Generation Z(endaya)

Freshman season of ‘Euphoria’ wraps up on HBO

By Breanna Henry TV Media

Rue Bennett is a drug addict. Despite having been recently released from a rehab center, she is not recovering, and does not intend to remain clean. She routinely meets strangers online for “hook-ups,” browses sketchy websites, and lies about her age.

Rue is only 17-years-old, and luckily for her parents, she is a fictional character from the premium cable show “Euphoria,” played by Disney Channel graduate Zendaya (“SpiderMan: Far From Home,” 2019). If you haven’t been keeping up with “Eu phoria” so far, you can stream previ ous episodes on HBO Go, and the Season 1 finale (titled “And Salt the Earth Behind You”) airs Sunday, Aug. 4, on HBO.

The fantastic cast of fresh young actors “Euphoria” revolves around includes Jacob Elordi (“The Kissing Booth,” 2018) as angry, confused jock Nate; Algee Smith (“The Hate U Give,” 2018) as struggling college athlete Chris; Barbie Ferreira (“Divorce”) as insecure, sexually curious Kat; Sydney Sweeney (“Sharp Objects”) as Cassie, who can’t seem to escape her past; and the show’s breakout star, trans runway model

Hunter Schafer in her first role as Jules, a transgender teen girl looking to find the place she belongs. Cap all that talent off with an incredible performance by the show’s lead, Zendaya, and there is no reason to question why “Euphoria” is becoming one of the most popular shows on HBO.

“Euphoria” follows a group of Generation Z (the group that came right after Millennials) students as they navigate their way through their late teen years into adulthood, and deal with the problems unique to their generation. Racy videos posted online, fentanyl abuse and cases, many aspects of the show’s storyline do occur in the life of today’s average teen. A review of the show on Vox interpreted “Euphoria” perfectly, saying, “The [series] has gotten a lot of attention for depicting ‘how the teens live today,’ but its greatest strength isn’t what’s timely about it, but what’s eternal about it.”The way the show mixes these themes together is seamless and absolutely stunning.

HBO is well known for its boundary-pushing, extravagant and original television series; there are things one expects when it comes to an HBO original — more mature conquality — and “Euphoria” has shots, and even without amazing storylines and great acting.

Episodes are interwoven with flashbacks to the characters’ childhoods, and we’re shown how those moments relate to current issues and events in their lives. The way the show uses images to convey its story is truly something worth seeing, even if the plot doesn’t excite you.

You can’t talk about “Euphoria” without talking about mental health. Zendaya’s character, Rue has dealt with anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder since early childhood, and was first given Valium at the age of 11; this, along with the death of her father, drives the teen to begin taking drugs as she searches for the two seconds of “euphoria” in which she isn’t plagued by her mental state.

The moments of the show that truly stand out are Zendaya’s voiceover monologues, which are poignant, thought-provoking and relatable for viewers who have experienced similar situations. Jill Gutowitz of Nylon Magazine wrote, “I was actually happy — and by ‘happy,’ I mean devastated — to see the things I feel and endure mirrored.” She also called “Euphoria” “TV’s most realistic portrayal of anxiety.”

The portrayal of the dark side of mental health in the show is very real, and neither sugar-coats or vilifies the issue.

Critics of the series say it brings back memories of “Reefer Madness” (1936), or assert that it’s trying too hard, but there are many more moments in “Euphoria” I consider mustsee scenes than cringe-worthy shock bait. The series has been gaining more and more viewers each episode, and HBO even ordered a second season of the show in July. (Take that, haters.) The show boasts a talented, if somewhat odd, group of producers that include Canadian rapper Drake and his manager, Future the Prince, as well as Peabody Award-winning writer Gary Lennon, and 71-year-old Tmira Yardeni, a prolific producer from Tel Aviv, Israel. If you came here looking for spoilers on the finale, you’re out of luck. HBO is keeping Rue, Jules, Kat and Fezco’s antics on lock-down. Does “Euphoria” sound like the kind of show you could get into? Get caught up on HBO Go, and absolutely do not miss the season finale airing Sunday, Aug. 4, on HBO.

Conan

Yesterday, the U.S. women’s soccer team defeated the team from the Netherlands to win the World Cup. Despite the loss, the Netherlands team still celebrated, ‘cause they have healthcare.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is not too happy. She told the younger members of Congress to stop tweeting. Pelosi said, “The real fun is checking out me and Chuck Schumer on Myspace.”

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon

What a crazy weekend here in New York City, there was a huge blackout for hours. New Yorkers were trapped on subways, traffic was at a standstill and there was no air conditioning at Port Authority ... then the blackout hit.

We’re right in the middle of Amazon Prime Day, and I read that one of the top-selling items is the Instant Pot. It’s also one of the most returned items when stoners realize it’s not what they thought it was.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

The CDC reports that more than 700 people have been infected by measles this year, marking a 25-year high for the infectious disease because people aren’t vaccinating against it! Your ancestors are saying, “I’d trade places with you, but I died of measles!”

The Late Late Show with James Corden

Customs officials in the Philippines were inspecting a gift-wrapped box of cookies coming into the country, only to discover the box actually contained 757 smuggled live tarantulas. Customs officials would never have discovered them if one of the spiders wasn’t packing a tube of shampoo larger than three ounces.

By Jessica Gosse TV Media

WHAT’S NEW ON NETFLIX: “GLOW” Season 3

An all new season of “GLOW” comes to Netflix on Friday, Aug. 9. In the the last season, we saw Debbie (Betty Gilpin, “Nurse Jackie”) step up to produce the show, and Ruth (Alison Brie, “Community”) take on more of a creative role. Season 3 finds the ladies prepping to headline at a casino in Las Vegas, but they quickly realize there’s more to Las Vegas than just glitter and glam. Ruth’s evercomplicated personal life starts to overshadow her love of the show, and while Debbie becomes a more successful producer, being so far from her son begins to cause her overwhelming guilt. On the lighter side, MelRose (Jackie Tohn, “Jem and the Holograms,” 2015) playfully threatens to get kicked out of every casino in Las Vegas. This season, Academy Award winner Geena Davis (“Thelma and Louise,” 1991) appears in a recurring role, playing Sandy Devereaux St. Clair, a former showgirl and the entertainment director of Las Vegas’s Fan-Tan Hotel and Casino. Season 3 promises to deliver a lot of emotional turmoil and tons of shenanigans, so if you’re not caught up on this dynamic series, now is a good time to dive in.

“The Naked Director” Netflix has long been invested in creating quality TV series in numerous countries and languages across the globe, and on Thursday, Aug. 8, the latest foreign series premieres on the streamer. Japanese series “The Naked Director” stars Takayuki Yamada (“13 Assassins,” 2010), and is inspired by real-life events, though it may be hard to believe since the story is kind of bananas. Fair warning — this series is definitely R-rated, not for the prudish, and certainly not for children. The comedydrama follows the life of 1980s porn director Toru Muranishi as he revolutionizes the industry and builds an empire. Starting out as a rather bumbling and unfortunate door-to-door salesman, Muranishi transforms himself into a titan of his, ahem, industry, after getting fired from his job and catching his wife with another man. The show provides an interesting look at the repressive culture of Japan in the 1980s, and chronicles Muranishi’s numerous legal problems due to government restrictions. Directed by Masaharu Take (“100 Yen Love” 2014), “The Naked Director” delivers a lot of laughs along with all the, you know, other stuff.

“Sintonia”

Brazilian YouTube sensation KondZilla teams up with Netflix and production company Losbragas to create the new series “Sintonia.”

A dark coming-of-age story set in São Paulo, Brazil, “Sintonia” follows Nando (Christian Malheiros, “Socrates,” 2018), Doni (musician M.C. Jottape) and Rita (newcomer Bruna Mascarenhas). The friends are in their late teens, and are on very different and difficult paths as they try to distance themselves from where they grew up. Each is being drawn into a different world — religion, funk music and drug trading, respectively. “Sintonia” provides an illuminating social commentary on Brazil and its premieres Friday, Aug. 9, on Hulu. culture, and viewers are given a glimpse of the struggles faced by teens like Nando, Doni and Rita. As they travel down seemingly different paths, we’re shown that there are some unexpected connections, and the three childhood friends soon learn that they must rely on each other in order to get through their youth and pursue their dreams. This emotional new series premieres Friday, Aug. 9, on Netflix.

WHAT’S NEW ON HULU:

“Free Meek”

Rappers Jay-Z and Meek Mill have teamed up to create the new docuseries “Free Meek,” which

The five-episode investigative series follows Mill and his supporters as they attempt to expose the flaws and corruption of the criminal justice system that has dogged Mill for over a decade. Mill was arrested in 2008 on drug and gun charges, and received an eightmonth sentence plus five years of probation. Various low-level violations extended that probation, and in 2017, Mill was handed yet another two to four years in prison for non-violent offenses. This documentary series includes exclusive footage of Mill’s 2018 release from prison, and chronicles his fight for exoneration. It also argues that Mill’s case was mishandled from the start, and re-investigates aspects that have been distorted by dirty cops who may have even gone so far as to plant evidence. The series also explores the birth of the #FREEMEEK movement, and shows viewers how Mill’s case is an example of the double standard within the justice system. Mill’s story is one that hits home for far too many families, and he has become a symbol for criminal justice reform. As Mill and Jay-Z use their platform to help those without a voice, this series becomes a rallying cry, a call for change and a condemnation of current American policies. Don’t miss the docuseries “Free Meek,” premiering Friday, Aug. 9, on Hulu.