"Dark": Fans Call Out Sam Levinson's Euphoria Season 3 Over Sydney Sweeney Scenes

Not all fans are pleased with the first episode of Euphoria's third season. The show has always been known for its over-exaggerated adult themes that touch on the subjects of assault, sexual violence, and substance abuse. Time and again, critics have called out producers of the show for not being mindful of the content they cover in the show while having a fairly younger audience. Fans are calling out the Sam Levinson-produced show for its explicit scenes after it came back with an even more dramatic season 3 on April 12.

The TV show boasts a star-studded cast that includes Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, Alexa Demie, and Hunter Schafer. The frequently shown nude scenes and mature themes were added for shock value and were the main selling point when the show first came out. However, it has surely taken a shift from the teen cliques storyline it was once known for, while keeping in touch with its avant-garde theme.

With rumored feuds between cast members, alleged break-ups, Sweeney's controversial American Eagle ad, and Sam Levinson receiving backlash for undervaluing his female characters, the show never left headlines.

The much-anticipated season 3 premiere starts off with a five-year time jump that shows Rue (Zendaya) working as a burro to pay off a nearly $44 million debt to a drug trafficker named Laurie. Rue is seen swallowing balloons filled with drugs, pinching a loaf to take them out, and then rinsing them off using a pasta strainer.

The episode also follows Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) as she tries to become a successful creator on OnlyFans to pay for a lavish wedding to Nate (Jacob Elordi). Cassie can be seen dressed up like a puppy with a collar and leash. Some snippets tease that she'll also pose like a baby with a pacifier and pigtails with her legs spread on a yellow sofa. Fans were baffled to see an established actress even agreeing to film such graphic content.

The premiere received mixed reviews from the Euphoria audience. One fan on X pointed out, “This is so embarrassing even for Jacob. But how can Sydney Sweeney agree to do something like this? It's like a humiliation ritual!”

One fan lauded Zendaya for living the character of a drug mule, “I thought it was pretty spot-on showing that being a mule is tough... But in the scenes with the lesser-known actress, he clearly overdid it... You can see a huge difference between Zendaya's takes and hers…”

Another fan chimed in, “This has no other explanation except for director Sam Levinson's fetish,” referring to the explicit scenes featuring female characters.

A fourth fan commented, “Everyone yelling 'she’s acting’ … it’s the fact some scenes were clearly unnecessary, and intended to humiliate her in front of all the men that idolized her, doesn’t sit right with me. Hollywood is dark.”

Another fan blasted the creator for oversexualizing the character of Jules (Hunter Schafer), who is transgender. “I need someone to write an adult trans woman whose struggle isn’t entirely built on her fetishization and objectification,” their comment read.