Euphoria Is No Longer the Anointed One

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Four years ago, Zendaya won her second Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama for her role in Euphoria. The Emmys were a big success for the show, which explores difficult themes like drug addiction and violence in a high school setting. Euphoria received a total of 16 nominations and won five Creative Arts Emmys, making it the second most-nominated drama series (behind Succession) and one of the biggest winners overall, surpassed only by The White Lotus. Because of this success, many expected Euphoria to be a strong contender for several awards when its third season began this spring.

When the new episodes finally started airing, the response was… underwhelming, to say the least. Critics weren’t shy about it – The Atlantic said it felt like a pale imitation of what it used to be, and Variety went as far as to call it fanfiction. Even Time pointed out how predictable every storyline was, relying on tired old clichés. My coworker Roxana Hadadi put it perfectly: it looked stunning, but felt completely empty. The Emmys often lag behind the curve – we’ve seen shows nominated for years after everyone’s lost interest (like This Is Us and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) – but I have a feeling this season of Euphoria is so disappointing, it might finally knock the show off its Emmys pedestal.

From the start, Euphoria quickly became one of the most talked-about shows on television. Its first season was both controversial – dealing with topics like sex, drugs, and sexting – and critically acclaimed. It appeared on “Best of 2019” lists from publications like Vogue, Esquire (which hailed it as the best portrayal of post-9/11 youth on TV), and GQ (which predicted future EGOT status for Zendaya), as well as here at Vulture. Despite increasing criticism in 2022 regarding potentially unsafe working conditions on set, the show continued to attract a large audience. By the end of its second season, Euphoria had become HBO’s second most-watched series since 2004, surpassed only by Game of Thrones.

Honestly, what’s really disappointing about the reaction to Euphoria‘s third season – and what could seriously hurt its chances at the Emmys – isn’t just that the new episodes aren’t as good as before. It’s that the show feels completely different, like it’s lost its way. After a five-year jump, Rue is now involved in dangerous drug smuggling, Jules is navigating a life as a sugar baby, Lexi and Maddy are trying to make it in the entertainment world, and Nate and Cassie are heading towards a disastrous wedding. One critic put it perfectly: these aren’t the characters we fell in love with. Instead of feeling like real people, they’ve become symbols. It feels like the creator is using them to explore big ideas – the dangers of fentanyl, the excess of wealth, the complexities of sex work, the dark side of the American dream – but without the depth and subtlety that made the first seasons so compelling. He’s turned them into these huge concepts, and frankly, it’s not working.

It’s not uncommon for a hit show to decline in quality and lose recognition, as evidenced by past Emmy snubs. For example, Desperate Housewives saw its Emmy nominations drop significantly after a promising first season, particularly after a new family was poorly integrated into the show. Similarly, the critically acclaimed first season of True Detective was followed by a second season that received overwhelmingly negative reviews and was largely ignored by Emmy voters.

The appeal of Euphoria for awards voters wasn’t just about the show itself, but also what it symbolized. It was a modern, edgy teen drama, fitting the HBO brand with its mature themes of sex, drugs, and questionable choices. The show depicted a particularly dark side of high school life, focusing on characters struggling with addiction and even sex work. The season two finale was especially intense, cutting between a school play and a dangerous federal investigation involving key characters. The rising stardom of Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi has further cemented Euphoria‘s reputation as a groundbreaking and influential series that understands young audiences.

Hollywood has been through a lot in the four years since the second season of Euphoria aired. The writers’ and actors’ strikes, fewer shows being made, and devastating wildfires in Southern California have all taken their toll. Plus, ownership of Warner Bros. (including HBO) changed hands, and the rise of artificial intelligence poses a new threat to creative jobs. As a result, anxiety is much higher than ever before.

Euphoria, in some ways, embodies the issues that led to this situation. It’s a show largely created by one person, Sam Levinson, who wrote every episode and directed most of them, without a traditional writers’ room. This approach led to long waits between seasons and production problems. While these things were once just topics for discussion, now they could cost the show Emmy wins. According to one Emmy voter, the third season of Euphoria simply hasn’t been strong enough to overcome those concerns. Despite decent ratings, voters don’t see it as a serious contender for awards.

A key reason The Pitt won an Emmy last year was its longer season – a full 15 episodes – and the fact that it was produced in Los Angeles, offering consistent work for the crew. That remains a big draw this year, and strongly suggests The Pitt is still the favorite to win the drama Emmy. As one TV writer explains, the show is beneficial for the industry because it’s popular, produces a lot of content, and is created by John Wells. Emmy voters seem to view it as a sign that television can return to a more stable and robust model.

Honestly, the acting races feel pretty wide open, and that’s where Euphoria still has a real shot. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the TV Academy still falls hard for Zendaya like they did when they gave her those Lead Actress awards in 2020 and 2022. Her main competition seems to be Rhea Seehorn from Better Call Saul and Keri Russell with The Diplomat. Seehorn’s been getting a lot of buzz, winning at both the Golden Globes and Critics Choice already, and Russell is on track for her sixth nomination – she was nominated three times for The Americans too. It’s actually kind of wild – the only other actress with that many nominations for Lead Actress in a Drama and zero wins was Angela Lansbury! She had twelve nominations and never took home the prize. I’m not sure if Netflix’s publicity team should be bragging about that statistic or pretending it doesn’t exist – it’s a bit of a strange situation!

Since the last season of Euphoria aired five years ago, Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, and Jacob Elordi have collectively starred in films that have earned nearly $4.5 billion at the global box office. While Zendaya’s success in Dune and Spider-Man accounts for the majority of that amount, both Elordi (Wuthering Heights) and Sweeney (The Housemaid) have recently had their most commercially successful films. Elordi has also received an Oscar nomination, Zendaya has three major movie releases planned through 2026, and Sweeney is poised for even greater visibility. According to one TV writer, Hollywood is heavily influenced by star power, and the industry is always looking for the next big thing. They noted, “This is a town of starfuckers… If you’re cool, this is a town chasing cool.”

Adventures in Hyperlocalized Emmy Campaigning

Most Emmy celebrations take place in Los Angeles and New York, but local events can also be valuable for campaigning. (And for this, we’re considering podcasts hosted by younger supporters as local to where Industry has its base of support – please bear with us!)

The Pittsburgh Pirates are giving away a Dr. Robby bobblehead to the first 20,000 fans who attend their game on July 25th. The giveaway is part of “Yinzerpalooza,” a yearly Pittsburgh celebration at the Pirates’ stadium. The bobblehead depicts the Emmy-winning character from the show The Pitt wearing his scrubs, hoodie, and stethoscope, and even captures his famously judgmental expression towards Dr. Samira Mohan. So, if you’re a fan, start making plans to get one!

Illinois officially named the Italian beef sandwich its state sandwich, and actor Corey Hendrix, who plays Sweeps on the show The Bear, was there for the celebration. A resolution passed on May 20th declared May 23, 2026, as “Italian Beef Day” in the state. It praised the sandwich as a key part of Illinois’s food traditions and history, and also thanked the creators and cast of The Bear for showcasing Chicago’s Italian beef culture to a wider audience and boosting state pride. I initially thought the show was using the event for publicity, but the wording of the resolution impressed me.

Myha’la, the Emmy-nominated star of Industry, recently appeared on Jake Shane’s Therapuss podcast – a move comparable to attending a very specific, niche event. She was delightful, and they chatted about New York summers and turning points in their lives. However, as someone hoping Industry will finally win an Emmy, I’m worried this appearance didn’t reach enough new viewers. The show already has the support of dedicated online fans, so now it’s time to focus on broader audiences – those who enjoy shows like Hot Ones and Good Hang, and who might not be familiar with popular artists like Tate McRae.

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2026-05-23 00:56