting hers and those close to her lives on the line. Although she is the narrator of the episodes and knows every single detail of the lives of those who are not even close to her, she cannot keep hers under hold this causing those close to her to turn away such as Ali. Moving onto music one of my favorite artists Lana Del Rey had a song ‘Watercolour eyes’ which she specially made for the season it being used in the credits of the third episode. The song was so perfect as is all of her music entwining with the style of Euphoria so well however one thing that did annoy me was how it was only played in the credit's scene against a black screen, not giving it the showcase it truly deserves with it being the music for the preview of the episode suggesting it was going to play a greater role. Do better Euphoria! Although I will admit the music hey use is always insightfully chosen.

One thing that is constant though in this unstable storyline is the iconic looks of the girls look throughout the season with Maddy, Jules and Kat having the most prominent outfits and makeup. Though Maddy’s wardrobe of theme and color coordinated outfits, is the main thing I anticipate to see each episode with her selection in episode two being truly legendary. Something about appearance that has changed for this season though is the extreme vibrantly beautiful and detailed makeup which although was effortlessly completed by the show's artist Doniella Davy, the more toned-down style for this season fits a lot closer in relations to youth appearance and allow the viewer to resonate more with characters however glam they are. With Davy saying in an interview with CNN Style that 'you know your work is good if it’s invisible’ and due to storylines this season focusing more so on character development it was significant to match the two together. On the other hand, I think one thing that is a mistake though this season so far is how altercating the storylines are because we had just become accustomed to these characters emotional states, and it does not necessarily make sense to completely alter them in some cases even though it does reflect youth.

However, I think it will allow us to see a different side of some of the actors' capabilities with the cast of Euphoria in an interview saying that Maudea Patow who plays Lexi and Austin Abrams who plays Ethan are going to give stellar and surprising performances in comparison to what we have seen before. When it comes to Euphoria, the only thing to be expected is the unexpected and with a setting of a high school in which the students do not even carry bags big enough for books the season could take a wild turn at any moment however it is certain that the close-knit relationship of Cassie and Maddy will meet somewhat of an end.