HBO has put Sam Levinson in director timeout
HBO has turned down Sam Levinson’s scripts for season three of “Euphoria,” and production has been delayed indefinitely. The Panther spoke to Chapman students about their love/hate relationships with the show, as well as their feuding opinions on Levinson’s artistic decisions. Photo collage by SIMRAH AHMAD, Staff Photographer
After attempting to give lead character Rue Bennett (Zendaya) a career change to a private detective after a five-year time jump, director Sam Levinson’s scripts have been turned down by HBO executives, and production on season three of “Euphoria” has been delayed.
“That’s always a bad sign,” sophomore film production major Leonardo DeBrito told The Panther. “If we look back at (the) legendary hit CW show ‘Riverdale’ — which will always have a true place in my heart — once they start doing time jumps and going crazy, things just get lost.”
After both the WGA strike and the passing of actor Angus Cloud, who played key supporting character Fezco, there were bound to be some massive re-writes to the new season of the show. It comes as no surprise to both haters and lovers that Levinson’s re-written scripts are part of the reason production is being pushed back indefinitely.
“HBO and Sam Levinson remain committed to making an exceptional third season,” sources told Variety.
Since the first season of Euphoria came out, there have been two feuding opinions: the show is a raw depiction of high schoolers in the modern day, or the show is an oversexualized and incorrect depiction of queer relationships and drug abuse.
The Panther spoke to Chapman students about which side they fall on.
Eleanor Koski, a senior screenwriting major, has a particular disdain for Levinson. They liked the first season of the show when it came out, but the way Levinson treated the characters in season two caused an icky feeling about the show in general.
“I think my biggest vendetta against him is his portrayal of Jules (Hunter Schafer),” Koski said. “In her special episode, she tells her therapist she is no longer interested in men philosophically, and she repeats that at an early point in the second season. Then, she turns around and cheats on her girlfriend with a guy, which I think is just such an irresponsible representation.”
Koski continued: “It just reiterates the point that you ‘just need the right guy to change your mind.’ It is so unhelpful at this point of where we are in queer representation to say that that is actually the case.”
DeBrito knows there are many reasons why so many love the show, including its brutal and unsympathetic depiction of its characters. He disagrees with those who say it glorifies things like drug abuse and thinks they overlook the beautiful qualities of the show because of the harsh storylines.
“Euphoria is so fast-paced. It’s just so fun,” DeBrito said. “I think people need to not take it seriously at all because all of the greatest legendary camp pieces of content are all over the top like ‘Euphoria,’ and they are still well-regarded.”
Levinson has been surrounded in a few notable controversies.
In 2022, Barbie Ferriera — who plays Kat on Euphoria — announced her departure from the series, claiming, “Sam writes things that he relates to. I don’t think he relates to Kat.” In 2023, Levinson’s sophomore show, “The Idol,” was canceled after one season. The original director Amy Seimetz stepped down despite 80% of the series being already shot. Levinson stepped in, and a Rolling Stone expose article stated that the series was rewritten and reshot in an attempt to reduce the “female perspective” of the story.
Brandon Sanchez, a junior creative producing major, was an extra in the auditorium during the season two finale of Euphoria. They saw the real behind-the-scenes downfall of production in front of their very eyes.
“What was shitty was there was this huge trickle effect in production,” Sanchez said. “There was no shot list. [Levinson] writes as he goes because it helps his creative process. The cinematography team doesn’t know what's next because he’s just telling them what to do in the moment. That trickles down to the wardrobe people. It all falls literally onto the (production assistants).”
Sanchez continued: “All (of) this responsibility falls onto these young people. They tried their darndest. You could tell they were doing the best they could.”
Sanchez also thinks Levinson should stick to what he knows instead of trying to branch out and write about things he can’t relate to or has never experienced.
“I think the reason why the whole character arc with Rue was so good was because that was what Levinson was closest to. He’s had drug problems in his past. I think he should have focused more on Rue and her family as opposed to all these sort of — I want to say — R-rated Riverdale side arcs.”
Koski completely agrees.
“Levinson has full creative control,” Koski said. “There is no writer's room. How is Sam Levinson going to know anything about what it is like to be a trans woman or what it is to be a biracial woman with an addiction? He may know about addiction, but he does not know about it through the lens of a sapphic black woman. You need other people’s input so that it can be a real portrayal.”
HBO seems to be holding out hope for some amazing storytelling in new scripts. Sanchez believes Levinson may be getting some special treatment from HBO when the time and effort should be given to other aspiring creatives.
“Let’s just look at the fact that he’s a white dude,” Sanchez said. “That is kind of what this industry praises more, with all these accommodations to him after making one big, good thing, as opposed to other filmmakers of color who also do good. HBO has restricted him for sure. They have put his ass in time-out.”
Sources have also told Variety that in the interim, when new scripts are being written, the in-demand actors in the cast, including Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, Schaefer, Sydney Sweeney and Alexa Demie, are allowed to pursue other opportunities. HBO will come back with a better plan on Oct. 1, and filming is planned to begin in 2025.
The cast will continue to get older and more in demand for other projects in Hollywood. The real question the internet is asking is does the show need to have a season three at all?
“We have lost this central love story between Rue and Jules,” Koski said. “There’s really no coming back from that. So many of the things that Euphoria promised, it can't be anymore. So why would they even try?”