Euphoria creator Sam Levinson is facing criticism online after viewers reacted to graphic and provocative moments in the show’s newest episode.
So far, two episodes from the third season of the HBO drama have been released, and audiences have already been debating how far the series is willing to go when it comes to controversial material.
This season continues Cassie’s storyline (played by Sydney Sweeney), including her OnlyFans arc — something some fans argue has now crossed a line.
However, it’s the latest episode, ‘America My Dream’, that has sparked the strongest backlash, with some viewers calling one particular moment “gross” and “unnecessary” because of what appears in the background of a scene.
In the episode, Faye (Chloe Cherry) is shown with drug dealer Wayne (Toby Wallace) in an explicit sex scene. Several viewers noticed a Nazi flag hanging on the bedroom wall behind them, which prompted immediate outrage on social media.
Many fans took to X after the episode aired to criticise the creative decision to include the flag in the shot.
One viewer penned on social media: “The nazi flag in the room and the tattoo, Sam Levinson, you are so gross #euphoria.”
A second commented: “I swear, why the f*** is there a sex scene with the Nazi flag in the background?”
While a third remarked: “That Faye scene was not needed at all. Like at all. It added nothing to the plot??”
And a fourth quipped: “It’s absolutely brutal to watch the episodes of Euphoria, each one more traumatic than the last with totally unnecessary scenes that don’t add anything to any plot.”
Levinson has not publicly addressed the criticism surrounding the Nazi flag scene. He has, however, previously spoken about backlash tied to a different moment from the show — a scene in which strip club owner Alamo (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) appears more offended at being called a “pig” than by the use of the N-word.
Levinson told Variety: “I just thought it was interesting to play with the racial dynamics of these two crews. There’s this built-in animosity. With the pig comment, it just seemed interesting as an entry point into this man’s psychology.
“There’s something about it he can’t get over. He doesn’t understand why she would refer to him that way. Is it about his weight? Is it because he’s greedy?”
The show’s creator added: “It opens up this insecurity in him that allows us to start to see how human he is. There are things someone could say to any one of us that may seem insignificant, but it sticks in our head. It was a way of playing with the absurdity of racial dynamics, these miscommunications that lead to greater troubles.”
LADbible Group has reached out to Levinson and HBO for comment.