HBO finally unveiled its new series, Euphoria. We reported on the teaser to the Drake-produced series prior to its release and since it has aired, the show has captured audiences and sparked some controversy. Graphic depictions and sensitive matter where shown herein and the latter reportedly shocked many viewers. Actress Zendaya, who features as a teen struggling with drug addiction on the show, posted a PSA on her social media account to remind fans of the oncoming show, but also warn them of the sensitive matter they may witness. And since the show's aired, Variety now has the numbers related to the series' premiere. The post generated over 200K likes.
According to the film and television show news outlet, the 10 p.m airing of Euphoria garnered a total of 577K viewers, which is less than 1.5 million of the viewers who watched the season two premiere of Big Little Lies. The viewership almost doubled when considering the platforms HBO GO and HBO NOW. Euphoria, which was adapted from an Israeli drama, "explores the lives of high school kids who are grappling with social pressures, burgeoning sexualities, and addiction." Variety critic Caroline Framke called the series a "wild, unsettling ride" that is also "so aggressively jarring that it would be completely understandable if viewers turned out just to avoid the sheer stress of it all."