All main characters in sex work, fetish productions, no critical look – why “Euphoria” season 3 is driving fans and star Chloe Cherry to the barricades.
The third season of “Euphoria” is running and the first reactions from fans are flooding the For You pages. The reactions are mixed – many criticize that the style of the series has changed. Above all, however, the focus is on the portrayal of the female characters, which is strongly condemned on social media.
Five years later: All main characters in sex work
The plot of the third season begins five years after the second season. The main characters are now all adults and no longer in high school. After the first episode was broadcast, fans were very disappointed with the realities of life of the television characters – especially with the portrayal of the female characters. Because all four main female characters, Rue, Jules, Maddy and Cassie, are involved in sex work in one way or another.
Rue, played by Zendaya, who struggled with substance abuse in previous seasons, now works at a seedy strip club. Maddy has worked her way up to become an OnlyFans manager, while her former best friend Cassie is trying to make a career on this very platform. Jules is also referred to as a “prostitute” in the series – a rich man’s sugar baby.
Stereotyping instead of empowering: The sexualization runs deep
The criticism of this presentation of women is extensive. According to social commentators, the sexualization is in no way empowering, but rather stereotyping and misogynistic. For example, Cassie, who twerks in front of the camera in dog costumes and a tight corset or is staged with a pacifier in her mouth – according to critics, the series also makes strong use of sexual fetishes. In addition, as a lesbian, Rue reacts to women like a heterosexual man, which would also create a deeply misogynistic image.
According to critics on the Internet, the mere fact that four out of five main female characters are involved in sex work is deeply unrealistic – especially since all of them have a high school diploma and would therefore have a wide range of career options. According to official figures from the Victim Service Center Florida, only around one percent of the female population in the USA is involved in sex work.
Lack of critical attitude – also criticized from within our own ranks
But it’s not just the sheer accumulation of depictions of sex work that is met with criticism. According to many voices online, the series lacks a critical attitude towards it. This was even noted by the production’s own ranks. “Euphoria” star Chloe Cherry, who became known for her involvement in pornographic content, also criticized the portrayal of female characters in the third season. In particular, the staging of Cassie, played by Sydney Sweeney, as an OnlyFans star was not well received by her.
In an interview with Refinery 29, she expressed her shock: “To me, it’s just completely crazy to see someone like Cassie slipping into sex work. So… Holy shit, are we really there as a society yet?!”
“OnlyFans and sex work have become more normal, but that’s literally only because the economic situation has worsened,” she explains. “This has nothing to do with self-determination or power. The economic situation is terrible, so people are turning to this. I really think OnlyFans is a crazy, weird 2020s phenomenon that I will later look back on and be very confused about.”
Cassie actress Sydney Sweeney, on the other hand, pushed this type of development of her role even more. In an interview with Empire, she said she would do anything for the character. She also brought a lot of ideas to showrunner Sam Levinson. “Sam is such a brilliant filmmaker and great to work with because I’ll read something and then call him and say, ‘Let’s get crazier.’ And he replies: ‘I’m totally into it.’ And this season is completely crazy,” she said.
Not a new problem: criticism runs through all seasons
The accusation of misogynistic portrayal is not a new one. Already in the first seasons there was criticism of the presentation of sexual content – all the more serious since the students were still underage at the time. Violent depictions of sex, sex tapes and highly sexualized depictions of schoolgirls were already major points of criticism in season 2. The extreme depictions of sexuality and drug use among minors were of course also part of the series’ success concept. In recent seasons there have been repeated moments in which toxic masculinity was clearly criticized.
According to online commentators, this critical perspective is missing in the third season. Plus: “Time Magazine”, which was already able to take an overall look at “Euphoria”, also explained that Rue is the only female character who is not shown in a sexualized manner throughout.
