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The imagery of a baby’s cradle sways uneasily in the latest controversy surrounding “Euphoria.” Ahead of the second episode of the third season, a preview featuring Sydney Sweeney’s character in an OnlyFans-inspired baby outfit sparked outrage online, with many labeling it as “disgusting.” This reaction came even before the episode aired, setting a tense backdrop for what was to come.
The episode, titled “America My Dream,” sought to provide context for the contentious scene, but instead shed an unflattering light on the creative decisions of series mastermind Sam Levinson. The unfolding of events in this installment is a vivid illustration of how the show’s narrative may have veered off course.
In the episode, Sweeney’s character, Cassie, is seen posing provocatively for photographs. She dons a diaper, pairs it with a sheer pink top, styles her hair in pigtails, and completes the look with a pacifier. The intention behind these images is to exude a sense of allure, albeit in a deeply unsettling manner.
Later, Cassie presents these photos to a friend, explaining her motivations. She mentions that the photo shoot was designed to appeal to a niche community known as “adult babies,” claiming she receives numerous requests for such content. This revelation did little to quell the backlash, raising further questions about the portrayal of such themes on mainstream television.
Later, Cassie shows the baby photo shoot to a friend, explaining that she did it to cater to a “whole subculture…adult babies.” She keeps getting “all these requests” for it, she says.
As she explained in the season premiere, she’s doing these photo shoots to make money on OnlyFans, to pay for a $50K floral arrangement she wants for her wedding with Nate (Jacob Elordi).
On-screen, other characters call it “sick” and “disturbing.”
So, the show doesn’t act like it’s acceptable. But, just acknowledging that isn’t enough. Who is this visual of Cassie dressed as a baby for? If Levinson has a point other than shock value, he misses it by miles.
It’s fine for a show to be provocative, but this goes beyond that. It’s such a loaded image — one fan commented, “that’s some pedo sh-t” — it’s irresponsible for Levinson to present it with minimal comment, without interrogating it.
In an interview published April 12, the showrunner told the Hollywood Reporter that Cassie’s OnlyFans outfits are supposed to have “absurdity” and “humor” and also be “depressing.” But there are thousands of other outfits that could convey that. It didn’t need to be a baby.
Although the first two seasons had salacious and startling moments, “Euphoria” also used to portray girls’ lives with some empathy. Season 3 just leers at and dehumanizes them.
In Season 2, Cassie degraded herself for Nate. The show did seem to take too much pleasure in it. But, there was a larger point, as that story explored how a girl like Cassie can destroy herself for a toxic guy. That’s an experience that many viewers can relate to, or can recall witnessing.
When Cassie dresses as a baby in Season 3, “Euphoria” isn’t saying anything thoughtful about a particular experience. It isn’t asking us to understand her behavior. It’s making her a sordid punchline, to the point where it feels spiteful.
“Euphoria” premiered in 2019, before its stacked cast — Zendaya, Sweeney, Elordi — became A-listers. The first two seasons followed the hedonistic antics of high schoolers.
At first, the question of “who is this for?” turned out to be nearly everyone. When Season 2 aired in 2022, it became HBO’s second most-watched show after “Game of Thrones,” boasting over 18 million viewers.
It resonated beyond Gen-Z because it encouraged Gen X and millennial audiences to recall their own teen experiences, since it was packed with older pop culture references that weren’t realistic for Gen-Z (like characters wearing Halloween costumes from “Taxi Driver” and “True Romance”).
When Season 3 puts Cassie in a baby outfit, it’s hard to see who that’s supposed to resonate with — aside from creeps.
During the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, Levinson was asked about the sexual content in his shows. He replied, “We live in a very sexualized world. The influence of pornography is really strong in terms of the psyche of young people.”
Sure, that’s a thought. And he’s not going anywhere with it in Season 3, aside from vaguely gesturing at it, and showing off the fact that he’s seemingly familiar with porn. Congratulations on that.
Season 3 is full of porny “fetish” content visuals — like Cassie dressed as a dog while Nate tugs her leash — with nothing to say beyond, “look at this!”
“Euphoria” has always been a provocative show, but its first two seasons also had some deeper meaning. In Season 3, the provocation is just empty outrage-bait.