As with the close-up of Rue’s sobriety spiral after Jules’ departure in “Problems don’t always last, ” EuphoriaThe latest special episode zooms in all the way, avoiding the plot for the sake of careful character study. This time, Jules is in the spotlight. We don’t see exactly what happened when Jules left Rue on that platform in the season one finale. We rather see the aftermath. The episode usually takes place during a therapy session, where Jules speaks in a monologue about gender, family, love, self-image, self-harm and more. The script is overly costly at times, but it all comes together because of the powerhouse that is Hunter Schafer. She puts on an indelible performance throughout, making for a very memorable and special episode of television.
The episode literally stays very close to Jules, much of it unfolds in very long shots of Jules talking through her feelings in close-up. Some of these feelings pertain to her gender and sexuality: She is considering quitting some of her hormones because she feels like she made so many of her decisions in life based on making herself attractive to men. Some of these feelings relate to her mother, an addict with whom she is not really in a relationship. Many of these feelings pertain to Rue. All these things touch each other. Jules expresses his anger at Rue for making her sobriety dependent on Jules’ availability for her. She doesn’t realize at first that she’s talking about Rue the way she talks about her mother. Her therapist should point it out. Those little moments really make this feel like a real and intensely penetrating therapy session. Jules talks as if she knows exactly what she’s feeling, but sometimes she can’t see what’s right in front of her.
The episode’s direction is a bit more flashy than “Trouble Don’t Always Last,” but there is still a level of reticence that isn’t really seen in most of the show’s first season. Therapy session withdrawals are fluid and dynamic. “No girl had ever looked at me like Rue,” Jules says, seeing Rue’s face from her perspective. Even the scene lighting feels intimate and warm. Euphoria is so good at evoking specific feelings, and this Jules-centric episode really feels like a deep dive into the character’s inwardness.
T.The more reality-bending parts of the episode work quite well, leaning against some Euphoriait’s over-the-top aesthetic, but deeply rooted in the emotional story. Jules finds herself in some kind of gruesome landscape when she remembers sexting with ‘Tyler’, who was actually Nate catfishing her. She created a fantasy when she was sexting him, and that fantasy is broken by reality. A reality in which Nate tried to hurt her. The episode transforms into a highly stylized sequence that relies on a pulsating score and dance-like blocking. But it still feels deeply rooted in character, drenched in tangible emotion, and creates a sense of fear and confusion.
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We also literally see one of Jules’ nightmares play out, and it’s in stark contrast to the fantasy life that Rue envisioned for her and Jules in New York. Rue’s addiction deeply affects Jules, especially because of her relationship with her mother. In the same way Euphoria Lends so much empathy to Rue’s experiences as an addict, this episode looks at all the challenges that come with being an addict’s support system and being intimate with someone struggling with addiction. We see it in the way Jules thinks of her mother, and we see it in the way she interacts with Rue. The two share so much. They have so much love for each other, but that love gives and is needed. There is so much concern in the scene of Rue administering Jules’ shots. And then there is so much destruction in Jules’ nightmare that Rue is unable to open the door. Their dynamism remains the strongest part of the show, but it’s especially fascinating how difficult it is to define. The romance between them is just as moving as the conflict between them. Jules and Rue are devastating and enchanting.
While not much happens in this episode, a lot is happening at the character level. “I want to be as beautiful as the ocean”, Jules muses at one point. This thought drags on to memories of her grandmother, a contemplation on femininity, a touch of spirituality with a trans lens. It is interspersed with pictures of Jules in the ocean. It’s beautiful, but there’s also an intentional mess. It is reminiscent of Angela Chase’s free-flowing monologues in My so-called life, and Hunter Schafer is as compelling as a teenage girl full of contradictions and complexity as Claire Danes in that role. Watching the episode feels like reading Jules’ diary. It feels like you are getting an unfiltered, organic and intricate look into her psyche. Her thoughts weave between so many different important moments and memories from her life, but it’s all connected. Euphoria keeps us so deeply rooted in Jules’ perspective that it’s easy to follow her from one point to another.
Again, this couldn’t really work if Schafer wasn’t so talented and mastered the material. The dialogue on Euphoria can at times feel so deliberately poetic that it almost looks like stilted or arched. That’s true sometimes in “Fuck Anyone Who’s Not A Sea Blob”, but it’s also one of the strongest written episodes of the entire series. Sam Levinson is usually the only credit for episodes, but this time he shares a credit for co-writing with Schafer, making her the standout star of this episode on multiple levels. The script is a quiet yet powerful stream of awareness that captivates. We see Jules moving between so many different emotions, desires and perceptions of herself. It’s the right kind of mess-mess that feels deeply human. Euphoria makes Jules brim with contradictions. Her monologues have specificity but also manage to touch so many things at once. The writing does a lot with a little bit, and it isn’t Euphoria‘s usual speed.
Stray observations
- All prices for Hunter Schafer please! Make her write more episodes too, because this script is really great!
- I really wasn’t sure how I would feel about this episode as I tend to hate any television that does therapy sessions, but this one actually feels like a pretty believable therapy session.
- Zendaya and Hunter Schafer onscreen together are just that good.