Sam Levinson is once more under the microscope as “Euphoria’s” third season draws backlash for its increasingly provocative tone.
While the HBO hit has long been credited to Levinson’s creative vision, online critics are actually questioning what he has “uniquely” delivered to the series, with some arguing the show’s impact has been driven more by its forged than its creator.
The renewed debate comes as viewers take issue with a noticeable spike in explicit scenes this season.
After a four-year wait, Season 3 of “Euphoria” finally premiered earlier this month, but as a substitute of universal praise, the response has been noticeably muted.
The lukewarm reception has sparked a fresh wave of debate around creator Levinson, with some fans now questioning what he actually contributes to the HBO hit beyond the performances of its breakout stars, including Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, and Sydney Sweeney.
On Reddit, one widely shared post called out what it described as increasingly questionable creative decisions, including graphic themes, fetish-driven elements, and the handling of female characters. The post went on to pose a pointed query that’s now gaining traction amongst viewers, saying, “What are iconic things about ‘Euphoria’ that may be credited to Sam Levinson?”
Others Credit Levinson For ‘Euphoria’s’ Core Identity
While criticism has dominated much of the conversation, not everyone agrees with the growing skepticism around Levinson’s role in “Euphoria.”
The Reddit thread quickly full of counterpoints from fans who argued that the show’s success can’t be separated from its creator. In reality, several users pointed to Levinson’s unique position because the series’s only author.
“For higher or worse, he’s the only author. Any storyline or quote/dialogue that’s change into iconic was written by him. Anything a couple of character that resonates with people, beyond what they appear like and the way they deliver lines, was written by him,” one other user noted.
Season 3’s Provocative Shift Fuels Fresh Criticism Of Sam Levinson
Beyond the controversy over creative credit, Levinson has also come under fire for what many viewers see as a pointy increase in provocative content in “Euphoria” Season 3.
Much of the criticism has centered on Sydney Sweeney’s Cassie Howard, whose storyline veers toward the specific as she ventures into adult content creation.
Viewers have taken particular issue with the framing of a few of these moments, arguing that the show leans too heavily into shock value. On social media, critics have accused Levinson of blurring the road between storytelling and sensationalism, with some claiming the creative direction risks turning exploitative.
Sydney Sweeney Backlash Grows Over ‘Euphoria’ Scenes
The conversation hasn’t been limited to Levinson alone. Sweeney has also faced criticism from some viewers who questioned her decision to tackle increasingly explicit scenes in Season 3.
Nonetheless, her past comments suggest she has been fully comfortable with the creative process. In a 2022 interview, the actress made it clear that Levinson never pressured her into doing anything she wasn’t on board with.
“There are moments where Cassie was alleged to be shirtless, and I might tell Sam, ‘I don’t really think that’s mandatory here.’ He was like, ‘Okay, we don’t need it,’” Sweeney recalled, per the Each day Mail.
She also once said that she encouraged Levinson to lean further into her character’s already heightened emotional state. That move may help explain the more extreme direction Cassie takes in the newest season.
Sam Levinson Breaks Silence On Controversial ‘Euphoria’ Dog Scene
After largely staying quiet amid the backlash, Levinson has a minimum of addressed one in every of Season 3’s most talked-about moments, the scene during which Sweeney’s character is styled like a dog.
Chatting with The Hollywood Reporter, Levinson explained that the scene was never meant to exist purely for shock value, but fairly to focus on a deeper layer of absurdity inside Cassie’s storyline.
“[Cassie] has got her dog house and her little dog ears and the nose, and that has its own humor,” he said. “But what makes the scene is the incontrovertible fact that her housekeeper is the one filming it.”
Levinson added that the intention was to tug viewers out of the character’s fantasy, fairly than fully immerse them in it.