The campus buzzed with anticipation for the newest episode of

Euphoria’s

second season, especially those who attended the Euphoria watch party in the Sadove Sun Porch. The show started its new season with an episode focused on two characters: Fez, the show’s friendly neighborhood drug dealer, and Rue, the protagonist who is currently suffering from a relapse. Since then, the drama has only increased exponentially. Unfortunately, as the stakes have increased for the characters, their emotional nuances have diminished. This new season highlights the show’s ability to maintain audience engagement with multiple plot lines, but the show begs an important question: does

Euphoria

pass the Bechdel test?

The Bechdel test is a feminist test coined by American cartoonist Alison Bechdel. It asks “does a fictional work contain two named women who speak about something other than a man?”. The test is used to highlight misogyny in film and literature.

In my opinion, the latest episode of

Euphoria

has not passed the test, and the show is worse for it. The writing degenerates into cheap scenes played for shock value without any meaningful exchanges between people. Gone are the carefully complex backstories, and instead, the episode has reintroduced its female characters (Lexie, Kat, Jules, Rue, Cassie and Maddie) as underwritten pawns in the lives of its main stars: Fez, Nate, Elliot and Cal (Nate’s dad). Their motivations, lines, actions and decisions all rest on the validation of male presence on the show.

After Rue and Jules’s relationship takes on a third wheel, Elliot, things subsequently deteriorate. Jules and Rue’s respect for each other decreases as their lies increase (Rue’s relapse and Jules’ infidelity), and furthermore, they begin to confide in Elliot over each other. Truthfully, the writers gifted Elliot and Jules with more chemistry (mainly sexually) than viewers have seen from the actual couple all season.

The writers also reduced Cassie and Maddie from friends to competitors fighting over Nate, the resident toxic male in the show. In this episode, Maddie throws a birthday party with her girlfriends, which almost gives the audience a break from the masculinity. However, Nate shows up halfway through, and things quickly devolve. Cassie turns inconsolable because she is never given a purpose besides making men love her, and Maddie starts an argument with Nate. Unfortunately, most of Maddie’s lines seem to address the frustrating problem of their ever-unclear relationship. Even a private and sweet moment (albeit ruined by a few tasteless slurs) where Maddie wisely advises Kat to “do what feels good to [her]” still centers around the topic of her boyfriend to elicit an emotional exchange between two of the female characters.

The only other major plot lines include a brief peek into Fez’s criminal activity and an extensive overview of Cal’s past. First, the viewer learns from Fez’s acquaintance that the police are still on Fez’s trail. The plot then shifts to an emotional and haphazard montage of Nate’s father as he takes a trip down memory lane. Cal has always had a difficult relationship with his sexuality. In high school, Cal harbored feelings for his best friend, Derek, and had a strikingly familiar tension with his own father. Eventually, Cal and Derek give in to their feelings, but at this moment, Cal’s girlfriend (Nate’s mother) reveals she is pregnant with Nate’s older brother. Cal’s past has haunted him his whole life and, in this episode, he reaches his breaking point. When Cal returns home, his rampage continues, and it becomes abundantly clear how little respect he has for women, particularly his wife. Cal drunkenly announces his departure from the family, but not before emotionally and physically violating his own wife.

I believe that the only scene reminiscent of the first season is during Rue’s high. As she walks into a church, she embraces Labrinth, who is singing gospel at the altar. She hugs him, but imagines her dad in place, and in a moment of pure humanity, apologizes for letting her dad down and reveals just how much she misses him. This moment could be the start ofa full redemption arc for Rue (which she has yet to receive). However, the episode ends violently with Cal storming out, leaving fans wondering what happened.

Overall, reviews for the second season of Euphoria have been a mixed bag, with some viewers finding that the season lacks substance, while others claim that the cinematography, acting and plot is beautifully done and heartbreaking. Regardless of one’s stance, it is clear that Episode 4 of

Euphoria

does nothing but sexualize the female characters of the show, and decidedly does not pass the Bechdel test. Viewers can only hope that future episodes will.