'Euphoria' Season 3, Critics Call It Mature Shift With Intriguing Turns As Zendaya Shines In New Era

'Euphoria' Season 3 is all set to mark its comeback after a four-year-long wait on April 12, 2026. Ahead of that, let's see what the critics have to say about the show.

Euphoria Season 3 is all set to return on HBO after four long years. The teen drama television series was created and written by Sam Levinson. It is based on the Israeli miniseries of the same name created by Ron Leshem and Daphna Levin. The show, which launched and led, Zendaya to superstardom alongside castmates, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi and Hunter Schafer, will return to TV screens on Sunday, April 12, 2026, for its much-anticipated third season.

The latest instalment of the Emmy-winning series comes after the show reportedly faced a number of production delays, including the 2023 Hollywood actors and screenwriters strikes. In March 2024, HBO announced that it was permitting the series' cast to pursue other acting jobs amid the long wait for Season 3. And now, after the long wait, the show is finally returning. As fans wait for the show to premiere, let's see what critics are saying about the upcoming series.

What do we know about Euphoria's return with Season 3?

Euphoria Season 3 is set five years after the events of Season 2, offering a more grown-up look, depicting its cast of eccentric characters as 20-somethings. Zendaya's character, 'Rue', will be seen working as an indentured servant for drug dealer 'Laurie', played by Martha Kelly, while 'Cassie', played by Sydney Sweeney, and 'Nate', Jacob Elordi, navigate serious coupledom during their engagement. Euphoria became a TV darling and pop cultural lightning rod given its candid take on adolescent life, including its graphic portrayals of sexuality and drug use. Season 3 will further explore the lives of our beloved leads, bringing new twists and drama to the show.

What are the critics saying about Euphoria Season 3?

Euphoria was once known for its heart-pounding drama. However, recent reviews suggest the show may have lost its spark upon returning to the big screen after such a long gap. With the exception of 'Rue's' character arc, which includes a search for moral clarity through religion, Ben Travers of IndieWire has claimed that the show's plot is now "maddeningly inert". He reflected on how the show has changed over the years, Travers revealed:

"While Rue's position is fixed, season after season, her struggle to break free makes her compelling. Most characters aren't changing, nor are their motivations to change clear to them or novel to us. The result is a start to the supposedly final season that grows old instead of up, while evoking a once-unthinkable question: How could 'Euphoria' become boring?"

Caryn James from BBC News also reflected on Season 3 of the show and said, "Euphoria has become a series with very little to say, none of it very audacious or compelling. It is a strained attempt to make the closed circle of friends it follows, now in their early 20s, somehow the same, only different." Some critics even found Sydney Sweeney's sex-work storyline a lazy arc for the show's return. For the unversed, Sydney's 'Cassie' will be seen working as an adult content creator in Season 3. Belen Edwards of Mashable called the depiction of the character's occupation, which includes backlash from Cassie's loved ones, an "over-sexualised humiliation gauntlet." He wrote:

"Euphoria doesn't interrogate these biases or examine the intricacies of sex work further. Instead, it's happy to keep the shame coming, using Cassie's aspirations as a springboard from which it can launch suggestive images designed to stir up the most controversy. While I clearly feel some of that outrage the show is gunning for. What I feel more is exasperation. Exasperation that a show with such incredible potential and such undeniable talent in front of and behind the camera keeps opting for lazy shocks."

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New York Post TV reporter, Lauren Sarner, called the new season an "unhinged disaster". However, it was not entirely lost on the critics. While the storyline left the critics unimpressed, the performances by Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney seem to have won them over. 

The Hollywood Reporter's Fienberg reflected on the performances and said, "After all this time, I'm still not convinced that Rue is a good or interesting character; Levinson leans so heavily into self-destructive tropes for the character that any native personality beyond 'addict' gets lost, but watching that light go on and off in Zendaya's eyes is always impressive." Whereas Variety's Alison Herman wrote:

"Even if her character may not make much sense anymore ... Sweeney gets a lot to work with, like a long-awaited confrontation with her former best friend Maddy (Alexa Demie), and rises to the occasion. Euphoria seems to unlock something in Sweeney, just as the tomboyish, deadpan-but-sensitive Rue remains one of Zendaya's signature roles."

More about Euphoria Season 3

Euphoria Season 3 will return to HBO on April 12, 2026 (ET), with a weekly release schedule for its eight episodes, with the finale airing on May 31, 2026. The show will feature a five-year jump, following the characters in their 20s. The show will focus on themes of faith, purpose, and adult life, as 'Rue' works to pay off her debt and other characters navigate new, more mature struggles. 

Are you excited for Euphoria Season 3? Let us know.

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