This review contains minor spoilers for Euphoria Season 3 Episode 1.
After a long absence, Euphoria returns with a premiere that immediately signals a shift, and not in a subtle way either. Episode 1 does not ease viewers back into its world. It drops its characters into unstable new realities and expects you to adjust. It feels like a show that has moved past adolescence, but has not fully settled into what comes next.
The most obvious change is where everyone has ended up. Rue (Zendaya) is now working as a drug mule, already placing her in a far more dangerous position than before. What stands out is that she does not feel constantly on edge. At times, she seems lighter, almost at peace, even funny again in a way that feels familiar. But it never fully lasts. There is still something underneath it all, shaping the tone whether the episode wants it to or not. Zendaya holds that balance together. Even when the episode starts to drift, she keeps Rue grounded and present.
Away from Rue, everything feels more scattered. Lexi (Maude Apatow) is working on a film set, which should feel like progress, but instead creates distance. Maddy (Alexa Demie) has moved into influencer management and public relations, a world built on control and image. It suits her, but also feels slightly disconnected. Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) and Nate (Jacob Elordi) are still together and now engaged, and the longer you sit with it the more performative it feels.
Nate is trying to keep his father’s business afloat, while Cassie is building this very specific version of their future, even turning to OnlyFans just to fund a wedding that already feels like it’s on shaky ground. Even the absences say a lot. Jules (Hunter Schafer) is mentioned as a sugar baby, which quietly shows how far removed she is from Rue now. Fez (Angus Cloud) has a more final update, with the reveal that he is serving 30 years in prison.
What Episode 1 makes clear is that Euphoria is no longer interested in the same kind of storytelling. Earlier seasons would sit in moments and let them breathe. Here, everything feels bigger, but also less focused. The episode moves quickly between storylines, sometimes too quickly, creating a constant sense of disorientation. It feels intentional, but that does not mean it always works.
At times, it pushes too far.
Some of the more intense sequences do not fully land, and it is not about what is happening, but how long the show chooses to stay there. The scene with Rue and Faye (Chloe Cherry) swallowing balloons filled with drugs is the clearest example. It lingers. The close-ups become tighter and more uncomfortable, and after a while the point is already clear, but the scene keeps going. It stops feeling tense and begins to feel excessive. That same feeling carries into other moments.
The episode leans into heightened, almost surreal beats. Sometimes they work. Sometimes they do not. There are points where it feels more focused on pushing boundaries than knowing when to step back. This is not a safe return to Euphoria. It is messy, uneven, and occasionally loses its footing. But it is never boring. There is always something pulling your attention back, even when it feels like it is doing too much.
Zendaya is what keeps the episode from slipping completely. Even when the structure feels loose or the pacing becomes uneven, she keeps Rue grounded in something that still feels consistent. What stands out this time is that Rue is actually… okay. Or at least, she seems it. She feels lighter, more present, and genuinely funny again, and the humour lands. It does not feel forced or out of place. It feels like a version of her that has been missing.
That does not mean everything underneath has disappeared. There are still moments where it shows, in smaller reactions, in hesitation, or when the situation around her becomes too real. It is not overwhelming, but it is there. And that balance is what Zendaya gets right. Rue is not falling apart, but she is not entirely stable either. She sits somewhere in between, and it never feels exaggerated.
More than anything, Zendaya keeps you with her. Even when the episode itself feels scattered, Rue does not.
Visually, Euphoria feels bigger, maybe more polished, but also slightly more distant. It moves quickly and does not always give moments the same space they used to have. Whether that works will depend on how the season develops, because right now it still feels like it is finding its rhythm. As an opener, Episode 1 feels less like a reintroduction and more like a reset. A lot is being set up, but not everything lands yet. It is bold, but also a bit all over the place.
Still, even with that, it is hard to look away from. And that has always been one of Euphoria’s biggest strengths.
