“Euphoria” Weekly review: An Un-Divine Intervention

EUPHORIA

SEASON 2, EPISODE 5: “STAND STILL LIKE THE HUMMINGBIRD”

EDITOR’S RATING: ★★★★☆

CONTENT WARNING: “Euphoria” includes graphic depictions of depression and anxiety, sexual violence, nudity, physical violence, gaslighting, suggestive domestic situations and explicit depictions of drug and alcohol abuse. Rated TV-MA, “Euphoria” is not advised for audiences under 17. 

Contains spoilers.

Almost immediately, “Stand Still like the Hummingbird” diverges from the bland structure “Euphoria” grew accustomed to this season. Unaware of her life-or-death situation with Laurie, Rue’s mother proudly brags of flushing the entire suitcase of pills down the toilet, jumpstarting the initial effects of Rue’s withdrawal: complete with rambunctious F-bombs and broken furniture. This differentiates from the show’s usual tactic of holding its horses until the last ten or so minutes of an episode, followed by a pompously ominous ending that always leaves a bitter taste.

This episode, however, gets rid of any structural motifs throughout season two. If you told me a week ago that I would deem an entirely Rue-centered episode the season’s best, I wouldn’t believe you in the slightest. But once again, ‘Euphoria’ shocks me by placing our most overused character in the stickiest of situations, making for an emotional, harrowing and edge-of-your-seat experience.

The first fifteen or so minutes of “Stand Still Like the Hummingbird” plays out like a season finale and then cuts into an incessant police chase. The tension of “Euphoria’s” second season has reached its peak: Rue’s mother knows that she isn’t and hasn’t been clean. Elliot and Jules have now both betrayed Rue in an effort to save her. That’s not all! Maddy is informed by a severely manic Rue that Cassie has slept with Nate. “Euphoria’s” ‘pile-it-all-on’ technique doesn’t compliment well when it’s misused, but the outpour of problems in this episode is so well-executed that even its messiest moments feel astonishingly formulaic.

Although chaos has reached its peak, a valid gripe about “Stand Still” is that none of the characters experience any crucial development. What development does shine through here is the confirmation that just about everyone has had too much of Rue; most notably, her mother and sister grow hopeless at her countless attempts at avoiding help. 

Also, Lexi’s (who need I remind you was once Rue’s best friend, where did that go?) paralyzation doesn’t account to Rue’s mental or physical state. In a sense, it almost seems like Lexi is sidelined only to advocate for her sister’s problems—rather, her presence in an established friendship with Rue would actually have a healthy effect. By abandoning this friendship, Lexi’s selflessness is greatly underutilized when it is obvious she cares about Rue greatly. 

While Lexi, Elliot, and Jules’ reactions to Rue’s behavior this episode are left unclear, Fez doesn’t even attempt to mask his disappointment with Rue after he catches her stealing his bedridden grandmother’s prescription medication.

As if “Stand Still Like the Hummingbird” isn’t shocking enough, Rue seeks a last-resort type of refuge in whom she should be most terrified: Laurie. I do have to say that the flashbacks of Rue’s childhood feel a little out of place in this instance. Am I the only one that thinks Rue artificially uses her father’s death as a crutch to justify her drug addiction? I’ve noticed that the only instances in which she reflects on his passing are to extract herself out of trouble. Regardless, I stick to this episode cementing her as one of this season’s most unlikable characters—shall I remind you what she called Jules?

It should make sense that my priority following the glory of this episode is that this greatness continues throughout the rest of the season. However, I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to hold onto that hope as the trailer for next week so boldly assures us that we’ll be subjected to an hour of the Maddy-Nate-Cassie mess. But seriously: what is it with three-person messes this season? That’s all this really is if we think about it. But hey, as long as the infamously unpromising Sam Levinson can properly structure these last three episodes, I’m not complaining!