Director reveals why Euphoria feels so disjointed right now, and it makes complete sense

At this point, watching Euphoria feels less like following a storyline and more like trying to piece together a very aesthetic puzzle. One minute you’re locked into a character arc, the next you’re in what feels like a completely different timeline.

As it turns out, there was actually a lot going on behind the scenes that explains why everything feels slightly unhinged.

HBO

A big part of it comes down to Sam Levinson and his increasingly stylised approach to the show. What started out as a relatively grounded, character-led drama has drifted into something much more surreal and spectacle-driven. It looks incredible, sure, but the trade-off is that storylines don’t always feel like they properly connect, and characters can seem to exist in their own separate bubbles.

That’s where the filming process comes in, because it turns out it was just as chaotic as the show itself. Season three wasn’t shot in order, at all. Scenes were filmed months apart depending on who was available, meaning moments that are meant to sit side-by-side in the story were actually created at completely different times.

For example, some major scenes were filmed as early as April and August 2025, while parts of the second episode weren’t even shot until October. So if something felt weirdly placed or slightly off in tone, that’s probably why.

HBO

Production delays also didn’t help. Filming was pushed back from early 2024 to 2025, partly so Levinson could finish the scripts, but mostly because the cast are now so booked and busy it’s basically a miracle they were all in the same place at all.

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Even Zendaya has admitted the schedule was chaos. Speaking to Variety, she said she ended up shooting her scenes in about half the usual time, describing it as trying to get “eight episodes in at once”.

They filmed everything she needed as quickly as possible while juggling her other projects, including Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Odyssey, and Dune: Part Three.

Levinson himself basically admitted the whole thing has been a logistical nightmare. Speaking at the TCL Theater in Hollywood, he said: “The fact that we’re actually here and we’re able to pull this season off, that’s nothing short of a miracle.”

HBO

He also addressed the long gap between seasons, adding: “Some people asked why it took so long between seasons two and three. There were obvious factors, the strikes, trying to make a schedule work with our very in-demand cast, but the real time was in trying to figure out how to find a way to pay respect to those who we lost.”

At its best, the show is still visually unreal and packed with standout performances, but right now, it does feel like it’s sacrificing structure for style. Which is fine, if you’re into that. Less ideal if you’d quite like the plot to… make sense.

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Featured image credit: HBO