Euphoria’s long-awaited third season has returned to screens after a four-year absence, but rather than a triumphant comeback, the HBO drama has been met with a growing chorus of viewers demanding it be axed — with much of the anger directed at the treatment of Sydney Sweeney’s character.
The show, which first aired in 2019 and built its reputation on unflinching portrayals of teenage drug use, sexual content and violence, has always courted controversy. But critics argue that creator Sam Levinson has crossed a line with the new season, with many describing his creative direction as “misogynistic” and “disturbing.” The backlash intensified following the latest episode, titled America My Dream, which contained what many viewers described as the most explicit scenes of Sweeney’s career to date.
Her character, Cassie Howard, now an adult following the show’s five-year time jump, is depicted building an OnlyFans career through a series of increasingly provocative shoots. One scene features ice cream dripping across her nude body, another shows her wrapped in a soaking wet, see-through American flag, while a third depicts her in little more than a nude thong during a baseball-themed sequence. She is also shown in an “adult baby” scenario, lying with her legs raised while sucking on a dummy.
The reaction on social media was swift and overwhelmingly negative. “Somebody save Sydney Sweeney,” one viewer wrote on X. Others described the scenes as a “humiliation ritual,” with fans questioning why the actress had agreed to film the material at all. “How is Sydney even agreeing to do this season of Euphoria?” one post read, while another simply pleaded: “Sydney — say no to some stuff.”
The controversy follows earlier uproar over scenes depicting Cassie engaging in so-called “puppy play,” dressed in dog ears and filmed by her housekeeper. Levinson defended that sequence to The Hollywood Reporter, arguing the presence of the housekeeper added a layer of absurdity intended to prevent the audience from becoming too immersed in the character’s fantasy.
Sweeney herself has been pragmatic when pressed on the subject. Speaking at the season three premiere, she told Entertainment Tonight that Cassie “will do anything and at all costs to be famous this season,” describing her character’s choices as “very wild and interesting.”
The criticism has not been confined to social media. Former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly condemned a season trailer showing Sweeney’s character in a baby costume, accusing the show of “sexualising infancy” and labelling Levinson “sick.” She argued the scenes were symptomatic of Hollywood’s failure to understand where acceptable boundaries lie, and suggested the actresses involved may have felt pressure to comply in order to advance their careers — a claim supported, she noted, by reports that some women on set had expressed discomfort.
Hosts of the Ruthless podcast went further, with one suggesting Levinson was using the production to indulge a personal fetish — a characterisation the creator has not addressed directly. He has previously defended the sexual nature of the series by pointing to the pervasive influence of pornography on younger generations, remarks he made at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
The show’s third season follows the former students of East Highland High School as they navigate adult life and continues to feature Zendaya and Jacob Elordi alongside Sweeney.
