Sam Levinson. It’s time for you to answer for your crimes. The evil you’ve done is enough.

Kat Hernandez (Barbie Ferreira) burst onto our screens, and like many, I thoroughly enjoyed her cheeky, sarcastic charm. As the series’ only fat character, Euphoria was lauded for not falling into the “fat sidekick” trope. Kat had her own storyline. Her own life experiences. Her virtues and vices. All laid bare on the screen. There was a magnetic vulnerability and relatability in Kat’s role which spoke to many. Now fast forward to season 2, fans had high hopes for where Kat’s storyline would go. 3 episodes into the show and Kat had had 2 minutes of screen time. 5 episodes after that, season finale complete, all hopes have fallen flat. 

Rumours quickly spread when gossip news page DeuxMoi alleged that writer and director Sam Levinson and Ferreira had fallen out over his plans to write an eating disorder into Kat’s storyline. Whether or not these turned out to be true, Ferreira spoke about what fans were viewing and could expect with the development of Kat’s character in the second season: “Kat’s journey during this season is a little more internal and more mysterious to the audience. She is having many existential crises in secret. And she gets a little crazy during this season. The issue is that everyone is losing their minds a little bit,”. 

Despite the show’s success, Levinson has been constantly under fire for his representation of the teenagers, specifically through the over-sexualisation of some characters. In season 1, Kat becoming a cam girl sent shockwaves through the viewers, with many closely interrogating the show for its depiction of sex work on such a large platform. But many were rightfully concerned about this representation, with Kat being under-aged and through the fragile process of her growing to value her body and identity through this work.  In season 2, there was a wide scope to explore how pornography distorts teenagers’ sexual expectations, through glorifying non-consensual and extreme sexual acts. Kat’s character arch would have been the perfect one to do this, but once again, many loose ends were left untied. 

Yes, we need to see characters that are a work in progress. People watch TV and film to find themselves in who they watch. It is transformative to view characters struggling to love their own identity and finding their place in the world, rather than watching a ‘finished product’. This does not just apply to fat characters, but characters across all marginalised groups. 

We don’t have to force strength onto fat characters. It is okay to not be the confident “big, beautiful woman”. It is okay to succumb to the pressures of the world when you are told that your existence is inherently wrong. Kat’s breakdown as a result of her chronically online, toxic positivity culture was a testament to this. Where she felt as if she “had it all” – a loving boyfriend, friendship group, and more – she still hated herself. She still struggled to find love in herself, for the things that other people loved her for.

When Kat and Ethan’s relationship ended, fans were shocked about the way that this was written, feeling as if this confirmed any rumours of a feud between Ferreira and Levinson. Some going as far as calling it a  “character assassination scene”. Behind the dialogue, Kat manipulating Ethan and lacking all accountability, deep down, she knew that she had someone good but just wanted more. There was an underlying feeling that she had to be grateful that she was receiving love and attention from anyone, at all. That she was doing too much by just wanting more. Kat feeling pressured to settle speaks to the social taboo around loving fat women. Although this message was received by some, the way that Levinson wrote this break-up felt like a letdown of much of the hope that fans had about Kat’s portrayal in the new season. 

Especially following the “The Cut” magazine cover of the female stars of the show, Euphoria does not exactly champion diversity. There is always something to be said about who exactly is cast in the name of diversity – to subvert the typically skinny, white, long hair protagonist trope. That casting directors still lean towards curvy fat bodies, such as Ferreiras. There is still a timidness around representing fatness on screen. Positionality is very crucial when watching the show – it does not champion diversity but tokenises it. The concept of diversity is one that unsettles me, nonetheless. 

Sometimes it is nice to just watch a show. To not have any critical thoughts. But Euphoria just isn’t a show that warrants that sort of viewing. The several loopholes, unanswered storylines, neglect of certain characters and the use of trauma porn-like narratives, just felt messy and unnerving. It is not all that bad for us to have opinions on the, or any, show and share them. Art is made to be consumed. I don’t particularly expect the questions or concerns about the show to be answered or addressed in the third season, nor do I think it would do a great deal to alter the visceral impact that this season has had on its viewers. When the show has only ever had 1 episode written by anyone other than Levinson (Hunter Schafer co-wrote the “F*ck Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob” bridge episode released January 24, 2021), we should all probably lower our hopes.

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