Season 3 of the hit HBO Max series Euphoria has officially returned, bringing with it both familiar faces and a new wave of intense, controversial content. While the show’s third season is greeted with excitement from the cast and crew, fans have been divided, with some feeling that the series has crossed a line in terms of how dark and gruesome it has become. One particular scene has stood out, not just for its shocking content, but also for the way the cast and crew responded to it. Chloe Cherry, who plays Faye in the new season, took center stage in a moment that left everyone, from the crew to the viewers, reeling.
In this season, Euphoria continues to explore the complicated lives of its characters, including Rue (played by Zendaya), who is struggling with addiction, and her unlikely friend Faye, a heroin addict. As the story progresses, Rue and Faye become entangled in a dangerous situation, where they are forced to help their drug dealer smuggle fentanyl across the American border. In one of the season’s most chilling scenes, the two characters are tasked with swallowing small balloons filled with white powder in an attempt to get the drugs past border security.
The scene, which involves both Rue and Faye gagging and sometimes vomiting as they try to swallow the balloons, is both uncomfortable and disturbing. Chloe Cherry, in an interview with Metro, recalled the intense direction given to her by the show’s creator, Sam Levinson, during the filming of the scene. Levinson asked her to emphasize just how “disgusting” it would truly be if someone were to swallow balloons filled with fentanyl. “I need this scene to really show how disgusting it would actually be if you were to swallow balloons filled with fentanyl and how disgusted you would actually be,” she was told. Levinson pushed her to “really, really, really, really need” her to amplify the disgust in her performance.
Cherry, always up for the challenge, delivered. The scene, which involved intense physical reactions, was one of the most unsettling in the show’s history. When the shooting finally came to an end, the entire crew, who had watched the scene unfold with a mix of disgust and awe, stood up and applauded Chloe Cherry’s dedication and ability to make the audience feel the intensity of the situation. “When we stopped shooting, everybody clapped. I’m not even kidding, the whole crew clapped for me. They were so amazed at how disgusting I made that scene,” she shared.
However, not all reactions were as positive. Fans of Euphoria, known for their passionate engagement with the show, took to social media to express their discomfort with the scene. While the crew was impressed by Cherry’s performance, viewers on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) were less forgiving. Many fans began to criticize the show’s shift toward darker and more disturbing content, with some declaring Euphoria “dead.” One viewer tweeted, “At what point did Euphoria go from Euphoria to Breaking Bad?” Another user commented, “I don’t know if I’m watching an episode of Euphoria or Narcos.” One particularly vocal fan described the scene as “nasty as hell omg,” clearly appalled by the visual and emotional intensity of the moment.
The backlash didn’t stop there. Another scene from the first episode of the season also drew considerable criticism. In this moment, Cassie, played by Sydney Sweeney, is seen attempting to make money by posting provocative and degrading content online. She is introduced in a scene where she wears a brown corset, doggy ears, and a collar with a leash, pretending to be a dog. This bizarre and humiliating display has caused fans to voice concerns about the show’s direction, with many calling it a “humiliation ritual.”
Despite the mixed reactions, Euphoria has always been known for its boundary-pushing content and its unapologetic exploration of difficult topics, such as addiction, identity, and trauma. The new season’s darker tone seems to reflect the show’s ongoing evolution, as it moves further into uncharted and sometimes uncomfortable territory. For some, the discomfort is part of the show’s appeal — a visceral, raw exploration of the most unflinching aspects of human existence. For others, however, it feels like a bridge too far, with some even wondering whether the series has lost the very essence that made it so compelling in the first place.
The controversy surrounding Season 3 of Euphoria is only just beginning, and it remains to be seen how the show will evolve as it continues to push the envelope. One thing is for sure: the cast, particularly Chloe Cherry and Sydney Sweeney, will continue to bring their A-game, even if it means shocking, unsettling, and sometimes repelling their audience. For those who can stomach the intense subject matter, Euphoria remains a bold and unflinching look at the complexities of life, love, and addiction. For others, the series may have lost its initial magic, its original sense of euphoria, in favor of something far darker.
