Euphoria Season 3 Premiere Controversy Explained: Why Fans Are So Outraged

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The following article contains spoilers for Euphoria season 3, episode 1, “Andale”.

It was almost certain that the third season of Euphoria would spark debate, and the first episode didn’t disappoint. Since the show debuted in 2019, it’s often been controversial, mainly due to its graphic depictions of sex and nudity involving young characters. Despite this, Euphoria has also been widely celebrated for its powerful emotional storytelling and the impressive acting, especially from Zendaya, who has won two Emmys for her portrayal of Rue Bennett, a teenager battling drug addiction.

The third season of Euphoria faced a lot of challenges before it even began filming. Production was delayed due to the sad passing of actor Angus Cloud and executive producer Kevin Turen, as well as reports of disagreements between the show’s creator, Sam Levinson, and star Zendaya. Despite these hurdles, filming finally started in February 2025, and the new season premiered on April 12, 2026 – four years after the season 2 finale in 2022.

The trailer for Euphoria season 3 quickly received negative reactions. The new season jumps forward five years, showing the characters as young adults: Rue is in debt to a drug dealer named Laurie, and Cassie is attempting to gain popularity as an OnlyFans creator. Many viewers felt the new footage was drastically different from previous seasons in both its visual style and storyline, and worried the show had lost the captivating quality that made it popular.

Euphoria Rotten Tomatoes Scores
Season/Special Critics’ Score Audience Score
Euphoria season 1 (2019) 80% 84%
Trouble Don’t Last Always Last (2020 97% 85%
F**k Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob (2021) 96% 84%
Euphoria season 2 (2022) 78% 80%
Euphoria season 3 (2026) 44% 54%

Most people agree the latest season was a disappointment. It received very negative reviews, scoring only 42% on Rotten Tomatoes. Graeme Guttman from ScreenRant criticized the season for its weak character development, and many fans felt the premiere episode was excessively dramatic.

Sydney Sweeney’s OnlyFans Storyline Has Been Labeled A “Humiliation Ritual”

The plotline surrounding Cassie in Euphoria season 3 has received the most criticism so far. In the first episode, Cassie is excited about her wedding, but Nate limits the budget. She decides to earn money on her own through OnlyFans, and fans strongly reacted to how she goes about it.

In a recent episode, Cassie appeared in lingerie with dog-themed accessories and acted like a canine – wagging her tail, drinking from a bowl, and playing with a shoe in her mouth. The storyline quickly sparked a strong reaction online, with many viewers describing it as a “humiliation ritual.” Others labeled it “fetish central” or simply expressed their disgust.

The upcoming season of Euphoria sparked even more debate when a clip from season 3 went viral on its premiere day. The clip showed Sydney Sweeney’s character, Cassie, in a controversial scene involving ageplay, where she was dressed like a baby with a pacifier and pigtails, in a sexually suggestive pose.

The scene sparked even greater controversy than the previous one involving dressing up a dog, leading to widespread moral outrage directed at both Sweeney and Sam Levinson. Some viewers were deeply offended, with one person claiming it was “literally pedophilia” and another demanding a thorough investigation of Sam Levinson’s work.

Despite a lot of criticism online, some viewers pointed out that Euphoria has always featured strong sexual themes. One user on X noted the show is “all about sexual fetishes,” and this is nothing new for the series. It’s also important to remember that ageplay, a specific sexual interest, isn’t the same as pedophilia according to experts at Science Direct.

Some viewers have worried that Sydney Sweeney is being taken advantage of with her character’s provocative storylines, but Sweeney has repeatedly stated she actively collaborates on her character’s development. In a 2025 interview with Empire, she explained that she and the show’s creator, Sam Levinson, constantly push boundaries. She said they enjoy making the scenes even more extreme, describing the current season as completely wild. It seems what viewers have seen of Cassie so far is only a small part of what’s to come.

The Fate Of The Late Angus Cloud’s Fezco Was Not Well-Received

The unexpected death of Angus Cloud in July 2023, from an accidental overdose at just 25 years old, deeply saddened everyone involved with Euphoria – the actors, crew, and fans alike. This sparked a lot of questions and worry about what would happen to his character, Fezco, in the show’s third season.

The first episode reveals that Fezco is in prison, facing a 30-year sentence, likely due to his involvement in the intense SWAT shootout at the end of season two. Creator Sam Levinson felt it was crucial to keep Fezco’s character alive in the show, as he was close to Angus Cloud and had been trying to support him through his personal struggles with addiction.

In an interview with Variety, creator Levinson explained his decision to feature Fezco prominently even after his character’s death. He said, “I had so many scenes of people talking to him on the phone, and I realized that even if I couldn’t save him in the story, I could still keep him present within the show.”

Because the topic was so emotional for viewers, people reacted strongly to what happened to Fezco. Many went to X (formerly Twitter) to say that a long prison sentence felt unfair to both the actor and the character, and that Fezco should have had a positive outcome instead.

There’s still hope for Fezco in the upcoming season 3 of Euphoria. In the first episode, Rue encourages Lexi to call Fez while he’s in prison, mentioning that he misses her. Considering the creator’s comment about scenes featuring characters talking to Fez on the phone, his story might not end tragically, despite what the premiere suggested. Most fans agree that Fezco deserves a positive outcome.

Fans Felt Zendaya Deserved Better Than Being Reduced To A Drug Mule

Okay, so everyone’s been talking about the Sydney Sweeney stuff, but as a big Euphoria fan, I think the real conversation needs to be about Zendaya’s character, Rue. Even before the new season came out, a lot of us were worried about the storyline they were going with – turning Rue into a drug mule just felt…off. It didn’t really fit the character we’d all grown to care about, and honestly, it felt like it was veering into a pretty generic crime drama, which just didn’t feel right for Euphoria.

The show’s unpleasantness reached a boiling point in the third season’s first episode. A scene depicting Rue being forced to smuggle drugs by swallowing multiple large, lubricated balloons to cross the U.S.-Mexico border sparked intense anger. She enlists Faye’s help, and the outcome was as repulsive as many viewers found it.

A user online expressed extreme disgust, claiming Sam Levinson created a scene depicting Zendaya appearing to ingest drugs and then having those substances recycled into food prepared for herself and others. The user strongly implied this content was deeply disturbing and indicative of serious issues with Levinson’s judgment.

Although the controversial scene has upset some viewers, many are even more concerned about Rue’s involvement in drug dealing. The premiere did touch on Cassie’s storyline and briefly showed what Maddy and Lexi are up to with their careers, but the episode largely focused on a strange, *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegasinspired sequence following Rue.

One X user expressed confusion about the direction of Euphoria, noting its shift from a gritty teen drama to something resembling a drug cartel western.

I’m still holding out hope for Euphoria season 3, and honestly, a lot of us fans are counting on Zendaya. Even though many people didn’t love the storyline with all the drug dealing, everyone agreed she was incredible to watch. That final scene in the premiere was especially powerful – her tearful, almost joyful reaction after nearly dying really stuck with me. It was a truly captivating performance.

Despite mixed reactions to the latest season, Zendaya is still the frontrunner to win the Emmy for Best Drama Lead Actress in September. Even if many viewers aren’t thrilled with the new season of Euphoria, Zendaya’s performance is captivating, regardless of the show’s more controversial storylines.

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2026-04-15 01:03