After more than four years away, Euphoria finally returned with its third season on April 12, 2026. The new episodes pick up five years after high school, following Rue Bennett (Zendaya) , Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney) , and the rest of the cast into adulthood. But the premiere did not get a warm welcome. Many fans are now speaking out against what they call disturbing and unnecessary scenes.
The show has always pushed boundaries with its raw look at addiction, relationships, and growing up. Season 3 takes things to a different level. Some viewers say the show has lost its way and now relies too much on shock value rather than meaningful storytelling.
Sydney Sweeney’s Scenes Draw Strong Criticism From Fans
The biggest source of backlash centers on Sydney Sweeney’s character, Cassie. In the season premiere, Cassie is shown creating adult content online to pay for her wedding to Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) . Two specific moments upset viewers the most.
One scene shows Cassie dressed in a dog costume with ears, a collar, and a leash. She poses for photos, drinks water from a bowl, and bites a shoe. When Nate walks in, he pulls her leash and says, “You’ve been a bad, bad dog.” Cassie then smiles and says, “Woof, woof.”
The other scene, shown in a trailer, features Cassie in a baby outfit with pigtails and a pink pacifier while posing suggestively on a couch. This image spread quickly across social media and caused immediate backlash.
Viewers took to X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit to share their anger. One person wrote, “This is so embarrassing even for Jacob. But how Sydney Sweeney can agree to do something like this? It’s like a humiliation ritual.” Another said, “Why did sydney sweeny agree to be in a f***ing baby outfit with a pacifier… this show is a toxic wasteland.”
A third viewer posted, “Dressing up as a baby is crazy this is so gross.” Many called the scenes “disgusting,” “vulgar,” and completely unnecessary for the story.
Show Creator Defends The Controversial Story Choices
Sam Levinson, the creator of Euphoria, has responded to the criticism. He explained that his goal was to add a layer of absurdity to break the wall between the show and the viewers.
“What we wanted to always find is the other layer of absurdity that we’re able to tie into it so that we’re not too inside of her fantasy or illusion—the gag is to jump out, to break the wall.”
His explanation has not calmed the anger from fans. Many still believe the scenes cross a line and serve no real purpose in the story. Neither Sydney Sweeney nor HBO has released an official statement about the backlash at this time.
Zendaya’s Drug Smuggling Plot Also Faces Viewer Disapproval
The backlash is not only about Cassie’s storyline. Zendaya’s character, Rue, now works as a drug mule to pay off a massive debt. The premiere shows Rue and Faye (Chloe Cherry) swallowing balloons filled with fentanyl to smuggle them across the border from Mexico to the United States.
The scene shows the characters gagging, choking, and vomiting while trying to swallow the drugs. Later, a strainer used to collect the drugs from feces is then used to cook pasta. A dog also licks one character’s stained leg.
Fans found these moments hard to watch. One person wrote on X, “I almost throw up watching that pill scene that was so intentionally gross #Euphoria.” Another said, “Euphoria was always provocative but it was never gross. This episode was GROSS.”
A third viewer commented, “Not even 20 minutes into euphoria season 3 and….yeah sam levinson is DISGUSTING.”
Low Ratings and Mixed Reviews Mark The Season Debut
The negative reactions have shown up in the numbers. The season 3 premiere currently holds a 6.8/10 rating on IMDb, making it the lowest-rated episode in the show’s history. For comparison, season 2 has a 78 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, and season 1 has 80 percent. Season 3 sits at only 44 percent.
The Guardian gave the premiere two stars, calling it “desperate and absolutely not worth the wait.” Some fans also said the show does not feel the same anymore. One person posted, “This feels like a completely different show.” Another wrote, “I’m disgusted with this season of Euphoria.”
However, not all reactions were negative. Some viewers appreciated the show’s bold direction. One person said the episode was “entertaining” and “interesting” despite the major tone shift. Another user summarized the chaos with humor: “Rue and Faye are drug mules, Cassie is a right-wing OnlyFans creator, Nate owns a Cybertruck and is failing at his dad’s business, Maddy not getting paid what she deserves, Fez in jail… and we still got 7 weeks to go.”
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Where to Watch Euphoria Season 3
Euphoria season 3 airs weekly on HBO and streams on Max. New episodes release on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT in the United States. For viewers in the UK, episodes are available on Sky and NOW on Mondays. The season has eight episodes total, with new installments coming out each week.
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