After Lexi finally gets to shine vicariously through her autobiographical “Our Life,” she stands sidelined and anxious for the following scenes to commence.
“Euphoria” Weekly Review: Sweet Nothing
As the promises of the impact of Lexi’s play are left rolling in the deep, so is any potential progression “Euphoria” could have made.
March 14, 2022
EUPHORIA
SEASON 2, EPISODE 7 “THE THEATER AND ITS DOUBLE”
EDITOR’S RATING: ★★☆☆☆
With two episodes left of season two, it feels like the idea of “The Theater and Its Double,” which promised a cultivating climax to an otherwise underwhelming season, is what we, the audience, deserve. Ideally, Lexi (Maude Apatow) was to take center stage with the premiere of her highly-anticipated autobiographical play—stirring up tension with her response to being sidelined amongst others like Cassie and Rue throughout her life. What sadly ensues from the premiere of “Our Life” is an abomination of nothingness.
Essentially, the problem with “The Theater and Its Double” is that it has absolutely nothing to do with Lexi’s play in the slightest, but rather the events in real time that “Our Life” is portraying. Look at episode seven like the ice cream Lexi drops in a flashback: a disassembled, droopy concoction intended to be sweet and refreshing.
Really, the highlights of this episode are things so subtly miniscule that they may be missed without proper acknowledgement—Rue’s surprisingly pleasant reactions as the darkest parts of her life are portrayed on stage, or Maddy’s reminiscing with the initial moments of her friendship with Cassie. Sure, Nate and Cassie’s contrasting reactions sustain progressive character development, but should we, as viewers, choose satisfaction over what makes realistic sense?
Nate’s anger with “Our Life” resides within his fragile masculinity being put to the test with a boldly executed and over-the-top dance number in which an abundance of jocks dance in salacious choreography to Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out for a Hero.” Nate’s reaction to “Our Life” contrasts with Cassie’s bathroom breakdown twenty minutes earlier, highlighting the problems with their weak relationship, which is ended by Nate in the final fleeting moments of the episode.
When Cassie exits the theater in response to her parodic portrayal, Nate doesn’t even flinch. But when Nate starts reacting to “Our Life”? Cassie attempts to calm him by placing a hand over his clenching fists and immediately follows him out of the theater when “Holding Out for a Hero” becomes too much for him to handle.
This underwhelming episode excruciatingly ends with a lazy “to be continued:” right before Cassie re-enters the theater to make a scene after having the last straw. Cassie’s response to Nate’s reaction has nothing to do with her—her impromptu hunger for revenge is only prompted by Nate ending their relationship in a bliss of anger with his portrayal.
Watching next week’s promo was surreal in the worst way; this fifty-second teasing accomplishes absolutely nothing and feels like it showcases a mid-season markpoint rather than a season finale.
Is “Euphoria” camouflaging its most exhilarating moments in preparation for a sublime season finale? Or will I have to do this now overly exhausted dance of disappointment next week as well?