HBO’s Euphoria might not be the most relatable show on the block, especially it’s exaggerated depictions of college lives and relationships. However, it’s gripping depiction of teenage addiction comes from a very real place and has been inspired by another series.
The HBO show is very much inspired by an Israeli show of the same name, created by Ron Leshem, who continues to be an executive producer of the HBO version. Although the premises are similar, Levinson brought his own touch and experiences to it, specifically the arc of Rue.
Levinson has not shied away from sharing his painful past. During the show’s June 2019 premiere, he opened up to the audience about his teenage years, as he stated,
“I spent the majority of my teenage years in hospitals, rehabs and halfway houses. Sometime around the age of 16, I resigned myself to the idea that eventually drugs would kill me and there was no reason to fight it. I would let it take me over, and I had made peace with that.”
But something changed when he was 19 and entered rehab. While there, he read a quote that literally saved his life: “In the end we are nothing more than an amalgamation of our actions and that’s ultimately what defines us.” He further talked about his road to recovery and sobriety as he added,
“It really spooked me in a sense that if I were to die today, who would I be? I’m a thief. I’m an addict. I’ve been s—-y to almost every person in my life that I love … There was this voice that was clear as day that said, ‘Stop f—ing doing drugs.’ “
More details about Euphoria
When Euphoria premiered on HBO in June 2019, nobody expected it to become a cultural phenomenon that would dominate social media, influence fashion, and spark conversations about how TV depicts teenage life. The show got obsessed fans. The hashtag #EuphoriaHBO trended number one in the US after the premiere. By Season 2, it became the most tweeted television series of the decade in the US, with over 30 million tweets related to the show, 51% more than Season 1. It became HBO’s second most-watched series ever, behind only Game of Thrones.
Although Euphoria was praised for authenticity and Zendaya’s Emmy-winning performance, it also went on to face serious criticism for its explicit sexual content, drug use depictions, and nudity. Regardless, Euphoria redefined how television portrays the messy, complicated reality of being young.
Edited by Nibir Konwar