“Euphoria” is one of the most popular, yet controversial, TV shows of our generation. Episodes of season 2 have dropped over the past several weeks, and each episode has spurred plenty of constructive conversations among teenagers and adults alike. 

The show follows several high school students navigating matters of drugs, trauma, love, and sex while dealing with issues like addiction, gender dysphoria, abusive relationships, and body dysmorphia. Showrunner Sam Levinson, a former drug addict himself, created “Euphoria” to educate audiences upon several teenage topics surrounding mental health and underage drug and alcohol use.

“I want to reiterate to everyone that “Euphoria” is for mature audiences,” executive producer and lead actress Zendaya posted on Instagram. “This season, maybe even more so than the last, is deeply emotional and deals with subject matter that can be triggering and difficult to watch.”

The show has also been praised for its diversity with multiple LGBTQ+ characters and characters of color, opening the door for storylines covering a multitude of issues that belong to those minority groups. 

“Euphoria,” intentionally or not, has acted as a liaison between viewers and non-viewers alike on several topics in the show, informing on what is safe for teenagers to do, what they should be allowed to do, and how to avoid certain substances and situations. 

While tackling so many issues, of course, not everybody can call the show realistic or even remotely similar to their own lives. Actually though, many high schoolers’ lives—or at least some aspects of it—are reflected through the characters shown on screen. Somebody may not be struggling with the outcomes of drug abuse, but that person might be a child of parents going through a divorce, and thus relate to a certain character’s struggles regarding that. That being said, a person does not have to have an extremely similar circumstance with a specific character in order to deem the show relatable. 

Many viewers have also resonated with the same emotional pain, trauma, and violence that main character Rue, played by Zendaya, experiences as a victim of drug addiction and mental illnesses, even if their mental states aren’t exactly the same. Rather than glamorizing drug abuse, the show actually portrays a nuanced perspective on the dangers and consequences of experimenting with opioids and other hard drugs. “Euphoria” has helped those same viewers find comfort and realize that they are not alone in their struggles, validating their experiences and trauma and connecting them to characters with circumstances they can relate to.

“[The show] is a raw and honest portrait of addiction, anxiety, and the difficulties of navigating life today. [However] it is in no way a moral tale to teach people how to live their life or what they should be doing,” Zendaya posted.