Is American television becoming a self-congratulatory spectacle for the children of the well-to-do? Or are the disappointments the result of marketing campaigns that over-hype new seasons of a show while delivering only 10 episodes every year or two? Maybe both are true. There’s a strange disconnect between audiences and creators, and this is perhaps most evident in “Euphoria” on HBO Max.

Euphoria is a teen show that has garnered praise and won nine Emmys. Viewing the first season will make you question why it won anything, and delving into the ‘inside the episode’ extras after the credits will make you wonder if the actors actually watch the show. They seem to be repeating what a director or writer told them, but on screen the characters come off as boring stereotypes with very little depth or range. Even Zendaya, who won best actor Emmys in 2020 and 2022 for this show, isn’t very good here. It’s like she has a perpetual frown on her face under dark mood lighting, so people decided to give her Emmys for playing against her usual bright and smiling Disney kid role.

Beyond the acting, the show doesn’t make much sense. These people are supposed to be high school students, but they are played by ‘nepo’ actors in their late 20s who never went to a typical American high school. The level of drug abuse, sexual activity, and mental health problems seems extreme for any age, but for high school students it’s over the top. There’s also lots of full frontal male nudity and simulated soft porn in the first season. It’s gratuitous and unnecessary, and statutory rape is depicted as something a high school kid asks for.

It’s an enigma that Euphoria is considered good television worthy of Emmy nods. The internet is full of praise for the first season, but many of the accolades don’t seem evident when watching it. There are references to it being visually compelling with amazing camera work and lighting, except it’s really not. The show has the typical dark and dingy cinematography that is the ‘rage’ these days, contrasted with flashing or swirling lights and other special effects to portray drug experiences and intense emotions. The actors remain largely stationary while lights flash across their faces or the camera somehow rotates over and under the bed during sex. There’s also a heavy reliance on rap and pop songs to capture the moods of the characters. All these excesses of sound and lighting effects pull the viewer out of the scene, while serving as a substitute for genuine story development. Stranger still, the main character narrates the stories of other characters, but within the show she’s a drug addict who lacks the knowledge given in the narration.

One might guess that the Emmy nods are not for what’s on screen but for the intent behind the show and for young actors to garner future favor with the creators. The main character played by Zendaya is said to be a gender-swapped version of the show’s developer, Sam Levinson, son of Barry Levinson. And yet somehow the show is also based on an Israeli miniseries of the same name. It’s great to support a person’s recovery, but should a former drug-addict really be a showrunner on a show about drugs? Maybe it’s okay because he’s reformed and each episode ends with a message about where to get help, as if current drug addicts are watching the show.

Or maybe it’s not okay. One of the actors who played a drug dealer died of an overdose in 2023 after season two. Many of the actors on the show released heartfelt statements that were probably written by AI. This made it seem like it was a right-of-passage to have a co-star die — like there was an underlying attitude of ‘these are the things that happen on the way to greater success.’

There’s little doubt that the people behind the show have good intentions and want to help with the drug addiction problems of America, it just doesn’t seem like this depressing show is actually part of any solution. Are drug addicts going to be watching and having an epiphany? Doubtful. If they watch, it’s more likely they’ll realize how different their life is from these actors, get depressed, and end up committing suicide rather than going to seek help. The show feels depressing and hopeless, so much so that the idea of drudging on into season two isn’t enticing.

This isn’t to say that ‘nepo’ actors can’t make a decent show and be excellent at their craft. “The Pitt” is an example of that, and yet that show also puts its good intentions front and center as it gives homage to healthcare workers. Is this evidence of feelings of guilt among the well-to-do as they engage in their creative endeavors? They recognize that the lives of healthcare workers and high school students are getting harder and harder, and they want to help. But how helpful is a TV show?

The word “Euphoria” means “a feeling or state of intense excitement or happiness,” but the show depicts a dark and hopeless world. It feels like there’s a warped message that happiness is an illusion, and drugs or television are the only escapes from the emptiness.