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‘Euphoria’ Finally Showed The Dark Reality Of Drug Addiction

"This episode had me holding my breathe every 3 seconds".

by Millie Roberts  8 February 2022
Euphoria Drugs

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After years of criticism, Season 2’s withdrawal episode of Euphoria finally depicts the downside of hard drug addiction.

— Warning: Minor spoilers for ‘Euphoria’ ahead. — 

The hit show has been slammed over the last season and a half for romanticising youth drug use, most recently, with US group Drug Abuse Resistance Education recently slamming the show.

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​​“It is unfortunate that HBO, social media, television program reviewers, and paid advertising have chosen to refer to the show as ‘groundbreaking,’ rather than recognising the potential negative consequences on school-age children who today face unparalleled risks and mental health challenges,” said D.A.R.E last month.

Recent episode ‘Stand Still Like the Hummingbird’ addresses these concerns head on. Protagonist Rue, who has somehow largely avoided her relapse being noticed by those around her, has finally flown too close to the sun. Between her enormous debt to an insidious drug dealer, a debilitating comedown, and all her primary relationships left in lurch — Rue is in unprecedented deep shit.

The Kids Aren’t Alright

“You’re not a good person, Rue,” her mother Leslie tells her while she scans her eyes for remorse during an intense standoff, while Rue stares back in search of any sign of fear or weakness — an opening to manipulate the confiscated drugs back into her orbit.

The chilling episode opens in the middle of a confrontation between the pair and youngest sibling Gia, as they learn how far down Rue has spiralled again into addiction. With her hefty supply of narcotics flushed down the toilet, she lashes out at her family, springing between aggression, negotiation, and collapsed despair.

After kicking down a door, Rue learns she’s been betrayed by both her girlfriend and best friend. Jules and Elliott have not only turned her in to her to Leslie out of desperation and love, but have also now seen Rue at her darkest. “You are fucking dead to me,” she hurls at Jules, who shakes her head back with a quiver in response.

“You know I have a lot of regrets in my life ,” she continued, unclear how much is the absence of drugs speaking, and versus the pits of her deep subconscious. “But I got to tell you Jules, meeting you has got to be at the top of my fucking list.”

After repressing the emotional damage of Jules abandoning her at the end of Season 1, Rue finally lashes out with her true feelings, leaving the fate of their relationship dangling from a thread.

Down The Rabbit Hole

The episode has been applauded for its accurate portrayal of how drug addiction is felt by family and friends, captured by Zendaya’s incredible performance, which is predicted to land the actress a second Emmy in the role. Rue outruns intervention after intervention: hurling herself onto oncoming traffic to avoid rehab, evading police after robbing a house for pawn fodder, and escaping a dangerous drug den in the early hours of the morning.

The eventful 24 hours saw Rue further isolate herself from her high school friends, after outing Cassie’s affair with best friend Maddy’s ex Nate, attempting to steal Fez’s grandmother’s pills, and pushing away Jules and Elliott.  With nowhere left to turn after many back-to-back, grating exploits, Rue nervously succumbs to IV morphine to ease the pain — a new low after admitting she’s never shot up before.

After a slow episode last week, and fans starting to question if the season could hold up to its predecessor, Episode 5 was a slap in the face. Finally, the Euphoria we know and love is back.