Euphoria is a series on HBO Max that is already halfway through its second season. The teen drama series centers around the lives of a group of high school students and the challenges they face as they contend with their identity, relationships, and drugs.
Rather than focus on one main character throughout, the series dedicates each episode to a different character’s backstory. These episodes present a basis for each character’s personality, and how their past and present affect their relationships. One thing that stands out in Euphoria is the relationships between all of the characters, whether it is their family, friends, or romantic partners.
WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Euphoria, now streaming on HBO Max.
10 Best: Jules & Her Dad Have A Close Relationship
When Jules transfers to East Highland High School, it is just her and her dad. Episode 4 of Season 1, “Shook Ones Pt. II,” begins with a flashback to Jules’ childhood. Her mother drives her to an institution and leaves her there, presumably because she disagrees with Jules being trans.
Jules’s mother seems very unsupportive, but Jules’ dad, on the other hand, has a very close relationship with his daughter. The two have family dinners often where they sit and talk, and her dad trusts her when she goes off on her own. It’s really nice to know Jules has someone so supportive at home.
9 Worst: Jules & Nate Would Never Work
Jules finds herself at a party with the students from her new high school. She, unfortunately, is confronted by Nate who is in a mood because he and Maddy are fighting. Nate directs his anger at Jules and gets in her face. He makes a very negative impression on Jules.
Then, while on a gay dating app, Nate finds Jules and romances her, pretending to be a guy named Tyler. When the two finally meet and Jules finds out Tyler is Nate, she is rightly upset. Nate likes Jules, but he’s a jerk to her and threatens her. Even though she is afraid of him, Jules sometimes finds herself thinking about Nate. However, the two would never work out because Nate is despicable and has already treated her so poorly.
8 Best: Fezco & Lexi Are On The Verge Of Something
Lexi is Cassie Howard’s younger sister and is mostly just a passive character in the story. She hangs around Cassie and her friends, but she is not as outgoing or confident as Cassie and doesn’t have any romantic prospects.
That all changes when Lexi finds herself at a party opposite Fezco on a couch. Fezco takes an interest in Lexi and strikes up a conversation, asking her all kinds of questions about herself. The meeting gives Cassie the confidence to go visit him at his store, but when she sees him in person, she gets shy again. Fans are already loving the pairing and hopefully, they won’t have to wait too long to see the pair get together.
7 Worst: Cassie & McKay Are Just Too Immature To Work
Cassie and McKay’s relationship is tainted before it even begins. McKay is unaware of Cassie’s past and her various photos and films online, but his so-called friends quickly bring him up to speed. McKay brings it up from time to time and Cassie acts like she doesn’t know what he is talking about.
Other times McKay shames her for being sexual or dressing sexy. When he makes her feel bad, Cassie runs to another guy and hooks up with him to get back at McKay. When Cassie gets pregnant, that’s when things fall apart. It’s sad because the two seem to really care about one another, but they are just too immature.
6 Best: Fezco Looks Out For Rue Like An Older Brother
When Fezco’s grandfather falls ill, he takes over the family drug business. Rue probably meets Fezco through drugs, but the two have a relationship that extends past a dealer and drug addict. Fezco looks after Rue like he’s her big brother.
There have been many times where Fezco just spots Rue for her drugs. He saves her from being assaulted by Mouse while she is passed out on fentanyl, and he turns her away when she comes around looking for drugs again. It speaks to his character the way he looks after her and how he considers her his family.
5 Worst: Rue Lies To Her Mom & Sister
When Rue overdoses, her sister Gia is the one who finds her and calls paramedics. The incident leaves Gia shaken and afraid for Rue. Through several flashbacks, the tumultuous relationship between Rue, her mother, and her sister is revealed.
Rue lies to both her mother and sister about being clean. She uses a friend’s urine to pass the drug tests her mom gives her. In recent episodes, Rue emotionally manipulates her sister into believing that she is just smoking weed for anxiety, but it’s all just a cover to continue doing other drugs. It’s sad to see the strain that her addiction puts on her family and the turmoil it causes within the family.
4 Best: Suze Is Almost Too Supportive Of Her Daughters
Left by her husband, Suze Howard is raising her two teenage daughters on her own. Suze has her problems, but she has shown that she is a supportive mom, maybe even too supportive at times.
Suze hosts parties at her house and allows her daughters and their underage friends to drink. She also allowed Cassie to go off for the weekend with her boyfriend McKay, trusting her but warning her not to get pregnant. When Cassie did get pregnant, Suze was there for her and supportive of her decision. Suze isn’t perfect, but she is always there for her daughters.
3 Worst: Nate & His Dad Just Don’t Understand Each Other
Nate and his dad Cal have a complicated relationship. At a young age, Nate finds his dad’s private movie collection and it undoubtedly has a major effect on him. Nate begins to resent his dad for living a double life.
Cal pushes Nate to be the best and do his best, but it also seems at times that still isn’t good enough. Nate has a lot of anger inside of him, and Cal remarks that it’s the only thing he knows about his son. Cal telling Nate he is his one regret and then bailing on the family is not going to help their relationship.
2 Best: Cal & Derek Were A Great Match Before Reality Set In
Long before Cal Jacobs grows up to be a successful businessman leading a double life, he is just a regular high school student. Cal is a part of the wrestling team and when he isn’t practicing, he spends most of his free time with his best friend Derek.
Cal is the most comfortable around Derek and they share a lot of the same interests. They realize one night that their connection is much deeper than friendship. Cal and Derek have amazing chemistry but sadly they are not able to explore their relationship. Hopefully, Derek will make an appearance again since Cal has decided to live his truth as a gay man.
1 Worst: Maddy & Nate Are Toxic Together
Maddy set her sights on Nate long before he even noticed her. Idolizing Sharon Stone’s character from the film Casino, Maddy learned how to manipulate Nate into buying her expensive things. She made him feel powerful and confident.
However, Nate has deep-seated anger issues and often takes it out on Maddy. After she upsets him at the festival, he grabs her by the neck, leaving a massive bruise. Maddy is afraid of Nate, but at the same time, she still loves him and is drawn in by the darkness. The two are constantly fighting, breaking up, and trying to make each other jealous. Their relationship is toxic and dangerous.
About The Author
