Euphoria. Everyone's heard of it. Most are watching it. Its shocking, gritty, and really nice to look at. The critical acclaim this ground-breaking show has garnered is well deserved.
From Zendaya's repeatedly amazing performances, to Labrinth's moody soundtrack, Euphoria ticks all the boxes for audiences and gets great ratings to reflect this. But which episodes have scored the highest? Here we will go through the six with the strongest reactions according to IMDb. Every episode of HBO Max's two-season extravaganza has scored above 8/10, which is a feat in itself, and surely season three will continue the success.
6 You Who Cannot See, Think of Those Who Can - Season 2, Episode 4
- 8.6/10
Coming in at number 6 is 'You Who Cannot See, Think of Those Who Can', the middle episode of season two. Starting off with a scene of Rue imagining herself and Jules as various artistic couples, the episode plunges into drama quickly - with Jules and Elliot nearly getting it on while Rue is in the next room.
From there, it flicks to Maddy's doomed birthday party, where Cassie throws up in the hot tub. And then we see Cal, Nate's dad, go on a bender and then get into some trouble. He gets kicked out of a bar and then comes home to... urinate on the floor and tell his family how he really thinks of them. From top to bottom this episode is action-packed and full of drama, earning it its rating.
5 Ruminations: Big And Little Bullys - Season 2, Episode 3
- 8.7/10
Some say that season two was not as strong as the first, and that it 'dropped off'. This episode is just before that apparently happened, though all the ratings are so high on iMDB that it is hard to tell. 'Ruminations: Big and Little Bullys' sees some key events happen. Rue, while consistently high, decides it is a great idea to enter into a business partnership with Laurie. The same Laurie that threatens to sell her if she messes around.
Drugs - sorry, friendship - brings together Elliot and Jules via Rue. Which is a questionable decision as it doesn't lead to anything good down the line, but for now, they're friends. Other than that, we see Cassie's slide into obsessive behavior; she wakes up at 5am every day to start a huge beauty regime, all to try and get Nate's attention back onto her. All the while Lexi is busy furiously working on her masterpiece play.
4 The Theater And Its Double - Season 2, Episde 7
- 9.0/10
This episode is Lexi's play. The incredibly built-up and anticipated event that viewers and characters alike have been looking forward to since the beginning of season two. So, why was it so good?
Lexi's play was cheeky, funny, and absolutely daring. Somehow none of the characters guessed what it was about until quite far into it, despite them having scenes of their life literally played out before them on stage. The casting, costumes and scenery were completely unreal for a high-school play, but aside from that, it was a jolly good show. Nate stormed out as the homo-erotic locker room scene played out, followed by Cassie, who then gave her best Kubrick stare while heavily breathing on the auditorium doors. She has fully snapped. You go Cassie.
3 Shook Ones Pt II - Season 1, Episode 4
- 9.1/10
Part-way through season one, Rue is currently clean, and this episode follows her and the main characters at the towns' fun fair for the evening. Some light drama occurs in 'Shook Ones Pt II' (by the way, there is no part one); Kat sees Ethan talk to another girl and takes it the wrong way, leading to her sleeping with someone working the fair.
Elsewhere, Cassie and McKay are having some issues, so Cassie ventures out to have some fun on her own - which would later be immortalized in Lexi's questionable play. There's also some issues involving Nate's family. Cal, his dad, bumps into Jules, and they have a mature chat. But then Maddy decides to push over the families chili and call them some profane terms, leading to Nate choking her - a nail in the coffin of their relationship.
2 Trying To Get To Heaven Before They Close The Door - Season 2, Episode 1
- 9.2/10
'Trying to Get to Heaven Before They Close The Door' - the beginning of season two- is at a New Years' Party. What could go wrong with a load of hormonal teenagers? If previous episodes are anything to go by, then a lot.
The episode focuses on Fezco's backstory, opening in a strange, 70s looking flashback that shows his upbringing by his grandma, and their introduction to Ashtray. This segues into Fezco meeting Lexi, and getting on well with her: a wholesome moment in the chaos. This is only brief and is not to last as Rue meets Elliot for the first time, and literally nearly dies while they take drugs together. Meanwhile, Nate and Cassie are hooking up in the bathroom, where Cassie must hide to avoid Maddy. All hell breaks loose a little later when Fezco beats Nate Jacobs up in front of everything - a move that had viewers massively on his side and were glad to see Nate get some sort of karma.
1 Stand Still Like The Hummingbird - Season 2, Episode 5
- 9.6/10
The highest rated episode of Euphoria (so far at least) is 'Stand Still Like The Hummingbird'. Everything comes crashing down in this pivotal, mid-season fiasco. This episode sees the intervention between Rue and her family, Jules, and Elliot - after they tell her mother that she's relapsed. This is followed by a fantastic and emotional performance by Zendaya, showing true pain and panic.
Rue however, runs, and ends up at Cassie and Lexi's house. The drama does not end here, though. In an attempt to run again after her mother is called, Rue drops Cassie in it by revealing in front of everyone that she is sleeping with Nate. Rue then runs to Laurie's (the drug dealer) house, while Maddie lays into Cassie. By the way, that locked door in Laurie's house? There are faint clawing sounds coming from it - hence why Rue runs away again. Cassie meanwhile has completely dropped her hardcore act, and crumples immediately. Again, the emotional and believable performances make this episode.