Euphoria Season 3 Episode 1 Review: A Strong Premiere With A Different Feel

Some premieres feel like a party, and then there are some that feel like stepping back into a place you once knew by heart, only to realize the walls have shifted a little.

That is very much how I felt watching Euphoria Season 3 Episode 1.

Before even getting into the episode itself, I have to say this night meant a lot to me. I had just wrapped up sharing my thoughts live on stream, and for once, the room felt fuller. The interaction was lovely. I was nervous, absolutely, because I am so used to only a few people being there at a time. But tonight felt different in the best way. It felt like people were listening, talking back, and showing up. That made this premiere even more special for me.

As for the episode itself, I did enjoy it.

There is still something captivating about Euphoria. Even when it changes, even when it feels a little unfamiliar, the show still knows how to pull your eyes toward the screen and keep them there. It still has that emotional weight, that ache, that sense that every conversation and every silence could lead somewhere heavy.

And once again, Zendaya is phenomenal.

She continues to be the beating heart of this series. Her presence is powerful without ever feeling forced. She knows how to carry pain, longing, uncertainty, and reflection in a way that feels raw and deeply human. No matter how the series evolves around her, she remains one of the clearest reasons this world still works. She deserves all of her flowers. She truly does.

At the same time, I would be lying if I said this premiere felt exactly like the Euphoria we once knew.

The biggest thing I noticed was the music.

The absence of Labrinth’s presence is felt heavily. His work helped define the soul of this show in its earlier seasons. His music did not simply play in the background. It wrapped around the characters, elevated the emotion, and often gave the series its haunting and dreamlike atmosphere. Without that same feeling here, something feels off. The episode still has style and craft behind it, but musically and tonally, it feels like part of the show’s spirit is missing.

And that leads into my other main feeling about the premiere.

This season, at least from this first episode, feels like a different show.

Not in a way that makes it bad. Not at all. But there is a noticeable shift in tone. The first two seasons had this beautiful, almost hypnotic identity to them. They felt tragic, intimate, poetic, and visually alive in a very specific way. This premiere still has quality, but it feels like the series is walking into a different phase of its life. Maybe that is intentional. Maybe that is the point. Stories grow, characters change, and time moves on. Even so, as a viewer, I definitely felt that difference.

That said, I am still very interested.

A premiere does not have to do everything at once. Sometimes its job is simply to reopen the door and remind you why you cared in the first place. This episode did enough to keep me invested, and it absolutely left me curious to see where things go next. I want to see how the emotional arcs deepen. I want to see how the relationships evolve. And above all, I want to see how this version of Euphoria plans to bring everything to a close in the weeks ahead.

Because even with my criticisms, the excitement is still there.

I am looking forward to the next episode. I am looking forward to seeing how this season shapes its own identity. And I am especially looking forward to continuing these watch parties, livestreams, and conversations with everybody along the way. Tonight felt like a meaningful moment for me and for the channel, and I hope that continues as we move through the rest of the season together.

So while Euphoria Season 3 Episode 1 may not fully feel like the same beautifully haunting show we knew before, it still offers enough intrigue, talent, and emotional pull to keep me watching.

Zendaya remains extraordinary. The atmosphere still has power. But the missing musical magic and tonal shift are impossible for me to ignore.

Even so, I’m here for the ride.