{"id":1964823,"date":"2026-05-31T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-30T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1964823"},"modified":"2026-05-31T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-30T21:00:00","slug":"wonderland-207","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1964823","title":{"rendered":"Wonderland"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\tWonderland<\/span>
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\n\t\t\tSO WHAT WAS ACTUALLY GOOD ABOUT EUPHORIA?<\/span>
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As Sam Levinson\u2019s polarising drama comes to a close, we take a look back at what made Euphoria<\/em> the cult series it has become.<\/h3>\n
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Defending Euphoria<\/em> in 2026 is opening yourself to social shunning \u2014 raised eyebrows, judgemental eyes, and a line of questioning delivered in such a vehement manner you\u2019d think you were facing a firing squad. And yes, some critiques are entirely valid. Why is it that, this season, every female character\u2019s plotline revolves around sex work? Why did Nate Jacobs\u2019 entire screen time consist of yelling, grunting, and losing digits? Why is it seemingly impossible for show creator Sam Levinson to finish a plotline?<\/p>\n

When Euphoria<\/em> first premiered in 2019, it quickly garnered comparisons to the British Bristol-based teen series of a decade prior Skins<\/em> for its raw, at times scandalous, but always scarily honest depiction of teenagehood \u2013 and for good reason. The protagonist, Rue Bennett who struggles with addiction after the untimely passing of her father, finds herself surrounded by her high school friends and foes who are just about, or if not equally, for a lack of a better word, as fucked up as she is.<\/p>\n

If the harrowing plot of the series wasn\u2019t enough to entice you, then it was the stellar production with a deep-seated care for aesthetics and cinematography that entrances you \u2013 the type you\u2019d expect for an indie short film with a mysterious angel investor more than an HBO blockbuster. There was also the cast consisting of Zendaya and Jacob Elordi, who saw their careers being propelled out of the so-called Disney teeny-bop era into Hollywood megadom, as well as Hunter Schafer, Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, Barbie Ferreira, Maude Apatow, Storm Reid, and Angus Cloud. And to tie it all together, the musical genius that is Labrinth, who scored the first two seasons into a near-perfect universe of teenage drama.<\/p>\n

This latest season, on the other hand, jumps into the future. Euphoria <\/em>high is no longer, and we find our beloved band of teenagers all grown up \u2013 as much as you can be five years after graduation, although we\u2019re sure more than a fair few didn\u2019t actually take part in the robe and cap ceremony. At best, season 3 feels like a narcos spin off of the original show. Rue finally finds herself paying for the consequences of that lost suitcase, and all the other characters feel like askew puzzle pieces being forced onscreen to fit the same plotline. But despite it all, I am still a Euphoria<\/em> stan.<\/p>\n

So in honour of the nail finally being wedged into the show\u2019s coffin, Wonderland<\/em> has rounded up a list of what made the show the somewhat, sometimes beloved, always full-heartedly defended teen drama that it is. Keep reading below\u2026<\/p>\n

20. Rosal\u00eda\u2019s neck brace\u2026 and eyebrows<\/strong><\/p>\n

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If there\u2019s one good thing to come out of the third instalment of this show, it\u2019s Rosal\u00eda\u2019s getup, an assured hit come time for October\u2019s costume festivities.<\/p>\n

19. Jules\u2019 bicycle<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Our sustainable queen, even when wheeling through the streets of American suburbia to meet an internet stranger more than twice her age.<\/p>\n

18. Vape girl<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Has there ever, in the history of teen drama, been a funnier comedic relief side character known for her nicotine-fueled affliction than her character name?<\/p>\n

17. The rotating room scene<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Upon first watching Euphoria<\/em>, this specific scene was a major turning point (excuse the pun). It became clear that the show\u2019s depiction of the troubles of its characters far beyond exceeded the execution of any of its predecessors \u2013 thoughtful, thorough, and genre-defying.<\/p>\n

16. The Halloween costumes<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Here is where Euphoria <\/em>feels at its strongest: in its deeply driven character study in balance with precise aesthetic execution. Each costume is a representation of its wearer, and even reveals slightly more than what was probably desired: Rue and Joules as Baz Luhrmann Romeo + Juliet<\/em>, star-crossed lovers ill-fated by their initials; Cassie as Alabama Whitman, the bubbly and physically appealing star of True Romance<\/em>, and she knows it; Kat as the mute Thana from Ms.45<\/em> whose less-than-desirable experience with men leads her to murdering them in cold blood; Lexi as the beloved, chill painter Bob Ross, which, as her mother points out, is a costume that defies the Mean Girls<\/em> rule of Halloween dressing;\u00a0 Maddy as Iris from Taxi Driver<\/em>, an objectified yet controlling character; and Nate as a prisoner, practically putting a middle finger up to all of those who were praying for his downfall following his physical altercation with Maddy.<\/p>\n

15. Rue\u2019s manic detective episode\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Rue\u2019s diagnosis is never crystal clear. Afterall, the beauty of Euphoria<\/em> lies in its ambivalent nature. But assuming she suffered from symptoms of bipolar disorder is most likely a safe bet, especially after the detective episode where her manic and obsessive tendencies lend themselves to a 1940s golden age of film noir segment.<\/p>\n

14. The humour<\/strong><\/p>\n