The Shallow Portrayal of Maddy Perez: Euphoria

[@SerenaSkybourne]

My Cassie Howard character analysis is up now! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKqsmZShrrhsaKs

[@beyondviolet]

Maddy’s actress absolutely makes the character for me. Actually, I think the acting for all the characters is the only reason I kept watching 😂

[@user-ji9if5gh2p]

i agree this show with bad acting would be even more like one big music video

[@moona3206]

Fr there is a lot of cliche

[@cassiedion4144]

Sad that the actors are carrying the show honestly. Euphoria is one of the biggest wastes of potential I have ever seen.

[@user-ji9if5gh2p]

@@cassiedion4144 i completely agree

[@EC-vw6pd]

@@user-ji9if5gh2p b uh😢p😮n😅u😢u

[@badgaltinginnit]

Sam is so lucky his actors pick up his slack when it comes to their characters. Its unreal how many troupes and harmful narratives sam falls into while thinking hes being revolutionary. Major kudos to the actors for doing what they can to flesh out their characters. Here's hoping season 3 gets a writers room

[@QTpatootie95]

Idk why you’re giving anyone props here yeah the women he’s been working with in a power position since they were in their early twenties Obvs cover for him we shouldn’t celebrate it he’s a racist creep

[@badgaltinginnit]

@@QTpatootie95 ?? You're weird

[@alim.9801]

@@QTpatootie95 I'm confused on how you're confused by us recognizing talented actors? Nothing to do with Mr. Levinson.

[@sarebear7777]

I think the reason Maddy doesn't go after Nate when she finds out about him and Cassie is because he's her ex. He doesn't owe her loyalty but Cassie, as her bff does. She expects Nate to do crappy things like that, not Cassie.

[@SerenaSkybourne]

yeah that would make sense, the bar would be very low when it comes to Nate whereas Cassie's behaviour genuinely let her down

[@iamtheboneofmysword607]

He also might hit her. Again.

[@gabrielleaugustin1019]

Nate put a gun to Maddie’s head and pulled the trigger. I don’t think there’s anything that could make her go after him because she knows how abusive he is. She knows Cassie was just collateral and another way for him to hurt and betray her. Nate has every reason and want to cause her pain but Cassie didn’t. That’s why she’s hurt more by Cassie’s actions and why she’s more willing to fight with her. Their relationship was her safe place, there’s still something worth fighting for.

[@aya-_-3045]

Also Nate has done stuff like this all the time to hurt her so shes used to it. This isn't something cassie would do tho.

[@whoisthisperson8454]

Maddy really deserved better. For once you see a latina character with a toxic family dynamic. This would have been a great moment for the Latino community to talk about generational trauma and family dynamic. But NO! Sam Levinson doesn’t know how to write anything besides addiction…

[@angelaholmes8888]

Totally agree with you

[@wonderlucky1912]

As someone who is Hispanic/Latina, I agree with you.

[@auroraborealis7079]

pretty remarkable that Disney was the one that actually managed to address this issue first

[@whoisthisperson8454]

@@auroraborealis7079 true but Euphoria had a chance to make it a little more “realistic”. They would have to deal with complex issues in relationship, domestic violence, pressure of Latino teens, 1gen immigrant issues, etc. I agree with you tho

[@PaolaTheTimeLord]

@@auroraborealis7079 what do you expect. he’s a white man. he’s white. i say if you want an authentic portrayal of us in the community, get a latino writer. sam is not open to collaboration neither & that is truly detrimental. he’s a shitty creative

[@partydog7368]

I think that Maddy not being “innocent” and being sometimes really toxic in her relationship with Nate is actually a very realistic representation of how victims act in abusive relationships. Just because a victim is a victim, they aren’t necessarily the most perfect person in the world; they will usually, instead, fight back, whether it’s consciously or subconsciously, often following similar patterns to their abusers. Victimhood isn’t a monolith, and the character of Maddy perfectly exemplifies that.

[@DA-yy8rs]

Yes! And someone being imperfect, immature, even potentially toxic (particularly if reactionary) doesn’t invalidate their victimization nor justify their abuse. You said it perfectly.

[@alim.9801]

"Victimhood isn't a monolith" well freaking said!!

[@queenofhorror29]

Yes, the perfect victim does not exist

[@miladeseitan]

THANK YOU!

[@angelhasspoken]

finallyyyy someone said that about Kat's story line!!!! Like of course she looses her sense of self and confidence while in a stable relationship because being loved and desired are different things and what gave her that confidence was literally her sexualizing herself in a harmful way to her self worth!!! Everyone thought it was so empowering but I thought it was soooooooo harmful !

[@denisapasca154]

Agree

[@ariellechisolm8133]

Wow this was very well said

[@judithje95]

It wasn’t meant as empowering 🤦🏼‍♀️ At the end she realises that she isn’t the one in control. And in season 2 they also addresses it in the influencer montage.

[@alim.9801]

Dude you nailed it!! You would be great as a film analysis writer

[@raymondsims7042]

@@judithje95yeah I think people 0:02 truly don’t understand euphoria 😂😂🤷‍♂️op really thinks the shows was “empowering” her op is dumb

[@Smileygrannt]

Cassie is displayed as “the damsel in distress” and Maddie is obviously displayed as the “angry Latina”

[@trxphywaifalt]

@ocean Maddie isn’t even a woc she’s a white Latina lmfao. As an actual woc (black) she’s lucky she wasn’t portrayed as the angry black woman, but rather a “spicy Latina”

[@AvgJane19]

She's really not tho... literally everyone in universe thinks cassie is pathetic

[@may_ryann]

@@AvgJane19 she is seen as pathetic because she's done it so many times. She is self-aware, though. As a white girl, she knows people have more sympathy for a pretty blonde, blue-eyed, delicate and vulnerable girl, and she uses it in her own favor through victimization, bursting into tears and walking away whenever she's confronted with the consequences of her own actions. Black women and latinas learn to be tough because it's what society expects from them, and when they do show vulnerability by crying their eyes out or having a full blown breakdown like Cassie does, they receive less if any sympathy from others because they are perceived as weak. That's why Maddy goes straight to anger and aggression in many situations, whereas Cassie weaponizes her perceived vulnerability through victimization. It's like they're playing an extreme stereotype of their own tropes for the sake of edginess.

[@angelwings967]

@@trxphywaifalt It’s still a stereotype. And she is still a person of color. Wow.

[@ravengyal]

I disagree. Even if the character was white, she’d still be angry because her “best friend” slept with her ex. Who wouldn’t be angry?! I think it’s a valid point about the stereotype, but this is a poor example …

[@randomgirl2282]

The show will literally traumatize Maddy and then move on like nothing happened 💀

[@tanujasingh_156]

No show really traumatized Cassie and then made her look like a villain and moved on like nothing happened

[@SnagKing25]

The show will literally traumatize Nate as a little boy and move on hating him and his actions like nothing happened all while being an outstanding athlete and well put together dude for the most part

[@JoSiahGuy-x5l]

@@SnagKing25hes not a well put together dude at all.. he may be attractive but what makes you think hes well put together

[@peach_levell]

Tbh. I never took the Maddie vs Cassie seriously cuz they never seemed like best friends to me. Just because the show said it once doesn't make it true. When they were like "She's my best friend" the first thought that came to my head was "she is????"

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Same lmao… I was like “since when”?

[@angelhasspoken]

true i never thought so until they showed their scenes in lexi’s play

[@dan-ch8kr]

Same 😭😭😭

[@lillia.55]

The reason why it didn't seem that way because of the inconsistent writing. In the first season, Cassie was just doing everything Maddie said or did. To top the cake, there's a popular scene that showcases Maddie *threatening* Cassie.

[@1212x_O]

@@iWANDER262 I agree but don't give Sam wiggle room like most fans do

[@clown-cult96]

You’re so right about season 2 doing Jules dirty. I love Jules, she got a lot of hate in season 1 and then Hunter herself wrote that beautiful cinematic experience that was her special in between the two seasons. She single-handedly redeemed Jules and made so many of us not just not hate her, but fall in love with her…only for Sam Levinson to take it all and toss it in the trash in season 2.

[@allurajane4979]

it's as if the special episode isn't even canon. season 1 jules lines up with season 2 jules if u take the episode out

[@Rebeca27361]

They also did dirty on Kat, when she was braking up with his boyfriend? I hated what the writers did to her, pushing her story away and making her "bitchy"

[@Isabelle-hv6ny]

​@@Rebeca27361Not writers, Sam Levinson. He is the only writing tbe show and thats the Problem.

[@user-unfriendly_-o-]

It's kinda annoying when people see an abuser manipulate two girls and still hate and judge the girls for being manipulated or relying on his approval to feel good. "Maddie is crazy too"? No she is not. She is abused and trying to have some control over her own life

[@user-unfriendly_-o-]

They are just kids who can't know better because that's how they understand the world and that's what they see as love. They were always taught that love is more important than other women

[@SerenaSkybourne]

I’m not saying Maddy is crazy- I’m saying that because she likes a good fight etc, Cassie thinks that maybe Nate is into “crazier” girls- Cassie sees Maddy that way. I for one do not think Maddy is crazy, she’s a victim

[@user-unfriendly_-o-]

@@SerenaSkybourne I wasn't talking about you specifically! That's just an opinion that some people have that you mentioned in the video

[@SerenaSkybourne]

@@user-unfriendly_-o- ahh ok that makes sense :)

[@nickbrown2113]

thank you

[@ZoWonderfull]

As a Latina I always read Cassie in s2 really showing when a white girl does something wrong she does and says everything to avoid accountability. This includes playing into ethnic stereotypes and being overly emotional. Also Nate being really idk tender/loving with Cassie and aggressive/fetishy with maddy was soooo realistic. I talked about this with a friend after getting roofied, Latina women are pursued very aggressively by men partially because of the spicy Latina stereotypes . I haven’t gotten male attention without it being aggressive and direct while my white friends get to play the game of “does he like me?” Having men mistreat you and then handle ur blonde white friends delicately felt very real. All of this being said…I don’t think sam as a white man intended for any of that and it sucks to acknowledge a character who really like and demonstrates very personal experiences was probably just a new spicy latina to further fuel the stereotype.

[@yazzerino]

But also I think Nate was more "loving" toward cassie because she is a complete doormat and lets him walk all over her. Whereas Maddy is always calling nate out on his shit and standing up for herself which an abuser like nate does not like

[@mishitriste462]

Its depressing, it feels like only white girls have de right to be vulnerable and look good that way.

[@Emmieee.elllle]

@@mishitriste462 fr 😔

[@katgreer6113]

I'm black and I feel this way too. White girls are treated so fucking preciously, like diamonds and tiaras, while a lot of us Latinas and Black girls get treated like shit, by our own race or not...it's fucking and disgusting and horrible I hate it.

[@bigfluffyclaud1464]

@@mishitriste462 Damn why did this cut deep 😔

[@mel-pc8yh]

As a latina myself, although i like Maddy, her character is 100% constructed around the Latina-American trope and i hate it, thank you for mentioning.

[@SerenaSkybourne]

That’s ok! It rly bothers me

[@mi3helle707]

What does that trope include or involve? Sorry for not knowing

[@hannahweber2974]

@@mi3helle707 I wanna know that too pls answer

[@embracethymelanin_6518]

In season 1 Rue said Maddy wants to fight back against Nate but she knows he will most possibly try unaliving her which he literally try to do in season 2 so it makes sense why she would be more upset with Cassie and take out her anger out on both of them on Cassie

[@johnmckinney5931]

Honestly, this video made me realize how much the acting carries the characters 😭

[@Jessica.Shawnte]

The writers should’ve did the triangle with Kat she’s just as insecure as Cassie it also would’ve been more significant because of Kat & Maddie friendship

[@sophiaingram9498]

It genuinely made no sense for Cassie's character either as her whole arc was her not needing male attention to survive, multiple times did she stick up for herself and be her own person.

[@lmoney1999]

Please cover Cassie, they assassinated her character 😤 as someone who related to her in Season 1, I was pissed off with Season 2 to say the least

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Same, I loved her sm in season 1 and they ruined her

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Her downfall was realistic sure, but also disappointing haha

[@lmoney1999]

@@SerenaSkybourne certainly realistic, do you think Sam Levinson didn’t know what to do with her character? 🤔 I’m interested to hear your take ❤️

[@SerenaSkybourne]

@@lmoney1999 I think he unintentionally played into the “hot crazy girl” trope which appeals to men. But I don’t think he meant to do it haha, he probably thought it was cool or something

[@alezzziia]

Nooo ur so right abt the spicy latina trope. As a Latina is so annoying. I wish the show would’ve shown her vulnerability more, bc to me he character just seemed another version of the spicy latina who’s just so mean, but if they had shown her insight and self-dialogue more I would’ve def liked her more. Also I lowkey hate how the show focused on “ah it’s so bad that cassie slept with maddy’s ex” but not “ITS SO BAD CASSIE SLEPT WITH HER BEST FRIENDS *ABUSER*”. HELLO????

[@SerenaSkybourne]

100 percent, him being an ex wasn't the biggest issue at all, i dont know why everyone was making out that that it was such a huge deal when him being an ABUSER is far more worrying

[@Crazy4jrj]

Omg yessss they literally harden maddy so much and infantilize Cassie and I can’t help but think that’s because of her being the sassy Latina trope thanks for bringing this up

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Yeah it rly bothered me, I wouldn’t be mad if they let Maddy be vulnerable more often

[@Willow-cw9te]

Welcome to the everyday experience of black women in tv and cinema 😂,

[@sxeetnie8419]

@@SerenaSkybourne THIS. like why is it that sam does almost everything in the book to avoid maddy being vulnerable when actually when she is vulnerable i think that makes her character more intriguing and beautifully done

[@cassiedion4144]

@@Willow-cw9te I don’t want a black person anywhere near this show after what happened to McKay.

[@angelwings967]

@@Willow-cw9te Okay.

[@user-ji9if5gh2p]

i just have to say people who say “the writers” are too harsh on her is understandable kinda but it’s not multiple writers. it’s just sam, he’s doing the writing directing and filming mostly alone and that’s the biggest flaw with the show

[@SerenaSkybourne]

he needs a writers room

[@user-ji9if5gh2p]

@@SerenaSkybourne definitely

[@kennyb1588]

He’s definitely doing the writing and directing alone but in the behind the screams material the actual film crew is pretty huge

[@user-ji9if5gh2p]

@@kennyb1588 okay thank you! i heard he had like complete creative control over how it was shot so that’s kinda what i meant

[@angelaholmes8888]

I get why cassie is so desperate to please men because of her terrible relationship with her father

[@Cheesecake_666]

Oh god just realised that and that ruins her even more for me because I hate that stereotype.

[@Jessica.Shawnte]

I honestly think people hate Cassie and says she’s a bad character without actually looking into it

[@nataliaperez6203]

@@Jessica.Shawnte people hate cassie for obvious reasons. no amount of justification will excuse her actions

[@madisoncontroversial7348]

I think Cassie poorly written, and it’s seems like Sam thinks Cassie needs a good guy to save her and help her grow, than herself

[@Jessica.Shawnte]

@@nataliaperez6203 you obviously didn’t understand what I saying Cassie isn’t a good person but if you look at her backstory season 2 actually makes sense with her character

[@velvetdawson617]

totally agree that in the maddie/cassie/nate situation, Nate is the one who should be punished the most,

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Yeah for sure, he’s screwed over both of them

[@Melissdan]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that couldn't take Cassie and Maddy being bffs seriously. From what I remember in season 1 they didn't give bff vibes. Whenever they spent time together it was in group settings minus the carnival episode. Literally in the pilot episode Maddy is with her real bff (Kat) and BB getting ready for the party. Cassie nowhere to be found. So when season 2 came and everyone is having meltdowns over Cassie's betrayal and making sad edits I'm low-key laughing coz they don't have a lot of scenes to use😭

[@iamtheboneofmysword607]

They did show Maddie staying with Cassie and her family when she was younger, due to family strife...

[@Melissdan]

@@iamtheboneofmysword607 I know but I'm talking about season 1. It was in season 2 when it seemed like they decided to make Cassie and Maddy bffs

[@benarts2271]

I feel like Cassie was kinda forced into this friendship because Maddy seems like the dominant and extroverted friend who dragged Cassie into her problems. Maddy never really gave Cassie a chance to speak about her problems. No wonder Kat went off about Maddy’s toxic behavior and how she lets things slide when it comes to her abuser. Basically, Maddy saw Cassie and was like “You. Be my best friend”. Toxic. So many red flags. Plus, Maddy gives bad advice. Especially when she tried to give her two cents about Cassie and McKay’s strained relationship. Fexi FTW! 😆

[@anasaavedra5600]

@@benarts2271 honestly I cannot agree with you more because I’d do get that controlling vibes from her friendships with Cassie and Cassie definitely seems to look as though she is just as stunted by her female friendships just as much her abandonment issues by her father it’s just that it’s constantly being overshadowed by her daddy issues which is what everyone is constantly talks about and it’s so annoying like I’d get it her main conflicts are her love lives but that shouldn’t be the main thing shouldn’t we dig deep into toxic female friendships because I’d think there’s should be more especially when comes to Maddy’s clique and I’d believe is way more damaging than anything men do that makes them trash maybe it could’ve been an opportunity to get into Cassie’s pov and maybe we could see why she would rather choose Nate over her even if this entire situation doesn’t fixed the problem at all nor seem to make this even fucking better but not to spite her but rather her feeling the burdening of trying to keep up with Being a pretty girl and having to perform femininity but only for Maddy’s sake when in reality it’s actually discomforting and maybe she didn’t wanted to be a popular girl because of her unwanted attention from men not only sexualizing and catcalling her but also being mocked after her nudes were leaked online she definitely seem to look inauthentic from not her constant dating but her friendships that she feels she’s supposed to have with Maddy but also Kat and BB included as well just because she’s been pulled into her inner circle from cheerleading and shallow conversations that she feels like it’s the only way to communicate with her and not once could she even attempt to pull out the bechdel test because it would’ve made Maddy feel threatened and emfenminted

[@benarts2271]

@@anasaavedra5600 and we need to start realizing (despite the show exaggerating a bit) that the main young crew are all human and no one’s perfect. I’m talking about the gray area. Plus they’re teenagers and being a teenager is already dramatic enough 😆

[@aliciabergman1252]

I'm soooo happy someone is finally calling out how horrible Maddy's reaction to a passed-out girl in the bathtub was. After that point, I didn't really care about Cassie being in the wrong by hooking up w Nate. I'd argue that leaving an unconscious girl in a room that could be locked from the inside by anyone was worse than being untruthful to a close friend. That people not only ignore but sometimes even celebrate Maddy's aggressive and violent side is alarming and I haven't once heard Cassie's fear of Maddy being brought up as a defense for not coming clean about the relationship. I would love to hear more about why people are so quick to love and hype the toxic "boss bitch" of so many shows. Blair from GG for example.

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Totally, and Cassie’s fear of Maddy hurting her is interesting- why is she so scared about Maddy’s reaction?

[@aliciabergman1252]

@@SerenaSkybourne Yeah I think they should have explored their friendship more instead of more toxic romantic relationships w Nate.

[@Claire_Loves_Music]

@@SerenaSkybourne it showed the scenes of Maddy beating up girls over the years, so based on that it made sense for Cassie to be so afraid of her.

[@ambriaashley3383]

@@Claire_Loves_Music Yeah. But one of the girls who Maddie was beating up as a kid was literally a racist, & probably said some racist sh*t to her, so I don't blame her for putting hands on that one. Maddie is clearly a fighter and Cassie is more of a lover, which shows why Cassie would be scared of her when she knows that she willingly betrayed her. I knew a lot of girls growing up who had to fight to survive so I never really blamed Maddie. But she definitely could be arrogant & manipulative. But then, how much of all this is Sam just writing her off as a trope?? So I blame Maddie for her behavior OUTSIDE of the Cassie/Nate situation. But when you find out your BFF is screwing your recent ex behind your back, Yeah.... you're not gonna act rationally as a teenage girl & I wouldn't expect her to.

[@LowSlungBadBitch]

@@SerenaSkybourne maddie would be racist ppl up remember

[@AikiraBeats]

The fact that Nate has been able to touch every single one of these girls and not giving a care about who he hurts. I feel like Nate should have been arrested for a while ago, why is he allowed to go to school with people that he has hurt and assaulted multiple times. This man child needs to go.

[@IrbyyTV]

The only thing that irks me is that no one actually gives an insightful take on McKay and it says a lot about how black male characters are viewed and valued.

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Yeah I agree. He’s deserving of a whole video of his own tbh. I don’t think he’s a great person (no one in this show is) but he’s a rly well written and complicated character in s1.

[@trxphywaifalt]

Or how there’s NEVER any unambiguous darker skinned black girls cast as a main character. The “black girl” is always biracial and looks mixed clearly. And the only dark skinned black girl in the show was only there to serve the purpose of being the white girl’s help for her play. We are never in the media, and when we are it’s a bunch of stereotypes. I’m shocked the black girl who helped with Lexi’s play wasn’t portrayed as loud, ghetto, and angry

[@trxphywaifalt]

When ppl say representation and diversity for black ppl they don’t mean including the women

[@samanthaharper9522]

@@trxphywaifalt this!

[@samanthaharper9522]

I agree with this, it makes McKay a one-dimensional stereotype when he was literally assaulted.

[@blymperopoulou5410]

The way I like her is because is changing the way victims of abuse are perceived. Let me tell you that a person who actually goes through abuse and doesn’t get away, has many flaws as a character as well. It’s refreshing to see a woman who is so strong, opinionated even bad ass other times turn into someone she is not due to internal fears and unfortunately love too.

[@julikroos]

As a latina who has been raised and lives in South America the "spicy latina" trophe kinda upsets me... Maddy doesn't deserves to be reduced to that :/

[@ronni3005]

I like Euphoria but I genuinely don’t think that anyone in that show is supposed to be a likeable character. That being said I will forever have an issue with Sam Levinson being the sole writer of the show. He needs a writers room so bad. Also, 19:37 you just made me realize that each time we see Maddy crying it’s because of Nate or adjacent to Nate and that’s soooo

[@niccolai_o3680]

Maddy may not be as complex as the other characters, but she's far from being shallow. Maddy is someone who values her friendships, she values loyalty. She has her friends back and remains loyal to them so much so that she expects them to be loyal to her too, which is why she was so angry and felt betrayed by Cassie - she expected Nate to do something horrible, not Cassie. Despite having many horrible things happen to her, Maddy didn't abandon her dreams. She is self-assured and has a good sense of self-identity. Despite showing some glimpse of her insecurity, she remains confident. She knows that confidence can be used as a weapon. Maddy knows her value. If anything, she wasn't that mad at Nate for sleeping with Cassie. She was mad at Cassie for betraying her and trading their friendship for a man (Maddy's ex). Maddy isn't as complex as the other characters but that doesn't make her shallow or poorly written.

[@chasebarber10]

Thank you for this. Tackling a lot of my issues with the show. Sam not having a real writers room and a diverse one that are actually represented by these characters is why Euphoria is what is

[@solierix]

Tbh if the writers didn't wanna drag out the drama, I feel like maddy would check on a passed out girl idk 😭

[@solierix]

And they should've expanded on the fight!!! The aftermath!!!! It felt empty

[@siracastori01]

Kat's story was meant to be sad, a sad naïve attempt attempt at 'confidence': it was obvious. It had no follow through in season2 because the actress refused to shoot her lines and they had to edit mostly edit around her.

[@DA-yy8rs]

She refused to shoot because they wanted to make her character (the only non-skinny girl making up the main cast) have an eating disorder. Thus further showcasing Sam Levinson’s failure as a writer. All he does is use stereotypes when writing on experiences he knows nothing about. He needs a writers room.

[@siracastori01]

@@DA-yy8rs You shoot your storyline (completely coherent, even Kat's origin's story showcased the starting signs of an ED), even if it doesn't align with your politics or artistic vision, when you're an actor in a series: that's a given to everyone in the business. You can give your input but you don't have veto power as an actor with a 3 year contract, and at the end of the day running off set and disrupting extremely expensive days of production and the time of your fellow crew and cast members who put in the work is disrespectful, oblivious and open to lawsuit She failed, not Levinson for writing a storyline you chose to dislike without knowing nothing about it.

[@angelwings967]

@@siracastori01 None of this show in regards to writing is “coherent” LOL.

[@ravengyal]

She can make a choice to remove herself from a situation that does not serve her. It’s her job and she has to live with the consequences. We all come to point in our lives when we have to decide if money is worth compromising our morals. Obviously the answer was a ‘no’ for her.

[@siracastori01]

@@ravengyal If that's the case you quit when the season's script is sent to you and it's clear there's no way is going to be changed to your liking, you don't drag the situation to the point of compromising other storylines and storming off set having an entire crew of professionals having their work's day ruined and treated as it mattered less than your tumblr shit.

[@zelwonnie]

no one will understand how excited i get everytime i see you uploaded another video, especially if i've watched the show. also you look so pretty in this video!

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Aww thankyou you angel

[@r.ayme.n]

ok but about maddy not going for Nate as well he physically abused her constantly, I'd be scared too. She was probably terrified of screaming at him after he choked her and pointed a freaking gun at her head

[@SerenaSkybourne]

True, I doubt that she’d want to rugby tackle him 😂😩 it’s still weird she went for Cassie though

[@AxX-lj5jp]

Recently I’ve been obsessed with euphoria analysis vids, this vid was so good and it summed up maddy so well🫶🏽

[@SerenaSkybourne]

youre so nice, thankyou

[@QueenSoledad]

I feel like people love the idea of Maddy that's been created in their heads/in fanon more that what Sam actually gives us

[@lilaccmr]

I haven’t finished the video but MADDY LOSES BOTH bffs. With Barbie quitting what doesn’t that mean for maddy?? Now she’s absolutely alone 😭😭

[@bsbdbsshhdbs8395]

What bout the vape girl, for sure shes gonna be more in season 3 😭

[@lilaccmr]

@@bsbdbsshhdbs8395 I hope she does 😭 a bb back story ep tho 👀

[@jhiaka9888]

I’d like to say I never saw anyone liking Maddie in season 1, they only started uplifting her when they could bring Cassie down in season 2. When she and Nate were being toxic in season 1 and got that dude locked up for a false crime people were annoyed with Maddie and her character only caring the least bit when Nate was abusive. People honestly felt sympathy toward Cassie in season 1 when she was the sympathetic character but the minute the roles flipped in season 2 now everybody loves Maddie and hates Cassie.

[@karabo171]

Girl what side of the internet are you on, I've been seeing love for Maddie since season 1 came out. In fact she has the most recreated looks from the whole show, not to mention of the compilations of her that have been around since then

[@ellebassa9288]

I'm way more mad at Nate for dragging Maddy as well as Cassie though what he did. I genuinely hope he gets seriously dealt with.

[@saintsprayer727]

I know I’m late but I always thought the reason Nate could imagine that future with Cassie is because he knew she could be manipulated into being like his mother. Nate’s mother is shown as being so manipulated and being treated like a doormat and just taking all of that abuse. Maddie wouldn’t take all of that without fighting or pushing back.

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Yeah that would make a lot of sense tbh

[@Andy-ne5qi]

Tysm for addressing the spicy latina trope. It's funny how media tropes affect marginalized people and minorities. I deadass felt pressured to act similar to Maddie in the spicy latina way just because of the message that that's the only way a latina can be desirable and valuable.

[@celestialcass]

As a latina viewer, I still have a soft spot for Maddy Perez since in one of the flashbacks, she's beating up a racist. I usually don't condone violence, but I suppose a few locker-slams are deserved in that case. Also, Alexa Demie does a wonderful job with what she's given. My big issue is that Sam Levinson is a trash writer and can't write compelling storylines about anything but his own experiences, copy-pasted for Rue. The only reason the show is so popular is the cast, costumes, and some beautiful shot compositions. The writing is shallow and doesn't really say anything, and Sam Levinson is a nepo baby who doesn't deserve these amazing actors and actresses.

[@sayeh2100]

I love your take on this!! I definitely think that Maddy's character would have gone off on Nate as well if he was present in that scene (but he left after seeing Ethan's portrayal of him on stage LMAO)

[@tallulahblue]

SO EXCITED love all ur vids immediately clicked when I saw this

[@SerenaSkybourne]

the dedication 🤣👏

[@Femmeaesthetic]

honestly Nate does seem horrifying however I never understood Maddy's motivations cheating on her boyfriend, having s3x with other men, even though she thought she loved him in certain situations I do see Maddy as the victims, like some of the characters motivations doesn't make sense in this show but hey that's just me.

[@viancarobinson4847]

She never cheated on Nate. They would get into fights, break up, and she would hook up with other guys. That's not considered cheating.

[@pnd-uc8bt]

@@viancarobinson4847 and wasn’t Nate doing this too? Before he sucked it up and went back to Maddy.

[@ravengyal]

@@viancarobinson4847 what she actually did was worse. She had sex with other guys only to piss him off and make him jealous. I think cheating is less toxic.

[@nazarisreyes6037]

In the clip of her hitting the little girl she calls out her racism, so, yeah, justified

[@Isabelle-hv6ny]

But wouldnt it be stronger calling her out with words ans not with literal violence

[@gemstoned66]

i never watched euphoria and really never plan on doing so, it all seems just so wrong to me. portraying „young“ people but casting grown fucking people is just the beginning on where this whole thing goes wrong for me. and personally i don’t give a shit on how artsy and beautiful something looks, you can make interesting and objectively „good“ art but if there is nothing more to you then sexualising young women but just in neon lights and on film, drug abuse and violence then it really has no real place in what art should be today, art is and always was political and i personally don’t stand for this. what did he really wanted to convey with his work

[@ENFPSIS]

It was meant to be a " mental health " show but it ended up going sideways. The cinematography was amazing but seriously? Sam has no other writers with him, which is why the show isn't doing as well. He basically just improvises in every scene, the acting is what is carrying the show right now. What he wanted was a mental health show, but it ended up being just becoming what we now know as a sex, drugs and violence show.

[@joelleweir9535]

11:39 Cassie did not deserve to be physically abused by Nate or Maddie. She deserves peace ✌🏾

[@atinyevil1383]

I didn't like Maddy at first, ngl. I for the first 2 or 3 episodes, I thought her and Nate were on the same level. Both selfish, ab*sive, toxic people. As season 1 went on, I started to realize that Maddy, with all her flaws, wasn't actually the problem. Maddy is blunt and takes charge when she's with everyone else, but ONLY when she's with Nate does it seem to morph into mean and controlling. While Nate acts the way he does with everyone. Maddy, Cassie, Juels, Fez. I was glad when Maddy broke up with him at the end of the season and in season 2 when she set boundaries with him that they could not be together. I like Maddy's character growth. On her being a stereotype, that didn't cross my mind. I just thought that's how she was, but now that it's been pointed out to me, I see it. This part is unpopular. I don't hate Cassie. I don't like what she did. I think it was wrong for her to start seeing Maddy's ex behind her back. They're supposed to be friends. But I don't think Cassie is stupid or wrong for dating Nate just because he's ab*sive because ab*sers are like that. Cassie had just broken up with MaKay for being a jerk AND got an ab*rtion. She was in a sensitive place and Nate decided to use her as a rebound and Cassie took that as "this guy who didn't like me now is interested in me" and that probably felt validating, causing her to backslide. I honestly felt really sorry for her for most of the season because she was trying so hard to be Nate's New Maddy. Even when she was having her pity party when everyone found out. I felt bad that she was being manipulated, felt bad that she felt so much stress and felt that she couldn't tell anyone, and i felt bad that she was so obviously miserable but trying to convince herself she was happy. And most of all, if she had just told Maddy what happened in the first place, sure Maddy would have been angry (and probavly more at Nate), but she would have told Cassie that Nate wasn't good for her. Another unpopular opinion: this show's writing isn't bad. It's scarily accurate. People say teenagers don't act like this. I had 43 people in my graduating class and so many of the situations in Euphoria happened in my school. Things like this happened to my friends. So it's not unrealistic or bad to me. It reminds me of my high school experience and how I felt. And I don't think the show itself is trying to say that any of the things happening are good or empowering. I think it's unreliable narration where the characters think it's good, but we're not supposed to feel that way. At least, that's how I felt about it.

[@mayam5134]

Thank you for this comment! People try to act like stuff like this doesn't happen! Ofc on television it's going to looke a bit more dramatic, but this looks scarily accurate to how human nature usually goes.

[@atinyevil1383]

@@mayam5134 yeah. If my school of 200 kids had things like this happen, then I'm sure regular high schools did, whether most people knew or not. We had Rues. We had Jules's. We had a Maddy. We had at least one Cassie. We kind of had some Nates, but not at that level because our school didn't have a sports team. And a lot of them fluctuated between the kinds of people in Euphoria. Like, I had a friend who was a mix of Cassie and Jules. Her boyfriend through half of high school was a mixture of Nate and Rue. Their relationship was very toxic, from what I understand. He didn't threaten to kill her, but he had times where he blamed her for his drug addiction.

[@Norabb2020]

I agree with the cassie part, but I think the writing hat it is actually really bad

[@bonnie5736]

the first thing they told us abt nate was that he sexually assaulted rue.. quite odd that you thought he was on the same level as someone who was clearly introduced to us as a victim

[@atinyevil1383]

@@bonnie5736 when the show first introduces Maddy, she exhibits similar behaviour to Nate. As the show goes on and we see more about Maddy, it becomes more clear that she isn't like Nate. Which is what I originally said. Also, I don't remember Nate SA-ing Rue in the first couple episodes. Maybe it does happen. But if Maddy is acting the same way as Nate, that's going to make me think they're the same way until I see otherwise. Maddy isn't fully introduced until episode 4 and semi-introduced in episode 1 where we don't get backstory about her or Nate. So I don't get why you're attacking me over a first impression I had. Especially of two TV characters. I find it interesting that out of three paragraphs of text, a lot of which is me highlighting how Nate is the real problem here, this is the thing you choose to pick out. Especially when I said that my opinion of her changed as the show went on.

[@icedcashewmilklatte]

i don’t even watch the show i just like video essays.

[@samanthaharper9522]

what bothers me about the script is the fact that we dive into the deep psychological states of the most abusive characters, yet maddie has a gun to her head and we quickly move on. I think season one, because it was introductory, did a much better job at presenting each character’s backstory. The thing they should’ve furthered in season two is diving into the humanization of characters like Maddie, that are often assigned the “Spicy Latina” trope. It dehumanizes minority female leads in particular to basically expect them to be strong and move on. I particularly agree with the beating people up thing, it portrays Maddie violent off the bat with no deeper meaning. Showing the aftermath of Maddie’s consistent abuse is important! Great video !

[@estybesty]

luv ur vids, thnx for blessing us again xoxo

[@SerenaSkybourne]

thankyou for being here! 💖💖

[@gonzalezchild0482]

I didn't even think about the bro code. that is shitty that Nate dated his friend's ex. I remember the first episode of season 2 when Cassie and McKay are talking in the bedroom, then later Nate keeps harassing McKay and tries to get a confession that McKay and Cassie did anything sexual. I really wish that was brought up in the show, and how we only see McKay for only one episode and he's no longer in the rest of the season. In all honesty, I actually forgot that McKay was a character until he was mentioned smh.

[@maddietookthe405]

As a Cassie Stan I was waiting for this one

[@loveart429]

OMG the pumpkins. I've only just started watching, but had to comment!!

[@badbela385]

The funny thing is the Latina trope really fits me and I’m Latina lol

[@CureSmileful]

Yeah it's not that Maddies don't exist in real life, but that type of character is over represented to the point of it being the trope

[@nocte.animam]

I'd love it if you individually covered some of the main characters in Euphoria the same way you did with the PLL girls! Your videos are all great and well put together, very insightful 💗💗💗 Also how about a Skins UK, Clueless, Legally Blonde, Heathers or Jawbreaker video someday ?????? Please give it a thought hahaha

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Yesss skins is on the list!

[@nocte.animam]

@@SerenaSkybourne amazinggggg

[@flawedsanity]

@@SerenaSkybourne omg yay!

[@kalinarice6417]

Serena, I’m a big fan of your channel and I love your commentary. I wanted to point out that you referred to McKay as the “main black character”, when in fact Rue is black. It may have been a mistake, but I don’t want anyone thinking that half black people aren’t still black.

[@Melissdan]

As a black person myself I don't think it's fair for a mixed person to claim just one side of their ethnicity. Yes she's half black but she's also half white. She can't just claim one race because she has a difference experience in life than from a fully black person and a fully white person. There's a drastic difference between McKay and Rue. Rue will never have to deal with the issues that a fully black darker skinned person will have to go through. Rue's the acceptable "black girl" that passes the paper bag test.

[@SerenaSkybourne]

@@Melissdan yep, thats why i referred to him as the main black character as Zendaya is mixed race. I'm obviously aware she's both though

[@kalinarice6417]

@@Melissdan I would never suggest that a mixed person only chose one of their ethnicities (I am half black and half white myself). But mixed people are still black. Rue is black, and she is white, and she is both of those things at the same time. So referring to a character that didn’t even show up in season 2 as the “main black character” erases Rue’s blackness. It’s not some huuuuuge deal and I’m not like offended or anything. These things can be difficult to navigate. I just wanted to offer my perspective as a mixed person.

[@benita8856]

Because she is half WHITE aka not black❤️

[@kalinarice6417]

@@benita8856 I have to disagree with that wholeheartedly. I am half white and half black. That means I am BOTH black and white. And I am those things at the same time. You cannot erase either part of my (or any other person’s) ethnicity to fit your own narrative.

[@user-hz4qf1wf5y]

For one of the points Cassie mainly got beat up at the play because Cassie provoked the situation and Nate left the school after the locker room scene in the play

[@M-WG]

Nate was really creepy towards McCay and I wish we got to see him more. I know he’s in college and busy but seeing how scary it is to be friends with someone like Nate would be interesting

[@lizanya6433]

people gonna be mad at me, but i’m still rooting for cassie. she and nate are not on the same level. cassie is just as much a victim of nate as maddy is and even maddy is aware of that considering her last line of the season was “don’t worry this is just the beginning”, meaning she knows cassie is about to be his next victim. i’m rooting for cassie the same way we’re supposed to root for rue. she and rue are both struggling with their addictions. rue has hurt WAY more people than cassie in far worse ways, yet we still root for her. we should give cassie the same energy. and everyone talking about “team maddy” and “team cassie” are missing the entire point. how come rue can hurt her mom, gia, ali, cassie, lexi, jules, elliot, etc. and shes “a teen girl overcoming addiction and grieving her father” but cassie hurts maddy and lexi at most and she’s a monster with a victim complex weaponizing her white woman tears? why cant she be a victim of the patriarchy? why cant be she a teen girl who was sexualized and objectified from a young age even by her own “family”, and has now placed all her worth on her looks and male validation? why cant we root for her the same way we root for rue?

[@julietspalding2339]

bc people don’t like pick me energy and a lot of people can relate to the level of betrayal maddy had done to her by nate and cassie.

[@lizanya6433]

@@julietspalding2339 i’m not saying people have to like her, i’m just saying we should give her the same courtesy we give rue to overcome her addiction. rue has threatened to kill her mom, tore apart her house, physically fought gia and kicked down her door, told jules she was dead to her, made elliot feel bad for “snitching” on her, weaponized ali’s abusive past against him when he tried to help her, put fez’s life in danger so she could get high, bought a suitcase of drugs with no intention of paying the money back, and outed cassie when cassie was trying to be helpful (not that cassie didn’t deserve it. so why is rue liked more than cassie? why can we root for her but not cassie? that’s the question i’m posing.

[@LaraOmar]

This show was so heavy & depressing. I watched it all once but never again 💀 very forgettable and not at all as iconic as it was initially made out to be

[@darkblue9314]

I don't agree with everything but it is true about the show having stereotypes, the difference is that Euphoria gives us a perspective of the stereotypes, shows us what it's really like to be an addict, what it's like to be the girl next door, to be the manic pixie dream girl, it goes deeper.

[@cactus_cutie]

Maddy is an unreliable character. She’s also a huge stereotype! She’s the hot blooded Latina character. She also did cheat on Nate so many times. I know what he did is regarded as “worse” cause wtf but really this show excuses everyone’s actions and no one is accountable. “I had a hard childhood” blah blah. THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN JUSTIFY A PERSON AND THIER SELFISH ACTIONS. I get this show isn’t fully grounded in reality, but it’s hard to take any situations seriously when extremely traumatizing things happen to characters. They next day everything is all fine lalala. I also don’t like how they’re literally in high school and they get sexualized so much just for aesthetic reasons. This show is hot garage, stereotypical, and boring old tropes. Yes the art, makeup, filmography are great but the story isn’t strong on its own.

[@jovanakrivokapic]

12:30 - 12:35 should be the only ted talk ever to exist, i played this part more times than id like to admit lmao

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Yeah that came across as way more inspirational than I intended it to 😭😂

[@kassykreutzer6972]

i love your hair soo much in this video soo cute

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Thank you 🥹

[@gavinscelebi]

I saw your cat in one of your old vids and I’m sobbing 😭😭😭😭

[@SerenaSkybourne]

I knowww 😭 I was just thinking about her last night

[@itsbrooklynbabyyy]

The writers for Degrassi did the same thing there was 2 of them : Manuela Santos which was filipino so they kind of bundled Asian and Latina stereotypes into one character there she was a bit more childish/nerdy in the beginning and then once she starts getting into puberty and realizing she’s a sexual being and how much more male gaze she gets for dressing and acting more “grown” she starts to be less studious, changes crowds and disobey her parents and she dressed exactly like the spicy Latina trope of the 2000’s sweatsuits the hoop earrings she lets he hair out & more curly she’s chewing gum all the time and starts being sassy. There was also Alex Nunez which was a Latina that had a screwed up single mom , she had to work in high school to help her mom pay bills and in the hopes that her mom wouldn’t have to do sex work and date this pitiful guy that’s always high/drunk and abuses her. Alex dresses more like a chola stereotype, you can tell she is smart but her growth is stunted by her upbringing, so she acts more stand off ish and tough and then come to find out she was a closeted lesbian which plays into the chola stereotype as well… It’s like these writers just can’t write multidimensional characters when it comes to Latinx , Poc characters. Even the black characters were stereotypical even if yes there was a lot more diversity than most 2000’s sitcoms in that show they were still all stereotypes.

[@uppyluna]

11:25 imo it could be that she was scared to confront him directly in some way, like a direct message or action to Nate, it could be understandable after all that poor Maddy had to go thru she'd be strong enough to go after Cassie but not Nate

[@patilaucha]

I was the 1000 view! I was looking forward this video. I bet is gonna be nice.

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Congrats for being the 1000th haha ❤️

[@marijajanicijevic8211]

I love your takes on this. You sound like a vibe judging by some of your oppinions on movies and series.

[@SerenaSkybourne]

thanks so much babe

[@susanstorm7910]

Sis! This was iconic omg

[@SerenaSkybourne]

thankyou omg

[@Adi-mf1fv]

I absolutely love these videos. Your analysis is so interesting to listen to. So happy I found your channel!💕

[@SerenaSkybourne]

I'm so glad!

[@evanderzufarsetiawan2511]

Harriyanna hook in one of her video about maddy perez character in season 1 title maddy is so unlikable. She point out considering maddy perez is light skin latina, have slim body type, pretty face people overlook her rude and toxic behavior. I really liked your anaylsis around maddy perez character to certain extent she's a character refreshing to see but on the other hand still used some racist stereotype. I appreciated people who sympthasize with cassie character but still holding her accountable. Euphoria show on writing is not great however to the colouring, fashion style they really did a great job. Euphoria and miraculoud ladybug they have some problem with writing but to euphoria credit they actually based the fashion style from magazine, celebrity etc. Fate winx saga source of the web series come from the animation winx club, winx club animation they have a tons of great fashion style unfortunately neflix only caring make it profit but not actually make it the show everyone remember and loved. Ok for the the girl that got beaten up by maddy The first girl maddy said "Fucking racist." So it's obvious the girl micro agression toward maddy race so she doesn't tolerate it. The second and the third we do not know for sure

[@catherinemartinelli4758]

Part of this trope I think comes from the fact that there have historically been all these politics about which women “get to” be victims when victimized. Marginalized women often aren’t allowed soft emotions in the same way cis straight able bodied WASP women are.

[@mauriciogarcia1290]

I wish you would’ve went over how she falsely accused Tyler of r*pe and also blamed him for the choking during the carnival

[@Kaastengels]

Yeah diversity is one of my main grip with this show, cause there are not a single asian person there??like how, its LA?? But realistically asian teens wouldnt be allowed to hang out with these characters anyway lol

[@pratishtha5740]

haha lmao true

[@sanjramesh3189]

Dominic Fike who is Elliot is Asian. Well half Asian, but still Asian.

[@sofiaa5255]

I kinda see why they portrait latinas like fierce when it come to defend themselves and I agree tbh. I'm latina, like I have live all my 21 years in a south American country and here your parents teach you to defend yourself, if they hit you then you hit them back, like we have the "don't let them take you as toy" mentality. Like I remember some girl called me fat and ugly as a child, and what my mom suggested was comeback with their own insecurities, I don't say is the better way but it works. That's why some times when we see movies where in an American highschool the mean girl is bad with someone, we say like "Why? If it was me I'll defend myself even if I have to hit her", unfortunately we take bullying as a weakness of the person being bullied, like the allow that to happen. I know is not the best way but it is the way many Latinos grown up with

[@alexiswalsh9112]

this video just proves to me that u can get either Maddy or Cassie perspective but not both.

[@SerenaSkybourne]

I don’t know what you mean? I think both are victims of Nate and I get why both would behave as they did e.g Cassie’s daddy issues and desire to be loved

[@alexiswalsh9112]

@@SerenaSkybourne the actions of Cassie. like u understand Maddie but don't understand why Cassie was crying & her actions & why she would feel the ways she did & also im not saying u have to agree with her at all but like the point of the show is that they are all bad & looking for "euphoria" or something in their lives & they are all bad yet people pick favourites. also like I think u should look up bpd for Cassie & it might like help understand her actions more & the crying, copying, male attention bits. the stage scene her sister completely embarrassed her & did the carousel scene & without her permission and made her sister look bad. Maddy also said she missed the old Kat when kat was starting to find herself & I think u fail to see that she is not confident. confidence is quiet. had lots of thoughts so this might of be all over the place. also I love your videos

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Fav character in Euphoria? I think mine is Nate- because he's such a good villain

[@agotasavickaite4987]

Actually I like Cassie. Everyone hates Her, but I really felt like they gave very good reasons why She behaved in such a way. It’s a very strong and realistic character, that I feel many girls can relate to

[@hannahhart6951]

Lexi because I relate to her the most.

[@user-ji9if5gh2p]

jules or rue because i relate to them the most. finding out hunter is a transmedicalist really hurt because her character meant a lot to me as a trans person. and rue and i are both 17 year old bipolar drug addicts (i’m recovered)

[@user-ji9if5gh2p]

also like the acting of these characters is so realistic to my life experiences

[@Missmagazinebura]

Cassie

[@ultravioletwaterfall]

I am aware that there is a 'spicy latina's trope on TV; but there's something I am curious about. Outside of movies and tv shows, is that really how us latinas are perceived in the US (I don't live in the mainland US)? Because if that is how we are seen.... that's kinda scary.

[@JoseHernandez-gy7qu]

Yes a lot of guys in America of all races say they want a “spicy Latina” as a partner

[@kilimanjaro5537]

I personally have never seen Latino women as “spicy,” I have always just viewed people as their own individual selves as a black woman.

[@chelsearivas4064]

13:12 I understand where you’re coming from but no one in euphoria is written to be a good person. Even our “protagonist” Rue is an awful person so everyone is portrayed that way.

[@iwatchytwhenimbored1636]

at 12:57 when she’s talking about the bathtub scene it makes no sense. why is maddy the only one blamed? both her and the guy noticed a girl was passed out and neither wanted to help. they’re both the bad guy’s in that situation. it’s not just her fault because “girls supporting girls” they both should’ve wanted to help her because of common decency

[@SerenaSkybourne]

im not talking about the guy though because this isnt a video essay about him! i was just pointing out the weirdness of Maddy's reaction when he said to her that there was someone in the bathtub

[@SerenaSkybourne]

of course it was both their responsibilities to do something, and both were useless

[@milacruz3970]

I have the same feeling with Alex from Wizards (obviously in a very different level) but I remember a lot of people thinking she was so great and confident and funny but to me she was just rude and a horrible friend. I pray for one day Hollywood may show strong, confident female characters who are not violent or rude.

[@Start.a.curvolution]

The character reminds me a lot of a mean girl about 20 years ago when I was really young. I had several girls at my school who were really mean and bossy but soft under that hard outside😢 it was really like people who were hurt and dominated wanted to hurt others …. But I think that this character is more human and nice and maybe this is the side I have never seen

[@alyssapinon9670]

No joke, one of my bullies wayyy over identifies Maddy (as an adult no less). And I like Maddy and think she deserves some grace. But she is someone who doesn’t accept ANY criticism towards Maddy and blames it on fandom racism. Because that’s what she did for herself. My bully acted liked a toxic queen bee and used her trauma as an excuse to be shitty. Now there are racist fans and some implicitly excuse Cassie’s behavior because she’s blonde and white. But I figured Serena Skybourne watchers have a bit more media literacy and understand multiple things can be true at once. Maddy is a complex character. She’s also had a lot of positive growth. And while she’s not above criticism, we shouldn’t demonize her for being a messy traumatized teenager. And I believe that sentiment applies to most of the main cast (except for Nate because he’s abusive and written to be a full blown villain).

[@electrayakamozi9386]

The car scene to me felt like rape. Especially later in the bathroom scene I prayed that Maddy found out Cassie in the bath sink. And that Cassie told the incident, so both of them could see what piece os shit Nate is. That would made their friendship so much stronger

[@selenasheikh3537]

A lot of the problem's i have come down to the writing and Sam's weird thing about not having a writers room. There with issues with s1 but they were able to hide, s2 was such a downgrade. Sam likes to create and wind up to moments of tension and cool scenes but then doesn't resolve them, it's bad character building.

[@velvetdawson617]

s1 cassie > s1 maddie i said what i said.

[@mini_mew775]

I wish ppl would stop using love triangles for a plot it's so dumb

[@skylarcastro321]

LOVEEEE your hair bats!!❤❤

[@SerenaSkybourne]

me too! xx

[@niloticnya]

i really hate the lack of diversity in this show. rue is the only black female mc, but she’s only half black. i have dark skin and didn’t expect anyone that looked like me to show up, but cmon but im happy that we avoided bad representation like the “spicy latina” “angry black woman” “dragon lady” tropes that also sexualize them based on their ethnicities, vs the “pure delicate blonde” people treat poc based on media depictions, and i’m glad everyone is aware of these issues. i just don’t get why writers never listen to us. i find the show offensive, but the actors’ performances are always on point. i wish they could use their talents to their fullest potential BUT NO. they do well with what they can

[@momo1696]

But we didn’t avoid the spicy Latina trope…. Maddy is it almost to the t.

[@benita8856]

You want us to be in euphoria???????? You're self esteem must be in the depths of hell to want to see yourself in this show bcs wth. No representation is better than bad representation I'm actually so shocked you want to be part of this train wreck

[@benita8856]

Just finished reading ur comment but it's still so strange to be sad about that

[@momo1696]

Wow that’s a very confusing response to what I wrote. I simply stated the fact that maddy is written as a stereotype. Nothing in that sentence alludes to me (an Afro Latina) wanting to see someone like myself in the show. I actually don’t even like this show lmao.

[@momo1696]

@@benita8856 when and where did I say I was sad about it? Or that I want to be a “part of this train wreck”? My statement is a fact, no emotive or reactive opinions or responses were made. It was an observation. Use your critical thinking nena.

[@greyLeicester]

I love how confident she is despite her looks (short, small chested, filled lips...). Also, latina is NOT a race but an ethnicity. It means you are from Latinamerica or a Spanish speaking country. We come in all colours and shapes.

[@lilomyers7444]

Came across your Chanel... you got my sub. Love your content 💙 i'm gonna binge now every Video 😁

[@SerenaSkybourne]

you go and binge, my friend!

[@cr1994yellow]

….I’m a spicy latina, legit every single one of my friends have a combination of these personality traits lol 😂 that why I love Maddie lol 😂 we identify hard with her.

[@breebb]

I would like to say as far as the “spicy latina” troupe. I agree that it is harmful, as any stereotype is harmful, because it paints the entire group as a monolith. However, I think one of the main things that holds back progress for media to move on from this stereotype is the fact that by and large latinas accept this stereotype as true. Many of my peers embrace this, and I see it all over the internet, latina women capitalizing on this troupe, that’s why it is not going out of style anytime soon. A lot of latinas relate to this characterization and I think that it is an important point to bring up when talking about it. I don’t think the latino community has decided yet that this is harmful, and until that happens I don’t think we will see any change in media with regards to it. Edit: I don’t think I personally mind her falling into the “spicy latina” troupe because obviously a lot of us relate to her, but it would better to actually unpack why a lot of us have these experiences, why we can be combative, why we struggle with emotional vulnerability, what in our culture makes us feel like anger is the acceptable emotion instead of sadness. I don’t think it’s wrong that she was written like this, I just think it’s lacking substance.

[@babyfaceweeb8937]

I think Maddie also chased Cassie off the stage because she was also embarrassing Lexi. Also Nate like... Left the play.

[@faeryb0mb]

Maddy and Cassie absolutely needed more screen time to show they’re actually best friends. But tbh they should’ve been mad at Nate for preying on both of them.

[@trxphywaifalt]

I’d love a video on the difference between how ppl respond to black women being portrayed exactly like Maddy but we’re called angry and aggressive. But the latinas are called “spicy” for the same behavior. And how when we are on screen it’s as an extra or a side character that has no purpose to the show but to be the white girls side kick or the help. Or how every “black” girl is always lighter skinned, older or mixed race. the erasure of young, darker skinned black girls that are not a stereotype is missing noticeably in media. What about the black girls who like anime, kpop, or cosplay? We are always portrayed as a hyper sexual, aggressive, masculine SJW that only listens to rap music and is on welfare. I’m SICK of the same thing over and over. Where tf is our good rep?