#Euphoria special episode 2 series#

Though the minimalism of the episode is mostly a result of limited production during Covid-19, it feels more like a narrative choice. Zendaya and Domingo’s performances are compelling, keeping viewers constantly engaged despite the simplistic plot line. The dim lighting of the diner matches its dark topics of drugs, loss and the ugliness of our Capitalist world. There’s nothing Christmassy about this episode, that’s for sure. The brutal nature of Ali’s truth-telling, matched with his sincerity and desire to do good, force Rue into facing reality-facing the future-instead of taking the easy way out and giving up altogether. Religion, family and mental illness are all apparent in Ali’s search for meaning and direction-both in his life and Rue’s. He exposes the selfish compulsion of addiction whilst motivating sobriety as a higher purpose. That said, Ali attempts to consolidate her moral values-however deep they are buried-and bring them to light, instigating a small shred of hope for her future. An ex-junkie himself, Ali doesn’t hold back with the harsh truths about addiction-the way it changes you, and ultimately turns you “into a piece of shit”. The subsequent hour barely moves from this setting, listening in on her conversation with sponsor Ali (Colman Domingo) over pancakes on Christmas Eve.īleary-eyed and run down, Rue gives herself up to Ali in an honest interrogation of her soul. After opening to an optimistically dream-like sequence of Rue and Jules in New York, we snap back to Rue’s reality-crushing and sniffing pills in a diner bathroom. Picking up where we left off, Rue has fallen back into the grip of drug addiction-her relationship with Jules (Hunter Schafer) having failed and left her wanting.

Part 1 of the “Special Episode”-acting as a bridge between seasons-is dedicated to Euphoria’s main character, Rue, played by Zendaya.

#Euphoria special episode 2 series#

2 Shares Part 1: Trouble Don’t Always Lastįollowing the glitter and glamour of Sam Levinson’s drama series Euphoria is a stripped-down one-off episode, exploring the shows core themes.