Teen Melodrama: How Euphoria Gets It Right

Let’s talk Teen Melodrama and HBO’s Euphoria! A 2019 new show that stars Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Alexa Demie, Storm Reid, Maude Apatow and more. It has been renewed for season 2 airing 2020. I compare Euphoria to another show I love - Skins UK and discuss how both of them figured out a way to make copious amounts of teen melodrama not only palatable, but fun!
_______________________________________________________________________________
⚡️ Twitter: / tahkawa
_______________________________________________________________________________
Some of the movies or Tv shows mentioned:
- Euphoria
- Glee
- Juno
- Skins UK / Skins US
- 13 Reasons Why
_________________________________________
This post contains affiliate links to products that I may receive compensation from at no additional cost to you.
➤ Microphone: Blue Yeti amzn.to/2ZCt72y
➤ Editing: FCPX on Macbook Pro amzn.to/399xbue
➤ Music:
I Am Running Down the Long Hallway of Viewmont Elementary by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Source: chriszabriskie.com/honor/
Artist: chriszabriskie.com/

[@emmashaw4143]

"teens aren't walking around with glitter and stars on their face" well they sure are now

[@anialaskowska7424]

emma shaw actually I go to school with exactly same makeup as them 💀

[@katiemcbain4342]

on god

[@meat1575]

@@anialaskowska7424 thats iconic

[@kae6238]

Exactly I’m really into makeup and euphoria actually had a pretty big impact on makeup trends, i mean I’m sure amazon sold out on rhinestones after that show came out

[@kayleighnguyen20]

Ania Laskowska I love ur confidence. I could never

[@kyah3560]

Skins: The Millenial experience. Euphoria: The Gen Z experience.

[@sweetutopia7705]

Kyah exactly!!

[@TheLeah2344]

Same I remember when Skins first came out

[@kyah3560]

@Expi Doe never said that it didn't. I am talking about specific things (mostly to do with technology) that pushes a lot of the plot in Euphoria. This is a common experience to Gen Z, and was less common with preceding generations. Hence, my original comment.

[@biancadesousa]

Except in skins the actors looked like normal people and weren’t all supermodels. I want to see acne, teeth that aren’t perfectly straight, all that shit. Plus the diversity sucks in Euphoria. Most of them are white and the few black people are all light skinned sooo edit: the diversity comment was a bit uncalled for and looking back at it, i wasn’t really putting deep thought into my comment or i would’ve worded it better. skins wasn’t better in diversity at all but they portrayed characters who looked real. also what high school student has time to do their makeup like they do in euphoria? the comment about how there barely is diversity was only meant toward people who say how euphoria is so amazing and so different from any other show. which it isn’t, it’s filled with super models who are mostly white and look pretty fucking perfect.

[@corndo9]

Hmm idk about that. I’m a millennial who was a teenager when skins was on, but most millennials are older, statistically. Even people I know who are still millennials but are in their early 30s had some similarities but in many others a very different experience w tech & social norms growing up. But maybe that’s just a regional thing

[@eviefuentes2525]

someone said skins: the millennial experience Euphoria: the gen Z experience but I think it's more like skins: the English experience Euphoria: the American experience

[@nancyzasimova2044]

You can totally say that, even though I'm originally from Russia, at the age of 14 I moved to Bristol, UK (where Skins took place) and I can say that I saw A LOT of correct resemblance of the real Bristol teenage life in Skins. The places they hanged out, things they did and talked about, literally even the places they went to smoke weed with a view were super correct (they were sort of known spots among Bristol's teenagers). Oh and they way they tried to get into certain clubs, fake ID's was also exactly the same. With Euphoria I could relate to quite a number of things (reflecting back on my teens) however definitely you can sport several cultural differences. Both shows are great though!

[@lilbug742]

and Puberty blues is the Australian experience :)

[@awkwardturtle105]

I'm from the US and watched Skins. My ex-friend actually got me into it when I was in high school :) I will say it's different from American high school but the emotions are still real ya know

[@mayap8191]

Nancy Zasimova exactly, I live in Bristol (and although I’m at private school) I can tell you that even in this generation the things we do are shockingly similar, and a lot of the time we try and ‘replicate’ skins scenes as it’s so iconic in bristol

[@Tina-nu7md]

Evie Fuentes omg FACTS. completely agree

[@vanessanogueira6924]

Remember when Rue said "I'm not the most reliable narrator"? So yep, that's it.

[@fiver2543]

Oop

[@AverySometimesReads]

At first I thought the thumbnail was implying Skins got it wrong and for a moment was deeply offended.

[@karensmith1521]

Samee looll

[@beepzero3192]

Me toooo i was about to rage

[@rachelpolo]

Me too omg I was scared. People should’t compare skins to euphoria.

[@justanotherpersonxo]

Same 😂😂😂

[@may.k_me]

Oh, it doesn't? Good to know! I was about to go off on in the comments

[@Amazatastic]

Sex education does more for teens than 13 reasons why could ever dream of

[@kennyb1588]

I honestly learned so much from that show!!💖💖

[@homosoftommorow]

Sex Education is so well done.

[@citizenkiwi5548]

yeah that's a very fucking boring show and i could not bear to watch that piece of shit that everyone was talking about although i have to admit season 2 wasn't as good as the first season though

[@salmamohmed222]

That's the Tea!! 👏

[@user_okay-ish]

I actually learned a lot from that show! I can't wait for season 3 :)

[@yaboysimon_]

The first 2 season of skins won’t ever be topped

[@leilapittman5805]

Fr. I fell in love with seasons 1&2 then went onto season 3 and wasn't feeling it. I couldn't connect to any of the characters in season 3 and stopped watching

[@m.p.9931]

@@leilapittman5805 do you mean season or Generation 3?

[@celluloidfag]

@@m.p.9931 season

[@zzzzzuya]

for me gen 1 was the best, gen 2 was too dramatic

[@carlocortsz]

Third generation is also great

[@foxcharin]

The only thing I think Skins has over Euphoria is it feels more “real” in a sense just because the use of the low budget camera work. Like Skins to me feels a documentary of a teens life while Euphoria is that, but on LSD. I love both the shows though.

[@tyhuff9576]

doesn’t that make sense for euphoria tho? because it is basically built around rue’s addiction?

[@villanelleherself7381]

"euphoria is that, but on LSD" well, can't blame them as they have Rue (a drug addict) as the main character and the story is mostly told by her, so basically what we see in euphoria is mostly from her POV (hence the "on LSD" part 😂).🤷‍♀️ i agree with u on the last part tho, both shows are amaizing 🥰

[@zzzzzuya]

They are both lovely but skins made you feel as if you were there, especially gen 1 at least for me because it was just so relatable, shitty camera, shitty outfits, shitty hairstyles, that kind of stuff happends to everyone, its a teenage bullshit, and skins got it all togeheter without making it look cringy, cassie's timeline is one of the best for me because of the way not only they manage it but also the representations they put, like when cassie's brother gets asked "what do you like eating" and he answers with "everything", it goes straight up to cassie's eating dissorder, then h asks cassie "is everything okay?" and she answers "everything is fine" showing you the oduble sense of her answer (sorry if u got no shit im not american)

[@SomeSister]

@@tyhuff9576 lol, she is addicted to opiates, very different from acid experience. And you can't get addicted to LSD

[@Kmkmkms]

@@zzzzzuya i guess thats the difference between the two skins feels relatable like you are there but still manages to play into fantasy by how cool the characters are and makes you wish you could do the things that they did but euphoria plays into fantasy with how clean and impressive everything is, the parties look fun and the way the camera moves makes you feel amazing, but the fantasy is based more of things you dreamed of but nothing you could personally relate to too heavily

[@abrehouse6860]

"If realism is what you want, you can watch a documentary." LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK

[@moy7469]

cringe

[@abrehouse6860]

@@moy7469 ok

[@afgusti4269]

Honestly thou, it was the more realistic representation of teens I've ever seen

[@Gemstones1000]

@@moy7469 Nope, u are.

[@werkothehoeslaya4590]

euphoria is realistic, maybe you’re 15 thats why you dont see it:)

[@sentientconfetti]

The “this isn’t realistic” argument always confuses me. I knew addicts in high school. I knew girls like rue or Jules or Kat or even maddy who were in over their heads or were searching for belonging in the wrong places. This show makes me feel melancholy and reflective but also euphoric (I had to) and satisfied. I can’t wait for season two. Every actors performance is a stand out to me.

[@jaebby9695]

THANK YOU. Whenever I hear that argument I’m just ???? I’ve never seen a MORE REAL portrayal of what life is like in highschool. I can relate to so much of what is happened in the show and it not only brings back bad memories, but good ones. I graduated high school in 2016 so not that long ago, and I’d say this is a pretty good portrayal.

[@TheClover42]

Exactly. And coming to college I realized that this show IS a lot of teen's realities. The people saying it isn't realistic just never experienced it.

[@judityrezendes7244]

EXACTLY! Girl! If I tell you, I’ve saw some comments saying “I’ve been to many highschools and it’s never been like that”- I’m like, then I guess you must’ve went to either private school, or been a really good two shoes and kept to yourself. One of the things I liked most about this show WAS the realism. The dialogue is on point, it’s not cringe- it doesn’t have outdated dialogue like saying “it’s lit” every 30 seconds, and it also isn’t too high in vocabulary like the fault in our stars was (sounding like 50 year olds talking through teenage vessels). The situations are realistic as well, drugs, sex, pressure etc. the only exaggerated thing was that Nate was smart enough to frame Tyler and blackmail Jules. Other than that, the glitter is- like the dude from the video said, suppose to express emotion. The camera shots really reflect how you feel like when you’re high asf in a party etc. idk I guess it’s just some of us, but this was literally 1 of the best teen dramas I have ever watched, relatable asf. I’ve never watched skins tho, so imma do that this week to see how it holds up to Euphoria.

[@astoldbynickgerr]

Judity Rezendes Skins (season 1 esp) is really good

[@mikelmontoya2965]

@@judityrezendes7244 I really liked the first two of the three generations of Skins (every two out of the six seasons of the show they changed characters, so every two seasons is a generation), but I have issues with their portrayal of anorexia and depression. It definitely isn't as accurate and well thought out as the portrayal of drug addiction and mood disorders in Euphoria, and I do think it enters in the realm of romanticizing and fetishizing of mental illnesses in a way that is a bit concerning (I still love Cassie so much OMG what a compelling character, I feel for her). That said, I think the backlash against Skins because of that is quite overblown and unfair, it wasn't THAT bad (definitely far better and infinitely less harming than the portrayal of depression in 13 Reasons Why), and we have to take into account that it first aired in 2007, when we as a culture didn't have nearly as much awareness and understanding about mental disorders as we do now, so we can't apply 2020 standards to Skins (and sadly it would still be extremely far from the worst in this regard even today lmao). All that taking into account, Skins is a really good show, totally groundbreaking for its times and which I truly love, so definitely go watch it (specifically if you loved Euphoria).

[@blue_boulevard4429]

It’s crazy how Skins got it right before everything else. It’s the perfect mix of drama and comedy, and the characters are so deep yet so relatable

[@nathanr5737]

Skins > euphoria However: skins and euphoria > literally every other teen show

[@Astroacid]

Degrassi skins then euphoria

[@bohlokoaletoao1926]

Skins walked so that Euphoria could run

[@melosm1814]

@@Astroacid thats exactly what I thought

[@ioana6751]

exactly

[@JeremysPointOfView]

Checkout my skins retrospective! kzbin.info/www/bejne/oonYooKwfaZgg8k

[@carlyuks]

Skins, Euphoria and SKAM are one of the best shows for teenagers.

[@rachaelb8100]

as a 17 year old, add elite to this as well. yeah it's not realistic whatsover and it's a hair away from being a soap opera but goddamn if it isn't the most entertaining 16 hours of TV i've seen in a long time.

[@karku3fan]

@@rachaelb8100 nah, elite is one of the worst teenage shows I've ever seen

[@marleeno.1741]

@@rachaelb8100 it really is though

[@Samia-2003]

Crala And Degrassi tng

[@rachaelb8100]

Jazmin A.G cap

[@effystonem2934]

Skins will always be my favorite show ever. The fact that it was low budget, with actors who were real teenagers who started as nobody’s, it was just so real and raw. Euphoria on the other hand is more of an american take, with 25yo actors playing high schoolers and a lot of budgets, an original soundtrack, etc. And Euphoria is very good! But definitely not the same.

[@irrelevance3859]

Agreed. This is the best comparison right here. This is why skins is was truly realistic the cast and low budget aspect made it perfectly

[@mt6897]

This! You just perfectly explained why Skins will always have a place in my heart. Also thinking about the fact that some of the “nobody teenagers” that came out of Skins like Nicholas Hoult and Dev Patel and Daniel Kaluuya became big actors in Oscar nominated movies is really awesome to me.

[@mariaah3073]

@The Ballad Of The Queen no one said it didn`t, they just said the two shows are not the same lol

[@TheSomeawesome]

Getting older actors to play teenagers is because of child labor laws. Given minors can only shoot for a limited number of hours and are restricted from certain things, you would get an entirely different (and subpar in comparison) result. And only Alexa is 25 - everyone else is only a few years away from having been a teenager, most of them were 20-22 when they filmed.

[@arjaneb]

Effy Stonem some of the actors are 21 or 23 which you can tell how young they are that they pass for high schoolers especially Zendaya she still has a teenage like face😂 but yeah i understand what you’re saying and i love Euphoria

[@btblessed2201]

It’s so weird that they would say it’s unrealistic, because growing up Gen Z I’ve actually seen almost EVERYTHING in Euphoria happen in real life between the ages of 13-19. I grew up in the suburbs and even still I had friends with major drug problems, friends who went out met older people secretly when they were underaged. I had friends who were willing to take their clothes off for attention, and girls’ nudes getting leaked as early as middle school. Nearly everyone I knew suffered from some form of depression or anxiety. Maybe it’s not really for people with really involved parents, but if your parent wasn’t up your ass, you could easily hide what you were doing on your phone/computer etc. I talked to older people myself and almost got taken advantage of. We were children when the internet was becoming a popular place for everyone, unlike millennials who remember a world before high speed internet.

[@ratherbenapping10]

Ok first of al i am a millennial and I can relate to euphoria we had the internet and facebook, iPhones etc. 10 years ago and some of my friends took nudes but they weren’t spread around as much as they are now, but we had our own problems too. every generations as their own problems to deal with

[@je_ss]

People are so scared to admit these depictions of a teenager's life, of all the drugs, relationships, sex etc is realistic for some reason. Most teens and young adults can look around and see most, if not all, the things happening in skins and euphoria happening around them now and 10 years ago. i think these shows make it look slightly more glamorous with the actors looking a lot older and more beautiful than they would be if this was real life, which is that 'fantasy' aspect hes talking about in the video, but nonetheless these experiences they're putting on tv do happen IRL, not sure why people are so ready to judge these shows and call them unrealistic when they're truly not that farfetched at all. tv is meant to be more dramatic anyways, its an art form, why not just enjoy it if its not hurting anybody or spreading actual toxic ideologies around.

[@gracewilliams5878]

I’m a younger Millenial and almost everything that happened in euphoria happened to me or someone I knew

[@ariiblink]

I don’t think this is every “Gen Z” experience, as a current 16 year old growing up in a small town I have no way near experienced something as the Euphoria teens have. Yes I have seen people vape and smoke weed at parties (and I have done it a little bit myself) but it’s not something as substance abuse as Rue’s character I do understand that there are teenagers that do have these problems but I have personally never seen or experienced it myself. I’m not sleeping around every now and then and most of the girls in my school are virgins including me lol this doesn’t excuse people that do have sex in my school as I known 2 girls that were pregnant, but I don’t believe that this is every Gen Z experienced and it shouldn’t be labeled as it.

[@loveriotradio]

As a 21 y/o Gen Z kid that grew up in NYC! I definitely think this show is realistic.

[@megansmith8225]

I’m a simple girl- I see Skins and I click

[@karensmith1521]

I'm.sorry but skins was waay ahead of its time and that's on periodtt

[@micka2685]

@The Ballad Of The Queen distaste

[@eyeorigins77]

@The Ballad Of The Queen skins paved the way tho

[@saharasafari4529]

The Ballad Of The Queen because it’s shiny and new

[@karensmith1521]

@The Ballad Of The Queen bbg skins walked so euphoria could limp they r both really good shows tho ngl but the fact is skins was just waaaay out of its time I still respect your opinion tho

[@karensmith1521]

@@saharasafari4529 but skins is more realistic personally I feel like British shows are more realistic the people the setting etc than American shows that's what made shows like the inbetweeners amazing

[@fayetopias]

Euphoria was so refreshing.This is how teenagers of our generation are like and what we go through. The internet, sexuality, gender roles, coming of age, mental illness, drugs, alcohol, relationships, education, etc.

[@jennagreen5644]

yes and they include funny little relatable things like the harry and niall scene lmao. like that's something only teenagers would understand makes it so relatable and that we are so influenced by social media

[@albertjacobosantana6985]

i love strawberry milkshakes public schools

[@_.kalico._]

@i love strawberry milkshakes American public schools

[@nat-oi2fh]

i love strawberry milkshakes american public high schools. it’s not “fucked up” per say it’s just expected at this point

[@arielrose5017]

jenna green Harry and Louis

[@soonsims]

When Chris died is still one of the most heartbreaking moment for me. I still get heavy feeling in my chest and my eyes watering when I think about it 10 years later. I couldn't continue watching the series after that. For me Skis is the OG cast and the first two seasons. But was really heavy to watch :(

[@ll-ug6we]

When I went onto the third series of skins I was pissed off because I was like “who are these new people, where are the characters I know and love?” But I kept watching, and I’m glad I did because for me the next two seasons were just as good. The third generation series’ are rubbish and not worth watching, but the three episodes looking at the characters in the future are really good and I would definitely recommend.

[@soonsims]

@@ll-ug6we yes I've seen the future stand alone episodes. I like the Effy one because it just looked like totally different movie and character with some similarities to Effy. Good combination.

[@kpinthebubble]

The first two seasons (aka the first generation) were great, very far out of my high school experience but easy to watch and sympathize with the characters. However, I couldn’t get into the second and third generation AT ALL because my high school experience was absolutely nothing like it. I couldn’t relate to the characters or their stories at all. The third generation was extremely hard for me to get thru and the only reason I did was because my boyfriend loves the show and wanted me to watch it all the way thru. But if I were to ever watch it again, I would only stick the the first gen. Forget about the others 😷

[@delphiniumxk1334]

@@ll-ug6we I found the third generation almost better than the first. its just a matter of opinion and taste.To anyone reading this who hasnt seen skins yet, PLEASE WATCH ALL SEASONS I PROMISE ITS SO BEAUTIFUL!!!1!

[@prisonmike1139]

Chris death was so heartbreaking but personally it wasn’t even the worst Freddie’s death broke me

[@cyndellbk6583]

“The creators are completely aware that teens aren’t walking around with glitter and stars all over their faces” Quarantine Day 12 - ME: literally walking around with glitter and stars all over my face 😂

[@fmorley368]

I remember when skins was first aired, damn that show has a special place in my heart

[@liloa03]

That means you’re old

[@fmorley368]

@@liloa03 25 babes

[@beatrizbarcellos7557]

Same my older sister introduced it to me

[@trashyasf]

Francesca Morley same,

[@islabee94]

I'm 25 too. I loved Skins. How tf is 25 old? 😂

[@inao7545]

I like SKAM the most. It doesn't find pleasure in torturing their characters, and it was written with teenagers.

[@TropeAnatomy]

Heard a lot about this show, I’ll check it out

[@inao7545]

@@TropeAnatomy But it has a positive Scandinavian vibe, so it is a bit different. However, I consider it comforting.

[@Viviana-pe5sh]

Honestly, one of the most realistic shows I've watched so far, nothing was really overdramatic yet the issues it handles were handled seriously, I also appreciate that the actors were actual teenagers when shooting.

[@mariamiranda5508]

@@TropeAnatomy I'd love to see a video on it

[@mariamiranda5508]

@@Viviana-pe5sh exactly

[@MS-ly4mx]

Euphoria is a great show but Skins, even with low budget, remains as my favourite show ever.

[@sioray7732]

I was 11 when i watched skins. I was 17 when i watched Euphoria.. and Sez Education. Im really greatful for these masterpieces

[@panterloart9180]

I honestly don't understand what people mean when they say "euphoria isn't realistic" Like ok, it has fantasy aspects with the glitter and all that but like was your high-school really not like this? The sex obsession the unhealthy relationships the chaotic uncertainty and extreme joyfulness? That was definitely my teenage experience and it freaking sucked

[@mrana2424]

Nope, I suppose my faith kept me away from those though 🤷🏽‍♂️ everyone’s experience is different.

[@astoldbynickgerr]

My high school experience was very tame (I’m very introverted and a goody two shoes ig) but i know Euphoria is very realistic because of the shit i heard and saw from peers in school.

[@justapersontrying]

Panterlo Art I was an anime nerd and ran clubs and worked part time; had no time for anything else! I watched these shows so I could enjoy ridiculous drama from a safe place

[@Itisybitsyteacup]

People will be like, “oh I didn’t experience that, so it’s unrealistic!” And it’s just like....leave you’re fucking bubble and learn other people’s experiences for fucks sakes.

[@simoneyoung825]

The only thing i can relate to is the mental health side from rue. I related to her from the arguments with mum and struggling with addiction.

[@lillywinter7268]

I think also something euphoria gets right that 13 reasons why fails are how teenagers talk and relate to one another - I'm a teen and even though my life is nothing like the teens on euphoria, I could relate to them because they talk like me and my friends, use similar slang, are kinda awkward but genuine sometimes while still being casual, etc (sorry I'm not great at explaining, hope it makes sense), whereas in 13 reasons why every conversation is so serious and dramatic, it just doesn't feel real. Both shows are dealing with serious issues, but the teens in euphoria deal with it with humour and awkwardness like teens would

[@lauralooman9707]

I agree. I think that a lot of the time writers get carreed away while writing the script so it becomes very unrealistic.

[@forgottenhoshi5737]

Exactly I felt right at home when they started talking

[@Whatdafaccio]

Also 13rw went down hill after season one and now it’s unwatchable.

[@clairekim2525]

Exactly, and the same with Skins as well. Even though I'm an American Gen-Z-er and not a British millennial, the way that the show was written (often by teenage writers) was so much more relatable to me as an awkward teen than the writing on 13 Reasons Why.

[@lumbago9379]

y e s

[@Howie_vibeMaster]

Euphoria captures the feeling of being a teen, I haven't experience a lot of what went down in that show but I could connect with almost all of the characters and thats what makes the world it believable because the characters seem so real

[@caseybedwell-coll5252]

The reason why Skins and Euphoria are melodramatic is because teenagers are naturally melodramatic, so I think it’s nice when teen shows are a little melodramatic

[@santootie6891]

Skins helped me realise I was depressed and had an eating disorder. It made me realise that I needed to get help. Later on it did trigger me sometimes. But I think that was more of a Tumblr culture thing. Because they glorified a lot of horrible shit on Tumblr anyway. Whenever I watched the show itself I felt like I wasn't the only one feeling like that. And I saw a group of friends that cared about eachother. It gave me hope.

[@TropeAnatomy]

💙💙

[@karoline9835]

i love skins but i found it difficult to watch episodes with cassie in them, even though i love her personality

[@santootie6891]

@@karoline9835 yeah, those probably were the hardest to watch for me too

[@karoline9835]

Naomi Santana i really loved effie’s episodes, i’ve struggled with selective mutism my whole life so i’ll go back to those often

[@gemmaelliott9127]

Totally agree with you. Viewing skins now, I think it handled teenage problems in different way to euphoria. Skins has a grittier tone and represents what it's like in British culture, whereas Euphoria has a completely different feel to it. It's a lot more creatively thought about (Colours, music, dreamy sequences).

[@ItsNishaCooper]

They need to remember that at the beginning of the show one of the characters said they’re narrating the show. Rue. And she herself said she’s an unreliable narrator so it’s probs dramatised aswell cause it’s through her eyes x

[@nesrineamraoui6268]

Smart note ... makes sense .

[@majonaisse3986]

Damn that makes so much sense! Nice insight!

[@shelbymonroe6434]

I think about that a lot. makes me wonder what is really happening vs what's just her perspective or imagination.

[@allfeelingsarevalid9703]

Yesss and also when u see Jules special episode u can see that it's clearly Rues perspective mainly shown in the series

[@taliab.7329]

what gets me about euphoria is how it presents reality, and how things don’t just... get resolved, or go away. pain comes, and sometimes it stays, and you need more than a kiss from your crush or a long, starlit car ride with the radio playing to start fixing it. you heal, but you can still hurt; you can be happy, and carry the sadness, and break again. and again. and these things can happen to you, even when you’re a kid, even when it feels like being a kid should come with some kind of protection. there’s pain that you think only an adult could handle, but it’s happening to you - so what do you? what do you choose? who do you go to? euphoria makes me stop, think, feel. i remember being a teenager (it really wasn’t that long ago); i’m an older gen z, still finding who i am. it speaks exactly to so much of what i and the people around me went through, what we’re still going through (especially people who’re having their “second adolescence” after coming out, or escaping abuse) and i think it’s incredible.

[@mari-iw6gj]

this to me is one of the reasons why i love skins. for the most part, many issues were left unresolved or got worse. behind the humor and light-heartedness, it was a pretty bleak show. maybe the parties and the sex and drugs weren’t that realistic but at the end of the day the most realistic aspect of the show is that they all had to eventually grow up and move on and they were scared. lots of people who watched it were mad that the issue with sid going to new york to find cassie was never brought up again, but that’s just reality. they all parted ways and moved on, none of the characters had a “happy ending”

[@kasey8837]

My high school experience so far has been nothing like most of the characters, I'm more like Lexi, but I can still relate to it. Sure I experienced the events and I don't know a bunch of people who have either, but the emotions are very realistic. Euphoria may not be a good depiction of what being a teenager looks like, but it is exactly what it feels like.

[@onelasttenderplace]

You should check out Derry Girls, it's not exactly a teen melodrama but it's the best take on a serious situation in a teen-friendly way I have ever seen. And it's funny.

[@kerridwynntheacegoblin6465]

I loved Derry Girls. It felt the most like what I did as a teen in the 90s.

[@beetljam792]

yesss

[@chereswilliams1655]

I'm obsessed with Derry Girls, I've watched the current seasons 3 times so far

[@daigarrasta5284]

Derry girls is amazing !! It should have more episodes 🥺

[@weirritatin8187]

nadja jukič i feckin love that show

[@357rbdee]

Oh man, I was obsessed with Skins back when it was airing. Another aspect of Skins is that the main cast was made up by actual teenagers (maybe one of them was twenty) and, if I remember correctly, they had some teenagers in the writers room too. I always wondered if that explained why it was good or if it succeeded despite it...anyway, I love Trope Anatomy, keep up the great work!

[@TropeAnatomy]

Yeah! They had young writers, actively consulted teens and included them in the process. One of the creators was also only 22 when it aired. I think all those things contributed to it's success. And thank you so much!

[@KurosakiRuka]

And i loved how it presented it self, the characters had worn the same clothes and did dress on a budget with simple clothes and the girl had realistic make up and hair up dos, as mostly none of teenager in real life are make up artist, hair stylist and have an expensive garderobe like they did in vampire diaries, pretty little liers, gossip girls or other teen drama

[@biancadesousa]

yeah, they need more teenage (or at least young adult) writers rather than a bunch of 40 year olds writing on a show about people in high school. yes i’m talking about riverdale

[@helenlewis394]

You're right about the ages the oldest was Joe dempsie who played Chris and he was 19 when he auditioned

[@Leo-ox1rd]

and the writers were fucking amazing. daniel kaluuya itself writed some episodes and he was like 18 or 19

[@aabbccdd6155]

you’ve made me realise that the reason i’m so attached to euphoria emotionally is because he wanted every shot to represent emotional realism. thank you.

[@estisochorcova977]

i think euphoria captures the US experience. I personally related more to skins because it was really similar to the teenage experience in my country. Euphoria was a cinematic masterpiece while skins hit really close to home for me

[@westsideisdabest7825]

There will never be anything quite like skins.

[@artaquino6388]

Of course not, Euphoria is Euphoria and its perfect

[@marianaramirez3828]

Yup, Euphoria its the middle child, not great not bad, but ya know its OK

[@asiadorsey7969]

Cloee Soler well, in my personal opinion, Euphoria is something special. There has only been one season of Euphoria so far and with that one season it’s already a masterpiece. I mean literally everything about it.

[@JonathanPerez-ke6lq]

@@marianaramirez3828 omg this show has just one season already The other was like 7 season... Maybe Euphoria can beat skin who knows

[@yusrahashim1112]

@@JonathanPerez-ke6lq lmao no sorry they're both amazing. Euphoria is just getting more hype. I don't get why people would compare a 2019 show to a 2003 show.

[@jeonghansupremacist4354]

Euphoria is based on the writer's high school experience so I think that's why it feels so emotionally real

[@charlbay509]

It’s based on an Isreali soap opera

[@or_p5376]

@@charlbay509 not a soap opera, just a drama show, but yes it's based on an israeli show which was quite controverial when it came out

[@Melaramaa]

@@charlbay509 yes it's based on it but it's not a carbon copy. Rue's character was based on the american writers life

[@maxie1168]

and also, Euphoria gets almost all of the concepts right, the drugs, the emotion, the consecuences, its because the director experienced and know how it feels.

[@aaliyahlin3920]

They definitely get the concepts right, especially that teen angst. It's just much more dramatised and condensed, so it seems a bit less realistic.

[@noodlebakeellie8243]

@@aaliyahlin3920 it's not dramatised tho because I've know people who are exactly like these people. Life can be horrible and sometimes it seems like it shouldnt be this dramatic but it is

[@NgataNare]

I loved watching Skins when I was a teen. Seeing them do drugs was enough of an experience for me. It did not give me the urge to do so.

[@jimmy9439]

I loved that the characters in euphoria talked and acted like actual teens today. It wasn't awkward and forced like most teen shows and movies. And the argument that it's unrealistic is stupid to me. These things happen and you can't just write it off because you've never experienced it. Sure it's a little more dramatized but it's a show lol of course it is but this kinda shit is the reality of some teens today

[@rowanmary4351]

YES! and why do the adults get to say that "this isn't realistic" it may not be to them because they are not teenagers in the world we live in now, lots of stuff has changed between their teen years and ours. We are the teens living now and this is some of our experience.

[@jimmy9439]

@@rowanmary4351 exactly! most of the ppl claiming it’s unrealistic are ppl already in their 20s if not older. Things don’t stay completely the same so of course you’re not gonna relate to high schoolers nowadays

[@zela6]

@@jimmy9439 Well first of all most of us "In our 20s" only graduated high school not even 10 years ago, so we were around when technology and social media was booming. We're not ancient. Euphoria fans just don't want to admit that the show isn't realistic and exaggerates the high school experience. Not everyone is promiscuous, not everyone is a drug addict, not everyone is abusive. Someone said it best, Euphoria is just filled with caricatures.

[@jimmy9439]

@@zela6 it’s a show it’s supposed to be dramatic. even so hella people say it’s unrealistic because THEY’VE never been in those situations and claim it never happens for that reason. obviously we didn’t all grow up the exact same. and anyway i never said every high schooler is promiscuous and does drugs so i don’t know where you got that from

[@Kmkmkms]

honestly ive seen some of the stuff in the show in real life definitely not as dramatic as the show but some of it actually happens i hate when people say this show glorifies drugs just because the camera and lighting goes crazy when people take drugs to properly portray drugs, you have to show the high or whats the point of even taking them, and everytime we see drugs being taken we also see how they negatively affect the characters lives

[@sweetutopia7705]

i’m 17 and i know i’m suppose to relate more with euphoria, but idk. i love the show, it *is* a piece of art, but skins feels so much more realistic to me. even tho it’s not as good as euphoria tecnically speaking, skins shows such complex stories and characters in a way never done before. also, the characters look like normal teenagers, not super models in their 20s. but i do love both of the shows

[@raquellawlitet2992]

Yes.. same

[@YoSoFunnyx3]

Skins DID have real teenagers for actors and they were fresh new actors so the reason skins feels like it was played by real teens in because it quite literally was.

[@mfernandalr]

I completely agree with you. Skins is one if not my favorite show. The first and second generation.

[@evablaker4326]

The fact skins made something so good with their budget and it was literally written by the kids, and that euphoria on their massive budget with more modern technology , I would say skins is better

[@HJ-fb8uu]

I think I was 12 or 13 the first time I saw skins. I'm 23 now and still binge it once a year. By the time I was 16-17 it was very similar to my life at the time. When I watch skins now, it doesn't seem like I'm watching a show. It's so realistic that for me it feels like I'm back hanging out with my old group of friends getting fucked up the way we used to do. The cast reminds me so much of my friends. We were all messed up but we were messed up together. The laughs, the cries, the heartbreak... All of it. Skins showed that beautifully. Being able to see all those teens going through real problems was not only realistic but comforting to so many. The realest part is when they all go their separate ways at the end and their lives change in a matter of minutes. Nothing will ever top skins! My only problem with watching it now is that it makes me reeeeeally want a cigarette and I quit smoking 2 years ago. lol.

[@gashinadiamond3146]

i think the 'emotional realism' is the best thing about euphoria. it's truly ART driven, with make-up, costumes, music and lighting choices helping to portray moods and feelings of characters. obviously no one is performing a routine with a marching band and choir when high but that entire sequence just so deeply portrayed her relapse so well emotionally. the music at the end with the emotion in zendaya's voice and the choreography is such a symbolic way of putting us in rue's mind and emotions that is so so effective. realism doesn't just mean gritty style of filming showing all dirt and dust and everyone looking unattractive, and sometimes doing the opposite is what works better. i can't think of any other way the all for us scene could have been better portrayed than the way it was. same goes for almost every other scene in the show.

[@sehluv4064]

i just started watching skins and fell deeply in love with it. it’s a very emotional show for me to watch as i relate to a lot of the shit they go through.. and i did get triggered by one particular episode.. but i believe it’s bc the show does such a good job at portraying the characters and i got deeply invested in them. but it also makes me laugh and feel loved. i love that show to death and i genuinely love and care for the characters. i empathize with them. i get mad at them and sad with them. and abt the glorification of drugs, alcohol and sex. i never found it that way. to me it just looks like teens and the problems being portrayed overshadow that abuse of drugs and alcohol etc.

[@mari-iw6gj]

same, i connected with the skins characters in a way that i never did with euphoria. euphoria is a well produced show but i just couldnt really bring myself to care about the characters the same way i cared about the ones from skins. with skins it felt like i was part of the group even if i never experienced the things they did- but euphoria was just very distant to me

[@ajnode]

Skins isn't even a fantasy... especially S1. I was the same age as the characters for season 1 and 2, and my teen life was eerily similar to theirs.

[@keplygatbikinibottomsmooth6418]

yeah. Skins had a resurgence cause of Netflix particularly, so its being watched now by gen Z but its not a reflection of their social media age life, but when it aired and i watched it week by week in secondary school it was jarringly similar to our real lives. at least in my area.

[@amyyvette901]

keply g at bikini bottom smooth jazz festival i have cousins who grew up at the same time as skins and they say that it was basically the same as their 16-18 year old lives, plus some extra deaths. As a 17 year old now, although skins is slightly outdated, it still bears a strong resemblance to my 16-18 year old self and friends

[@paigerook2073]

I still relate to things in it. It just feels so much more real. What made it more relatable and realistic to me is the fact they characters were played by teenagers and not even known actors. They looked like actual teenagers and all has their flaws. The drugs, the drinking, the sex, losing your virginity, mental health problems are a thing that still very much happens in uk colleges. Skins is more the british college version, it still reflects college and don’t know what it’s like in American colleges so can’t say for them but hell feel like my life could be a season on skins for what happens to me and my friends

[@strwberryjim6403]

I've got a british friend who says that some aspects on skins still maintain to his area today

[@artaquino6388]

It's a lil bit fantastic

[@daltonfilho835]

Tbh Euphoria is pretty realistic to me, everything I saw in Euphoria reminds me directly of my teen years, not exactly high school, but the parties I went to, the people I knew and the stories I saw/heard were all pretty Euphoria-like, so much so I can make perfect parallels between the characters and plots and many people I know. The teenage fantasy of Euphoria is pretty much real and I think people who say the show is unrealistic just didn't go out that much. The same goes for Skins, but Skins is indeed less realistic bc it's much closer to a soap opera.

[@serenaBdacoolest]

Dalton Filho Facts

[@nataliaips]

completely agree

[@Kate-gu6ii]

i think it depends where youre from, as an irish teenage girl i found the dialogue, stories and situations of skins much more realistic as they mirrored my life and my friends lives whereas i couldnt really connect with euphoria as much.

[@nothanks2806]

Kate yes! being irish too skins pretty much mirrors the Irish teenage experience really well

[@goldfishcakes329]

Dalton Filho I think that’s coming from an American perspective. A teenage experience is different based on multiple factors. A teen from rural Idaho isn’t gonna have the same experience from a teen from Dublin/London/etc.

[@MsNationaltreasure]

I hands down love skin's the FIRST SEASON IS THE OG AND YOU WILL NEVER CHANGE MY MIND.

[@mhmhmbmltfapomtydt]

It really surprised me when you said that Euphoria is considered “unrealistic” by the critics because the main reason why I love that show so much is because of how realistic it really is and for the first time, I feel like people who made a *teen* drama actually understands teens. I love Pretty Little Liars but that’s not how teens act. The one show that is also relatable to me is sex education. I’ve never had sex and no one my age (17) in my school is really that sexually active, yet I still relate to it on a high level. Same with Euphoria. I don’t consume drugs but I still feel way more connected to those characters, then fucking riverdale

[@undetestable1]

Honestly I think the most accurate portrayal of what being a teenager is actually like was American Vandal. Which is a mockumentary and a comedy but in terms of truly understanding how teenagers think, act, what they value and how they relate to eachother I think its damn near perfect. Melodrama is entertaining but most people's lives are far more mundane. As much as I liked Skins and the like I always feel like shows like them are so obsessed with making a point or being "edgy" that they can sometimes miss the mark. I do however think that the balance that Euphoria manages to strike is admirable and rare.

[@TropeAnatomy]

Love American Vandal! Yeah Skins and Euphoria are definitely imperfect and not for everyone but it’s still the high school drama format I love most

[@liloa03]

I hated that show

[@skromnyasha]

Are you for real?? So skins in your eyes is edgy and euphoria is not?? Wat how

[@japster7217]

As someone who's childhood and following teenage life was anything but mundane, I enjoy and relate far more to the more "uncommon" characters and their edgier stories. Honestly it's specifically what I love about these shows. The mundane of my adult life was one of the first things I truly, deeply enjoyed after moving out on my own. And looking back in the form of watching these messy, edgy, over-the-top stories helps center me in the more average life I live now.

[@marvel096]

I would say skam Norway

[@t.mutabilis2497]

wish you had mentioned my mad fat diary, another great teen show aired by E4.

[@petrauhrakova]

It was actually the best along with Euphoria. I’m not into series, but these two were awesome.

[@cosimaschemmel8858]

That is one of my favorite shows ever. It holds such a special place in my heart.

[@homosoftommorow]

My Mad Fat diary was fantastic.

[@miaborges3674]

Absolutely!! I think UK dramas like My Mad Fat Diary, Skins, Derry Girls, The Inbetweeners...all understand the perfect balance between realistic stories and characters mixed with a level of comedy that keeps it from being too heavy to watch. And the characters are always so likeable and relatable, I loved Rae and Finn, I miss them 😭😭😭😭

[@taliab.7329]

Kill Bae omg, i forgot about this show and idk how but it’s incredible !! i miss it

[@taliesinjoan7248]

As a trans guy with bipolar I don't care if this show is "realistic" in the eyes of critics. It's real enough for me that I feel actually represented for the first time and everything else comes second in my personal opinion.

[@briannab.8127]

Period!

[@xanthewright-allen1864]

I literally can’t see any small portion of a scene from skins or euphoria without crying

[@hayleylambo]

when people say “this isn’t realistic” it frustrates me the character in the show Cassie Howard is almost an exact mirror of my family life and how i’m struggling rn and what my life could become if i don’t pull myself together and realise my own self worth. a lot of the people who find this unrealistic or say that it was nothing like this when they where in highschool, went to high school 10-20 years ago! things have changed for high schoolers and i can name atleast three people like rue, jules or kat! this show wasn’t made to relate to the entire teenage population but to show what highschool is like for some to a lot of them

[@lilicorrea8515]

hayley I understand where you’re coming from but I graduated 3 years ago and my high school experience was nothing like this either. Of course I’m not defending that argument because not all teenage experiences are the same but that’s the point. My teen years were different from your teen years and that’s ok. I can’t relate to euphoria at all because of the fantasy they portray with partying and drugs. I can relate to skins though because of the friendships and down to earth life they show.

[@hayleylambo]

Lili Correa i do get what you are saying but as i said it’s not meant to relate to all of us, just the ones who ARE in the situations the characters are in

[@muskandua8753]

Euphoria is not relatable cause the highschoolers in our country aren't sex freaks, dont get pregnant or do drugs or become a cam girl etc all we do is worry about good grades / performance and how to live a successful life .

[@hayleylambo]

Muskan Dua as your said “in your country” this shit happens all the time in my country and especially at my school. this show isn’t meant to relate to EVERYONE it’s meant to show the people who actually deal with this type of stuff

[@rimun5235]

hayley I think it loses the realism because it’s constantly on 100. There isn’t much of the mundane that is shown because even those with crazy high school stories can admit, shit was mundane as hell. Also, at their age, no one was worrying about the future much. At 17, I was stressing over College...

[@RingtailFox]

Skins is one of my alltime favorite drama shows.

[@amaiakelsey428]

euphoria gets realism so perfectly. it touches on all the things i myself have had to deal with in my teen years but adds the perfect amount of drama to it.

[@maryjaneberrys]

coming from an 18 year old member of gen z, euphoria is extremely accurate!! I could deeply relate to a piece of each characters story

[@laurenlester1418]

I love Euphoria but Skins will always have a special place in my heart. Helped me realize a lot about myself

[@moonbeeps]

Same, it made me who I am today. I was like 16/17 when It came out and it shaped me in some way.

[@ex.O]

I loved "skins" specially because it wasn't how I experienced my adolescence but still had something of resonance very deep from what I wanted and how I felt at the time. I'll check this new show and see what's up now, TY Trope!

[@winter107]

Exo it’s so good I also watched skins loved both.

[@ransolblack8177]

It’s sad that many adults don’t know that many young teens to young adults are involved in drugs, alcohol and violence. Not all of us were raised in a generation where we were looked after by the previous. Some of us feel abandoned by our education, government and even families.

[@keroessa0146]

That last sentence realy hit me hard.

[@gargeebasak9648]

Just one correction. Most of us feel abandoned Also I'm a millennial but i relate so much

[@jocelynsinead9083]

SKINS OVER EUPHORIA ANYYYYYYYYYY DAYYYYYYY

[@NightshadeGoddess]

Agreed, People are always saying "well, high school wasn't like that for me" as if everyone's experiences are the same.

[@PancakePanda101]

euphoria is very real to me especially small things that were added in like the mentioning of the one direction fanfic

[@jafarihana]

relatable and realistic are two different things and that's how euphoria wins

[@jadore541]

Oh let me tell y'all, there are A LOT of similarities of my school with Euphoria. There are many addicts in my hs struggling to find something to to with their lives or how to quit. A lot of kids with mental health issues, abusive relationships, finding sexuality, going to many party's (before Covid-19), and going through shit that many adults wouldn't understand since there is a huge gap on haw each generation was raised. I think the argument about the parents being totally clueless and shit was void, I have done so much shit that my mom hasn't known about and will never know about, parents like to think that they know everything going on in their child's life when they really don't. I think this shown in Rue's mom a lot. Rue's mom didn't know at all that Rue had gotten into drugs and she probably wouldn't have had Rue not overdosed. When parents do figure it out, they hover and they worry, like Rue's mom did. I think that Euphoria is actually very realistic, as a teenager in her junior year, I could relate a lot with Rue with her struggling with her mental health , I could also relate with Kat and her body image issues. Overall this show was something beautiful and I'm glad that the creator made this.

[@Tom_Des_Garcon]

Is there a petition anywhere to bring back Skins, I'm from Bristol where its filmed, and deadass everyone my age watches it, to see it come back in the 2020s would be sick Oh also Sid went to my old secondary and my drama teacher said he remembers him, apparently his character was just like his real life self lmao

[@MS-ly4mx]

That's so cool. I watched Skins like 3 years ago and I still can't get over it. Cheers from Argentina.

[@idontlikeyoulol16]

Ok_ Same, skins really had an inpact on me haha

[@mari-iw6gj]

i heard about the second one haha, apparently the actor got told that a lot

[@corndog7813]

He really is a wanker

[@kimdracvla]

thats so cool !

[@freyajones2166]

You can tell skins is amazing because everyone who watched it loves it, whether they were a teen when it came out or not.

[@larayanez2375]

I was the teenager with glitter and stars on her face everywhere, all the time. Literally, my senior year I would put glitter or draw stars on my face every single day. It hid my sadness quite well.

[@NewBlueTrue]

I was going to say, “Hey, the US has a show like Skins. It’s Degrassi.” But then I remembered that Degrassi is a Canadian show. I just claim it as American.

[@rixx46]

Excellent assessment. EUPHORIA manages to carry several powerful storylines without drifting into soap territory. It handles sex and sexuality in an interesting way as well - using it as an expression of complex character values without drifting into the gratuitous territory HBO is notorious for. As for GLEE - I am in agreement there, too. Ryan Murphy shows are shockingly consistent - they all start out great with an interesting high-concept premise, then collapse under the weight of their own bullshit. I can't believe AMERICAN HORROR STORY just got a 2 season pickup! I look forward to your GLEE analysis

[@TropeAnatomy]

Thank you!

[@graceliz52]

skins is my favourite show of all time. i can watch and rewatch it over and over and never get bored because i can see elements of my own life as a british teen portrayed through real and relatable characters. when euphoria came along i immediately hopped on it, excited to see another brilliant show portraying teen life.

[@nostalgicbliss5547]

What about when you're an adult with kids? At some point won't the show lose it's charm?

[@graceliz52]

@@nostalgicbliss5547 i'll probably still watch it for nostalgia and to reminisce over my teen years. i don't want kids anyway so that won't be a problem lol

[@Sodapop-gi4bu]

The cinematography in the carnival episode is the BEST camera shooting I have EVER SEEN, absolutely brilliant

[@niamh7819]

the thing about skins is that it was a tv show for teens by teens, the writers consulted and listened to teenagers and the teen actors on the show. The writers were mostly really young, being in their early twenties, and had a huge say in what went on, whether it was as small as saying if something was crap and unrealistic or as big as writing whole episodes. In the end it became the older writers guiding the younger ones when they needed help. Some of the actors would bring in stuff that happened between them and their friends like funny things they said, and would incorporate it into the episodes. It was so realistic and felt so raw because the shit that happened in the episodes was shit that really happened and not a load of disconnected ideas smashed together by adults and their perceptions of teen life. (My praise mostly applies to the first gen here, with the second gaining a bit. After that it really went tits up)

[@gs5858]

I watched skins when I was 13/14 and it shaped who I am as a person because I was like ‘finally, a show that gets me, I’m not alone’ and captured a feeling for that moment in my life, I look back through my memories and it’s like remembering a hue of colour and euphoria has been the only other show that has fully captured the colour of my early teenage years. It’s beautiful and nostalgic and reminds me of being in my best friends bedroom, with the blue fairy lights illuminating the posters that covered every inch of her walls, sitting on the floor listening to music with her, absolutely high out of our minds and talking about the universe and god and life. Now we’re adults it’s hard to find that feeling again but we have moments together where it’s just like how it was when we were younger, I’m forever grateful to still have her in my life, she’s like my Jules.

[@Roxydaniels]

This is so beautiful 🥺😭💛

[@jusosa]

I've seen, Skins/Euphoria and Skam. Skins is really a cultural thing, parents are stupid or oblivious, they just let teenagers have heaps of freedom, but skins really tackled serious issues. Skam for me was by far the best because it really related to the general teenager, it tackled minor issues, but they're minor issues that everyone goes through, and there's always a lesson to be taught. It also shows how minor some things American TV shows over dramatize are. Idk for me Skam was by far the best, each episode was just so well written, the dialogue was fantastic and the characters were all flawed yet gorgeous in their own ways, it showed that not everyone is as bad/good as they seem. Euphoria is good in a sense but it just doesn't have the same vibes, its artsy and beautiful in its own way but far from a relatable teenage show, still great though.

[@natb9919]

I agree with you about Skins (I loved it) and Euphoria (artsy but not relatable enough) and I loved Skam but that brother storyline with Noora and William in season 2 was so ridiculous. It was like something out of a really bad fanfic and it felt so cheesy. Overall it was a brilliant show though. Sana's season wasn't as good but I think that's only because the seasons before were so intense plotwise, it wasn't bad imo it just wasn't as captivating as the other seasons.

[@bishoujo97]

I agree call me “boring” but I watched it like it was someone else’s experience not mine. Enjoyable show though but I just kept wondering if it was bad that my high school experience wasn’t as filled with that much drama 😅. I was more of a dorky kid in high school who hung out with other dorky kids, LGTBQ people, and smart kids

[@noodlebakeellie8243]

I mean it's not relatable to you doesnt mean it's not realistic at all

[@sainaa2670]

I've watched Euphoria and trust me it is relatable. I've seen so many people like the characters in the show. Everything is of course a little bit dramatized, but speaking from someone who actually is in high school in this generation right now-Euphoria nails down a lot of things. Again, it is a TV show so things might be a little dramatized but not for the most part. Looking for validation from men to feel good about their bodies, being manipulated to stay in abusive relationships, daddy issues, banging older men to feel validated, excessive drug taking and the negative effects, and lastly being slut shamed. These are all things I've seen and some I've gone through myself. Again, they add extra drama components or crazy outfits to keep the viewers hooked but the entirety of it is realistic and does not glorify anything.

[@MrWizeazz]

All I know is that we desperately need and deserve a Howard and Bennett detective spin off from “Euphoria”

[@skylarwallis2616]

Ok why I think euphoria is realistic is not because a single high school has all these characters in one but mainly because these are real issues that affect teenage lives and the most dramatic versions are basically brought into the show for each character to represent if that makes sense.

[@filidolphini]

exactly, thank you. maybe it’s not the most “realistic” show, but it’s the most emotionally realistic show i’ve ever watched. i truly felt everything rue, or any other character, felt. they managed to accurately represent how teens feel in this day and age.

[@91clarie]

Best current teen shows: SKAM (also the following remakes: SKAM Italia, DRUCK (SKAM Germany), Sex Education, Euphoria Worst current teen shows: 13 Reasons Why, Insatiable, Riverdale

[@lauragodinho5379]

91clarie insatiable is actually great

[@loool-6215]

Laura Godinho don’t lie

[@user_okay-ish]

I love sex education, euphoria, the society, and druck😭

[@kat4211]

Insatiable is so bad lmao 💀

[@liampatrick3110]

Insatiable is a great show. Change my mind.

[@rayne_7709]

Idk how ppl can say euphoria isn’t realistic. Literally my high school experience is euphoria. So much so that I actually know a rue, kat, and Maddie. And yeah, there’s scenes like the detective one and everyone has glitter on their eyes but euphoria is being told through a drug addicts eyes. Obviously you can’t walk on walls but from rues perspective everything is much more aesthetically pleasing and dramatic.

[@margaritabeloka4440]

I was looking for a show to "replace" euphoria until the 2nd season, and skins totally succeeded.

[@merasi1]

No one is talking about My Mad Fat Diary and I’m disappointed.

[@shannond2129]

omg I LOVE MY MAD FAT DIARY. SOOOO GOOD!!!

[@merasi1]

Shan V but no one is mentioning it!!!!!!! Its drives me nuts. Every review I saw about Euphoria mentions skins/13 reasons why etc. but never MFD. 🤦‍♀️

[@shannond2129]

@@merasi1 I know :( it's so underrated. to me mmfd was very realistic.. I gained a lot of weight my last year of highschool and I could relate SOOOO much to all of Raes thoughts and actions, plus the way her bestfriend was throughout and the way rae was treated by strangers for her appearance. spot on. so good (and sad lol). I'm gonna have to buy a mic and start making youtube videos myself to make people watch it 😅

[@merasi1]

Shan V the KZbin thing you just said xD I wanted to do the same!!! And yesterday I was seriously thinking about it! Lets do it :D

[@chxhxhxjxss6894]

I remember at 2013 everyone talked about this

[@vilmathealien]

If somebody's after realism, Skam is perfect.

[@lililul3063]

SKAM was actually inspired by skins that’s were the yellow title comes from

[@endrikelatroci8796]

Euphoria was hypnotic. It was such an EUPHORIC experience getting lost in all those beautiful colours, looks and shots and still feel the heaviness of the topics treated, it will forever have a special place in my heart

[@papi1278]

I love how both skins and euphoria shows each main characters’ backstory. It’s way more interesting and shows individuality. I also like how in skins they changed the main characters after leaving school instead of dragging it out like what glee did.

[@elenasreadingcorner]

I absolutely loved Skins even if I was 19-20 when I have watched it, it still remains one of my favorites. All the writers on that show weren't older than 25 so it helped a lot with the realism and most of the teens weren't conventionally pretty like in US teen shows

[@irisd5478]

Awesome as usual 🥰 Skins was the one I watched in my adolescence, euphoria as a young adult

[@TropeAnatomy]

Thank youuuu !

[@MadisonBuratt]

Iris D this!

[@ExplainosphereChannel]

I strongly recommend watching a Netflix show named "Merlí," a Spanish Catalonian-spoke production. It is a teenage drama, nothing hardcore, no drugs, no hard parties or alcohol... But it speaks about issues and situations that none of the shows mentioned in this video goes into depth (relationships with parents, eating disorders, socioeconomic issues...). The dilemmas of the characters are more existentialist, it talks about those crucial decisions that you took without knowing how crucial they were at that moment. For some moments, it has a feeling of Dead Poets Society. And btw, the Catalonian language is beautiful! A nice mix between French, Italian and Spanish

[@grausamkunt]

About skins: I’m aware that the show was really unrealistic for most millennials, whether because of the drugs or the lack of consequences for their reckless behaviour/decisions. Still, I’m sure that every teen at that time, or even generation z teens, related/can relate to something on that show. And the people complaining about how the show didn’t correspond to their realities, brought us generation 3: the generation filled with superficial problems and futile characters, that 75% of the people who watched it hate! I’m really scared of this happening with euphoria tbh

[@aialgstrupnielsen7292]

Same..

[@YoSoFunnyx3]

Tbh it was actually super realistic to me even with the drugs and lack of consequences. I had a group of friends in high school and we all were experimenting with drugs, our parents were either unaware, were enablers, or just didn't care, we searched for love, we tried to numb ourselves, etc. While it wasn't exactly like the show as we didn't go to parties, the whole concept was the same. We did stuff in our rooms, at the parks, we went out at night, etc. I too, didn't like Gen 3. I felt it was really disconnected to the show and if the reason was because people complained about it not being realistic or relatable well I'm annoyed by that.

[@tanihehe]

The "open the door" scene is my favourite scene of all time. The way she spits truth even through it's really no one's fault. The way fez takes it all in. I love how uncomfortable yet how raw it is.

[@miad5079]

yes! it very much reminds me of the scene from the basketball diary when leonardo dicaprio is begging for money so he can buy drugs. its great.

[@-cams.]

"Teen Melodrama: How Euphoria Gets It Right." My heart literally skipped a beat, and severe PTSD hit me... until I realized it's _this_ Euphoria. Also, Tropes Academy? For the love of God, please make more videos. You're the only Troper on this platform, and we'd love to have you around more.

[@TropeAnatomy]

Hahah what Euphoria did you think? The Alicia Vikander movie? And thank you! I will certainly be uploading more frequently this year.

[@-cams.]

@@TropeAnatomy uh... let's just say that by looking for what I mean, you are one *_clockup_* from being traumatized forever. Oh, and it's not the worst thing I've seen, trust me~

[@ciriknockoff5738]

Tetso oh god i always feel the same whenever people talk about euphoria... i‘ll never forget the REAL euphoria ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@josephlynch7655]

@@TropeAnatomy The Euphoria he's talking about is a weird hentai.

[@ericschuster2680]

spotted the degenerate weeb...

[@tokinzie]

euphoria is so special to me. i'm obsessed with the characters and their actors, the color palette, the concept and idea behind the show, the cinematic of it, the movements with the cameras etc. It's just perfect to me. I really can't think of anything that is bad about it, unless you rule it out that it is only for mature viewers.

[@dopaminefiend6182]

Skins was relatable and honest to the experience of teens across England during that time. Skins has actors who looked like real teens, homes and neighbourhoods that are so real and tangable to the British teenager viewer's real life. Growing up in a small town in the North East of England, Skins was the single-handed most relatable show to ny real life. The story lines, the sets, costumes, actors, the low budget filiming, all of it was great. The issues they touched on were real and true to so many of their target audience, and the way they represented them was believable and genuine. I've never seen a show that's come close to that again.

[@alanramirez3814]

Euphoria and Skins are probably the best TV shows out there. First time watching Euphoria it immediately reminded me of Skins, they are so different but similar at the same time.

[@XSiReX100]

Euphoria is the most beautiful show I’ve ever seen.

[@edxenvertigo6701]

literally ik this is old but the new episode for jules with ghe the therapist ended me because she had a realization after meeting rue that when she tried so hard for her femininity and womanhood she only tried to be what other guys wanted her to be not what she actually felt like which hit me on a deep level

[@adi3796]

wow i’m so glad this came up on my suggested videos- you were able to put into words what these shows made me feel and how they effectively capture the teenage experience

[@ashleypaul3809]

I’ve watched this video multiple times. It’s an INCREDIBLE analysis of both shows. Literally so so good.

[@DreamItCraftIt]

Man. Dianna Agron is the prettiest crier D: loool

[@lizziehastings4792]

Dianna Agron is the prettiest person in general but man she does look wonderfully beautiful when she cries!

[@user-xb5bz4fu9o]

I also love the show Gilmore Girls for this. They do such a good job of portraying the stress that comes with college decisions, acedemic competition and balancing relationships, even when it's not the main focus

[@VioletEmerald]

For those of us who lived a life VERY close to Rory Gilmore's, shows like Euphoria or Skins don't remind us at all of our own high school life - do you think Rory remembers high school that way lmao? But yes they are all realistic for different people's lives

[@hailey6246]

Honestly as a high schooler right now I think most of the adults claiming euphoria isn't realistic simply don't have the same experiences we do, euphoria was an incredibly accurate depiction of my high-school experience so far

[@Veralidainai]

Euphoria and Sex Education are two of the best teen shows I've ever watched. 100%