Patrick Freyne: Euphoria is back, and I feel like I need to give my TV a bath

Patrick Freyne, a features writer with The Irish Times, reflects on the return of HBO’s Euphoria after its four-year hiatus, expressing a visceral reaction to the show’s intense and disturbing content. In his column, Freyne draws a contrast between the unrealistic masculinity portrayed in vintage television and the psychological toll of contemporary series like Euphoria, suggesting that while older shows offered escapism through caricature, modern television often demands emotional decontamination.

He recalls his own formative influences—ranging from René Artois in ’Allo ’Allo! to Robert Smith of The Cure—as examples of accessible, if flawed, male role models from the 1980s and 1990s. These figures, though flawed, represented attainable ideals compared to the hyper-stylized, trauma-laden narratives now dominating prestige TV.

Freyne’s commentary coincides with widespread media coverage of Euphoria’s Season 2 premiere, which broke viewership records for the network and reignited national conversations about the show’s graphic depictions of addiction, identity, and adolescent turmoil. Outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the series returned to strong audience numbers, while Variety featured interviews with cast members discussing challenging scenes, including Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s portrayal of Laurie and the controversial utilize of racial language in dialogue.

Critics have noted the show’s evolution into what some describe as a horror-inflected drama. The New Yorker characterized Season 2 as a “thrilling, disturbing horror show,” emphasizing its shift from teen drama to psychological intensity. Meanwhile, audience polls reflected deep division—The Journal reported mixed reactions, with viewers praising the performances while questioning the necessity of certain explicit sequences.

Freyne’s column ultimately frames Euphoria’s return not just as a cultural event, but as a prompt for reflection on what audiences consume and how it affects them. His suggestion that he needs to “give my TV a bath” serves as a metaphor for the emotional residue left by intense media—a sentiment increasingly shared in an era of peak television and psychological storytelling.