HBO Renews Major Hit Show for Season 3

Fans can’t get enough of the HBO coming of age phenomenon Euphoria. The show, which premiered in 2019 and stars Zendaya as the central character Rue, explores teenagers dealing with the pressures of drugs, sex, sobriety, and social life. Their parents’ struggles and influence, or lack thereof, are also a focus. Season 2 premiered in January and Deadline reports that the show has already been greenlit for a third season. The show has won three Primetime Emmy Awards, including Zendaya’s history-making win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Renewing the show was a no-brainer for executives. 

“Sam, Zendaya, and the entire cast and crew of Euphoria have taken Season 2 to extraordinary heights, challenging narrative convention and form, while maintaining its heart. We couldn’t be more honored to work with this gifted, wildly talented team or more excited to continue our journey with them into Season 3,” Francesca Orsi, EVP of HBO Programming said in a statement.

Despite the success of the show, not everyone is a fan. Executives of the popular drug and alcohol educational program D.A.R.E. believes it sends the wrong message to teenagers. The program, which became popular in the 1980s amid Nancy Reagan’s “Say No to Drugs” campaign released a statement last month explaining their concerns. 

“Rather than further each parent’s desire to keep their children safe from the potentially horrific consequences of drug abuse and other high-risk behavior, HBO’s television drama, ‘Euphoria,’ chooses to misguidedly glorify and erroneously depict high school student drug use, addiction, anonymous sex, violence, and other destructive behaviors as common and widespread in today’s world,” NBC News reports. 

D.A.R.E. is challenging the show’s executives to meet with them and come up with different solutions. “It is unfortunate that HBO, social media, television program reviewers, and paid advertising have chosen to refer to the show as ‘groundbreaking,’ rather than recognizing the potential negative consequences on school-age children who today face unparalleled risks and mental health challenges,” the statement continued.