Words and Art by: Parisa Sarmady

If you’re on the internet, then you’ve definitely heard of Sam Levinson. In a meme, heated tweet debate, or subreddit discussing the controversy of his body of work.

But, for those of you who may not be familiar with him, he’s the creative mind behind HBO’s ‘Euphoria’, ‘The Idol’ (yes, that nightmare of a show) and Netflix’s ‘Malcolm & Marie’.

From violent depictions of intimacy, to minors using hard drugs, to abusive relationships displayed graphically on screen, Levinson has not hid behind camera tricks to portray the taboo parts of life. But, many believe he has done so in poor taste, glamorising substance addiction, abusive relationships, and hardcore sex. Too much, perhaps, for mainstream media.

Despite all of the criticisms, for its prior seasons and plot holes, the hit HBO series ‘Euphoria’ has been renewed for a third season. I cannot be the only one wondering how our homegirl Rue (Zendaya) managed to graduate high school, let alone escape the drug dealer she still owes $10,000.

Aside from the show’s messy plot, it’s Levinson’s depiction of teenagers and messaging that are the most concerning.

When watching ‘Euphoria’, it’s almost easy to forget you’re watching teenage characters navigate the complexities of adolescence, as most of the cast are in their mid-twenties to early thirties. And even though they’re supposed to be high school students, the characters are often dressed in clothing that would almost never pass a high school dress code, thus making it easier to view the cast as adults.

On top of that, is the over-sexualisation of the female characters in the show, to the point it straight up feels like you’re watching a porno. For example, every time Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) appears in a scene, her character is often partially naked (unnecessary at times), having sex; a pure manifestation of the male gaze.

Let’s focus on the fucking mess that is Kat’s (Barbie Ferreira) storyline, and how the show encourages us to perceive her. Her character arc is rooted in her (a sixteen-year-old) engaging in online sex work, and Levinson tells us we’re supposed to believe it is empowering and sexually liberating. To make matters worse, the target audience for this show is supposed to be adults?

But, I have to give it to Levinson, regardless of all this, ‘Euphoria’ is a refreshing coming-of-age story that we usually don’t get to see on our screens, and a visually beautiful one at that. We get to immerse ourselves in taboo perspectives and themes, in a raw and unfiltered manner that mainstream television often fails to achieve or acknowledge. Whilst at times problematic, it’s crucial these stories are told to help tell neglected truths and combat stigmas. Perhaps he needs to refine some of the depictions of minors, but there is a lot of truth to exploring sexuality in your teens.

However, with Levinson’s ‘The Idol’, this isn’t the case. The plot surrounding the cruel reality of the music industry sounded quite intriguing at first. However, upon watching the show, it truly felt like porn disguised as barely-quality television. It’s also — to no surprise — saturated with the male gaze. Superstar Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) is constantly treated as a sex object through the camera lens, with no other purpose than to please a male audience.

Levinson also includes uncomfortable commentary on rape culture and even goes as far as to code the violent sex scenes in the show as desirable and sexy. Not to mention there’s a scene where a fake sexual assault allegation is made with the intention of ruining a man’s career, which is quite irresponsible writing and directing, as it’s already a struggle for victims/survivors to be believed in this day and age.

From what I’ve seen, Levinson’s handling of sensitive topics lacks consideration, which means his work has the potential to contribute to the perpetuation of harmful narratives that carry real-world implications.

Yes, his writing and cinematography can be breathtaking and touching at times, but with the amount of excessive nudity and sex scenes in his shows, I think Levinson may be in the wrong industry.

Despite all of this, Levinson must be doing something right, because we as an audience simply can’t get enough of his work.