Euphoria Season 2 Episo 7 was a showstopper thanks to Lexi's ntroversial play and we discs fans' reactns to whether Nate Jabs is gay or not.
Contents:
- 21 "EUPHORIA" MOMENTS THAT THE GAYS ARE STILL THKG ABOUT
- EUPHORIA EXPLOR CAL JABS’ SEXUALY WH TRAGIC GAY ROMANTIC BACKSTORY
- MD THE MEDIA: EUPHORIA'S DEPICTN OF A HIDN GAY INTY, AND S CONSEQUENC
- EUPHORIA FANS DISCS IF NATE JABS IS GAY AMIDST LEXI’S SHOCKG PLAY
- EUPHORIA: NATE’S DAD GETS A BTERSWEET ORIG STORY “I KNOW WHAT ’S LIKE TO LIVE A DOUBLE LIFE,” SAYS ERIC DANE, WHO PLAYS CAL—AND EPLY RELAT TO HIS TORTURED CHARACTER.BY YOHANA DTAJANUARY 23, 2022COURTY OF HBO. SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVETHIS PIECE NTAS SPOILERS FOR SEASON TWO, EPISO THREE, OF EUPHORIA. CAL JABS HAS, AT LAST, GOTTEN THE ORIG-STORY TREATMENT. ON SUNDAY NIGHT’S EPISO OF EUPHORIA, FANS FALLY GOT AN EYE-OPENG REVELATN TO WHY NATE’S DAD IS THE WAY HE IS (READ: VILLAO, TORMENTED, CLOSETED), REVEALG THE BTER ROOTS OF HIS SON’S SEVERE DADDY ISSU. THE EPISO, WRTEN BY SHOW CREATOR SAM LEVSON, STARTS WH A FLASHBACK TO CAL HIGH SCHOOL. HE’S A STAR WRTLER, HAPPY AND GOOD-NATURED SPE OF HIS STRICT, OVERBEARG FATHER. HE SPENDS ALL HIS SPARE TIME WH HIS BT IEND DEREK. THEY START FALLG FOR EACH OTHER, BUT BSH THEIR FEELGS ASI, STEAD MAKG A GRAND SHOW OF GETTG GIRLIENDS AND HOOKG UP WH THEM—SOMETIM THE SAME ROOM, STEALG GLANC AT EACH OTHER. ON GRADUATN NIGHT, DEREK TAK CAL OUT SO THEY N CELEBRATE ALONE. (THE FUTURE IS G FOR THEM: CAL’S OFF TO DE, WHILE DEREK’S HEADG TO A STATE SCHOOL OUT WT.) DEREK’S SPOT TURNS OUT TO BE A GAY BAR, AND CAL ROLLS WH . THEY HEAD TO THE DANCE FLOOR, SPNG AROUND TO INXS’S “NEVER TEAR US APART.” IT’S KD OF A SUBURBAN Y TU MAMá TAMBIEN MOMENT, TWO BOYS AND A JEBOX A SPARSE BAR. THEY EVENTUALLY START KISSG, SHGGG OFF THEIR HETERO FA. BUT THE FANTASY IS DISPTED THE NEXT MORNG, WHEN CAL’S GIRLIEND MARSHA TELLS HIM SHE’S PREGNANT. AND, AS WE KNOW OM THE SHOW, SHE CIS TO KEEP THE CHILD. THE TWO GET MARRIED AND HAVE ANOTHER KID, NATE (JAB ELORDI), WHILE CAL STAYS THE CLOSET, HAVG NUMERO AFFAIRS AND SECRETLY FILMG HIS SEXUAL ENUNTERS. HIS BIFURTED LIFTYLE—UPSTANDG PILLAR OF THE MUNY BY DAY, CLOSETED CHEATER BY NIGHT—EVENTUALLY IMPRTS ON NATE, MOLDG HIS SON TO A VLENT MI-ME. ACTOR ERIC DANE, WHO PLAYS CAL, FOUND THE FLASHBACK “HEARTBREAKG,” EPENG HIS UNRSTANDG OF HIS BROKEN CHARACTER. “I DON’T KNOW WHAT ’S LIKE TO BE CAL, BUT I KNOW WHAT ’S LIKE TO LIVE A DOUBLE LIFE,” THE ACTOR SAID, LLG OM HIS HOME LOS ANGEL. “I’VE HAD MY OWN EXPERIENCE WH DG AND ALHOL ABE. THAT’S A DOUBLE LIFE.”THE ACTOR, WHO SHOT TO FAME AS DR. MARK SLOAN (AKA MCSTEAMY) GREY’S ANATOMY, HAS BEEN NDID ABOUT HIS BATTLE WH DGS, VOLUNTARILY ENTERG REHAB 2011 FOR AN ADDICTN TO PAKILLERS FOLLOWG A SPORTS JURY. “TRYG TO KEEP THAT SECRET IS TOUGH,” HE NTUED. “EVENTUALLY EVERYTHG ALWAYS TCH UP WH YOU.”DANE HAD NO IA ABOUT CAL’S HIGH SCHOOL BACKSTORY GOG TO SEASON TWO. “I TST SAM SO MUCH,” HE SAID. “I’VE NEVER BEEN ONE TO PICK THE WRER’S BRA ABOUT WHAT’S G UP THE FUTURE.… I KNOW ’S GOOD HANDS.”DANE FIRST READ THE SCRIPT AT THE ST’S FIRST TABLE READ, WHICH TOOK PLACE MARCH 2020. BUT LIKE VIRTUALLY EVERYTHG ELSE PRODUCTN AT THE TIME, SEASON TWO OF EUPHORIA WAS QUICKLY SHUT DOWN DUE TO THE PANMIC, NOT PICKG UP AGA UNTIL 2021. (IN THE TERIM, LEVSON SHOT THE FEATURE MALLM & MARIE, PL TWO SPECIAL EPISOS OF EUPHORIA CENTERED ON RUE AND JUL, RPECTIVELY.) IN THE FLASHBACK, CAL IS PLAYED BY A WNG ELIAS KAVAS. THOUGH DANE DON’T APPEAR THOSE SCEN, HE SPENT SOME TIME ON SET WHEN THEY WERE BEG SHOT, GETTG TO KNOW THE YOUNG ACTOR—WHO WILL NEXT BE SEEN A TEEN SHOW OF A DIFFERENT STRIPE, PRETTY LTLE LIARS: ORIGAL S. “HE WAS TERRIFIC,” DANE SAID, THOUGH HE ADMS HE DIDN’T UNRSTAND THE STG CHOICE AT FIRST. “AT FIRST GLANCE, I WAS LIKE, THAT’S YOUNG CAL? AND THEN I STARTED TALKG TO THE GUY AND I WATCHED SOME OF HIS STUFF AND I WAS LIKE, YEAH. THAT’S YOUNG CAL.”MOST POPULARWH MATRO, LEONARD BERNSTE’S LEGACY AND LOV FALLY H THE BIG SCREENBY REBEC FORD25 PERFECT TV EPISOS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARSBY HILLARY BISTHE BOOK OF CLARENCE IS A BOMBASTIC JOURNEY BACK TO THE BIBLIL ERABY REBEC FORDAFTER THE FLASHBACK, THE EPISO TCH UP TO MORN-DAY CAL, WHO’S STALKG FEZ’S HOE AFTER NATE TELLS HIM THE DG ALER OBTAED THE SEX TAPE CAL SECRETLY MA WHEN HE MTED STATUTORY RAPE WH JUL. ASHTRAY (JAVON “WANNA” WALTON) BRGS CAL TO THE HOE AT GUNPOT, QUTNG HIM AND BEATG HIM OVER THE HEAD WH THE END OF THE SHOTGUN. “THAT SCENE WAS A LTLE TOUGH BEE I DID TAKE MULTIPLE SHOTS TO THE HEAD,” DANE NOT. “IT WAS A PROP GUN, BUT AFTER 50-SOMETHG SHOTS, FEELS LIKE A SHOTGUN.” HE’S GRATEFUL TO THE 15-YEAR-OLD WALTON, WHO REAL LIFE IS A HIGHLY TRAED BOXER CURRENTLY WORKG TOWARD THE 2024 OLYMPICS: “HE WAS REALLY GOOD AT WORKG THAT SHOTGUN SO I DIDN’T END UP WH A NCSN AT THE END OF THE DAY.”IN THE SCENE, DON’T TAKE LONG FOR CAL TO REALIZE THAT FEZ, WHO IS UTTERLY NFED BY THE WHOLE SUATN, DON’T HAVE THE TAPE. SLOWLY, THE SCENE TILTS AWAY OM DRAMA AND UP TOWARD EDY, WH DANE LIKENG TO A BIZARRO EPISO OF THREE’S COMPANY. IT WAS A RARE TREAT FOR HIM TO ACT ALONGSI OTHER ST MEMBERS OF THE SHOW, AS MOST OF HIS SCEN ARE UALLY WH ELORDI. HE’S NOT PLAG, THOUGH: “I LOVE HIM LIKE A LTLE BROTHER,” HE SAID OF THE YOUNG ATRALIAN ACTOR, WHO OCSNALLY ASKS DANE FOR ADVICE AND GEEKS OUT ABOUT THE CRAFT OF ACTG. “Z IS THAT WAY [TOO],” DANE ADDS—REFERRG, OF URSE, TO ZENDAYA, THE SHOW’S LEAD. “EVERYBODY’S SO TALENTED ON THE SHOW, THAT AT TIM I FEEL LIKE I’M PUNCHG ABOVE MY WEIGHT,” DANE SAYS. “THE KIDS ARE SO PREC, YOU KNOW? THEY’RE 20-SOMETHGS. IT’S UNBELIEVABLE.”MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— TV STAR SARAH WYNTER’S BATTLE WH POSTPARTUM PSYCHOSIS— CARíONA BALFE’S CELTIC CONQUT, FROM OUTLANR TO BELFAST— THE BT MOVI AND SHOWS STREAMG ON NETFLIX THIS MONTH— 21 WARDROBE WNERS INSPIRED BY AND JT LIKE THAT…— WHAT VIVIAN VANCE DIDN’T LOVE ABOUT I LOVE LUCY— THE LIFE AND DEATH OF ROSANNE BOYLAND, A CAPOL RTER— INSECURE’S NATASHA ROTHWELL CAN DO IT ALL— FROM THE ARCHIVE: JOAN DIDN, OUR LADY OF L.A.— SIGN UP FOR THE “HWD DAILY” NEWSLETTER FOR MT-READ DTRY AND AWARDS VERAGE—PL A SPECIAL WEEKLY EDN OF “AWARDS INSIR.”YOHANA DTA
- ‘EUPHORIA’ REVEALS THE TRAGIC BACKSTORY OF ITS BIGGT PSYCHORECAPTHE THIRD EPISO OF THE HBO H’S SEND SEASON FOC ON CAL JABS, THE RINT DAD OM HELL, AND SE RUE MAKE A CISN THAT ULD E BACK TO HNT HER. KYNDALL CUNNGHAMENTERTAMENT REPORTERUPDATED JAN. 23, 2022 10:00PM EST HBOLAST WEEK’S EPISO WAS A REHG DIVERSN OM EUPHORIA’S TYPIL STCTURE, BEGNG THE PRENT AS OPPOSED TO A LD OPEN PICTG SOMEONE’S TERRIBLE UPBRGG. BUT LEVSON IS AS MTED TO THE DUB “TRMA PLOT” AS HE IS TO FILMG MALE CROTCH. AND THERE’S HARDLY A PERSON WH THIS ENSEMBLE OF THOROUGHLY FUCKED-UP CHARACTERS MORE SUED FOR THIS VICE THAN ERIC DANE’S CAL JABS.CAL’S EPLY CLICHED BACKSTORY PRETTY MUCH WR SELF THANKS TO YEARS OF TEEN PROGRAMMG FEATURG “THE CLOSETED JOCK” AND THE WRONGHEAD SOCIETAL NOTN THAT THE WORST MEN ARE SECRETLY GAY. ACRDGLY, WE’RE TRODUCED TO A TEENAGE CAL PETG A HIGH SCHOOL WRTLG MATCH. WE ALSO MEET HIS TEAMMATE AND BT IEND DERRICK, WHOSE ROLE CAL’S SEXUAL AWAKENG BE OBV PRETTY QUICKLY WHEN HE STAR DIRECTLY AT HIS PENIS A LOCKER ROOM. DPE THE ROMANTIC UNRCURRENTS THEIR IENDSHIP, THEY EACH PURSUE RELATNSHIPS WH GIRLS. CAL STARTS DATG A CLASSMATE NAMED MARSHA, WHO TURNS OUT TO BE NATE’S MOM, AND NVC HIMSELF THAT HE ENJOYS HAVG SEX WH HER. AT THIS POT THE SEQUENCE, THE AMOUNT OF BARE BOOBS, BUTTS AND GENALS WE’VE SEEN IS PRETTY JARRG, EVEN BY HBO STANDARDS. IF VIEWERS WERE TAKEN ABACK BY LAST WEEK’S SEX SCEN, THIS EPISO IS SURE TO SPARK MORE DISCSNS ABOUT LEVSON’S TREATMENT OF FEMALE NUDY AND WHAT SEEMS LIKE A TACTIC TO FEND HIMSELF OM CRICISM BY UNDATG WH CLOSPS OF PENIS. BUT BACK TO CAL AND DERRICK. THEIR FEELGS FOR ONE ANOTHER FALLY E TO A HEAD WHEN THEY GO TO A BAR AFTER THEIR GRADUATN, START LIP-SYNCG TO INXS’ “NEVER TEAR US APART” THE MOST STEREOTYPIL FASHN, AND SHARE A KISS. THE NEXT MORNG, CAL RECEIV NEWS OM MARSHA THAT SHE’S PREGNANT A VERY “TIMOTHEE CHALAMET AT THE END OF CALL ME BY YOUR NAME” MOMENT THAT MAK CAL’S NTEMPT FOR NATE A LOT LS PLITED. THIS BACKSTORY IS TECHNILLY SAD BUT NOT NECSARILY SYMPATHY-EVOKG, NSIRG WHAT WE KNOW TAK PLACE THE FUTURE. SPEAKG OF WHICH, WE JUMP FORWARD TO THE PRENT WHERE RUE IS SGG AND DANCG AROUND TO FRANK SATRA'S “CALL ME IRRPONSIBLE,” AS IF THE LIST OF PRE-LENNIUM SONGS THIS KID KNOWS BY HEART ULDN’T GET ANYMORE ABSURD. GIA TCH HER AND ASKS IF SHE’S HIGH, WHICH LEADS RUE TO A FOURTH-WALL PRENTATN ON “HOW TO GET AWAY WH BEG A DG ADDICT.” BASILLY, RUE TRICKS GIA TO THKG THAT SHE’S SUICIDAL AND, THEREFORE, NEEDS TO SMOKE WEED, WHICH SHE AS A “VER DG” FOR THE HARR STUFF. THIS ZANY SEGMENT SERV AS A REMR THAT NO MATTER HOW “ADULT” THIS PROGRAM IS, MUCH OF THE ACTG REQUIRED OF ZENDAYA IS STILL VERY DISNEY CHANNEL.AFTER TERROGATG ELLTT ABOUT HIS SEXUAL PROCLIVI, JUL IS FALLY NVCED THAT HE’S NOT JT TRYG TO SLEEP WH RUE, AND THE THREE OF THEM BEE THEIR OWN LTLE ODDBALL CLIQUE. THEY PLAY TTH OR DARE AND, LATER ON, ELLT GETS JUL TO ADM THAT RUE ISN’T A SEXUAL PERSON. IN A NOT-SO-SHOCKG TURN OF EVENTS, SEEMS LIKE RUE SHOULD BE NCERNED ABOUT ELLT WANTG TO GET WH JUL. IN A MORE WHOLOME PART OF THE EPISO, LEXI GETS A SELF-THORED PLAY GREENL AT SCHOOL, REPLACG THE UAL PRODUCTN OF OKLAHOMA. RUE STAT VIA VOICEOVER THAT LEXI HAS ALWAYS LIVED HER LIFE AS AN “OBSERVER,” PARED TO CASSIE AND HER BOLR PEERS. SO FAR, WE DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHY LEXI SUFFERS OM SUPPORTG CHARACTER SYNDROME—OTHER THAN THAT’S HOW SHE’S BEEN WRTEN—OR HER POT OF VIEW ON WHAT SHE OBSERV, ASI OM BEWILRMENT. BUT SEEMS AN APPROPRIATE TACTIC FOR AN TROVERT TO GA NTROL OF THEIR LIFE BY NARRATIVIZG AND FORCG OTHER PEOPLE TO WATCH. ANYONE WH A SOCIAL MEDIA ACUNT N SORT OF RELATE.LIKEWISE, LEXI HAS ALWAYS “IMAGED HER LIFE AS A MOVIE,” SO, OF URSE, WE TRANSN TO A SEGMENT OF HER LERALLY PRODUCG A FILM OF HER OWN LIFE, MAKG CASSIE PUT ON HIO STUM AND GIVG A BEHD-THE-SCEN TOUR. SHE TELLS OM A DIRECTOR’S CHAIR THAT “SIKICKS ARE UALLY THE SMARTER, MORE SENSIVE, MORE PELLG CHARACTERS, BUT FOR SOME REASON, THEY JT GET OVERLOOKED.” SUCH AN OVERT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MAK ME WONR WHETHER LEVSON WILL ACTUALLY EXPLORE WHY THIS NOTN IS TE WH LEXI’S CHARACTER OR JT PAYG LIP SERVICE. “BUT SEEMS AN APPROPRIATE TACTIC FOR AN TROVERT TO GA NTROL OF THEIR LIFE BY NARRATIVIZG AND FORCG OTHER PEOPLE TO WATCH. ANYONE WH A SOCIAL MEDIA ACUNT N SORT OF RELATE.” MEANWHILE, WE FD CASSIE WHAT WE N ONLY HOPE IS THE HEIGHT OF HER NROSIS. HER OBSSN WH NATE HAS NOW MANIFTED A THREE-HOUR-LONG BETY ROUTE BEFORE SCHOOL AND FASHN NOVA ENSEMBL TO PROVE HER VOTN TO HIM. ONE OF THE MOST AMG ASPECTS OF THIS SHOW IS S PRENTATN OF GEN Z FASHN AND MAKP TRENDS THAT SEEMS BORRLE PARODIC. LIKEWISE, ’S HILAR TO WATCH CASSIE TRANSFORM HERSELF TO THE CURRENT HYPER-FEME IAL TO THE POT WHERE SHE, A BLON, WHE WOMAN, IS LAYG HER NON-EXISTENT BABY HAIRS AND UNKNOWGLY LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE MADDY.CASSIE’S BT MOMENT THIS EPISO, HOWEVER, IS WHEN SHE SHOWS UP TO SCHOOL WH BOUFFANT HAIR AND A PUFFED-SLEEVED PLAID TOP THAT MAK THE OTHER GIRLS THK SHE’S DNG FOR OKLAHOMA. LIKEWISE, CASSIE, EPLY SULTED, LNCH TO HER MUCH-ANTICIPATED “AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER!” MONOLOGUE, REVEALG HER AFFAIR WH NATE TO MADDY. BUT THANKFULLY, THIS RANT IS ONLY IMAGED.THE CRIME-RELATED PORTNS OF THIS EPISO PROVE THAT THE SHOW REALLY THRIV WHEN FOCED ON RELATNSHIPS AND LOWER-STAK DRAMA. I WOULD’VE MUCH RATHER WATCHED FEZ AND LEXI GO ON AN AWKWARD ICE CREAM DATE. INSTEAD, WE WATCH FEZ AND ASHTRAY TERROGATE CAL AFTER TCHG HIM LURKG OUTSI OF THEIR HOE. CAL ACCINTALLY MENTNS RERDG HIMSELF HAVG SEX WH JUL, ASSUMG FEZ KNEW ABOUT . REALIZG HE’S DUG HIMSELF TO AN EVEN BIGGER HOLE, HE PROMIS TO LEAVE THEM ALONE. BUT I DOUBT THIS WILL BE THE LAST WE SEE OF CAL’S SERIAL KILLER-LIKE TENNCI. SYDNEY SWEENEY EUPHORIA HBO FALLY, RUE CIS TO GET TO DG ALG SO SHE N “DO DGS FOR EE.” SHE UP WH A PLAN THAT VOLV BLACKMAILG STUNT SELLERS WH DATA OM THEIR PHON SO THEY WON’T SNCH. IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT EVEN THE DUMBT TEENAGERS WOULD SIGN UP FOR THIS AS OPPOSED TO WORKG AT THE MALL, BUT THE STOIC DG LORD OM THE SEASON PREMIERE, LRA, THKS ’S BRILLIANT AND GIV HER $10K WORTH OF DGS TO SELL. IT’S UNCLEAR WHETHER RUE WILL FOLLOW THROUGH WH THIS PLAN, BUT IF SHE DON’T LRA TELLS HER SHE’LL BE “KIDNAPPED AND SOLD TO SOME REALLY SICK PEOPLE.”RUE BOLDLY GO STRAIGHT OM LRA’S HOE TO AN AA MEETG, DGS TOW. ALI QUTNS HER AFTERWARDS WH HIS UAL WISECRACKG, BUT RUE ISN’T AMED. SHE GETS HIM UPSET BY CURSG AT HIM AND WALKS OFF WH HER SUSE.“RUMATNS: BIG AND LTLE BULLYS” NCLUS WH CASSIE GETTG STOOD UP BY NATE, WHO SHOWS UP TO MADDY’S WORK WH FLOWERS STEAD. SO FAR, SEEMS LIKE LEVSON DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WH KAT, WHOSE STORYLE THIS EPISO NSISTS OF GOG TO DNER WH ETHAN’S FAY AND STUTTERG OVER A QUTN A BRIEF SCENE. HOWEVER, ISN’T SHOCKG THAT THE WRER OF THIS SHOW IS DISTERTED THE ONLY CHARACTER WH A HEALTHY RELATNSHIP. KYNDALL CUNNGHAM
21 "EUPHORIA" MOMENTS THAT THE GAYS ARE STILL THKG ABOUT
All I want now is to dance wh Fez to INXS's "Never Tear Us Apart" some roadsi gay dive bar. * gay episode euphoria *
Euphoria's sophomore season was a roller aster of emotn.
EUPHORIA EXPLOR CAL JABS’ SEXUALY WH TRAGIC GAY ROMANTIC BACKSTORY
* gay episode euphoria *
In season two episo three ‘Rumatns: Big and Ltle Bullys‘, which dropped on NOWTV the UK this week, the show’s rint villa Cal (Eric Dane) was given a gay orig story worthy of s own movie.
Gay. Content Warng: The followg article ntas discsns of sexualy, dg addictn, homophobia, physil abe, and self-harm. Dg addictn, nudy, homophobia, vlence, blackmail, abive relatnships, and much more were explicly showsed Euphoria.
MD THE MEDIA: EUPHORIA'S DEPICTN OF A HIDN GAY INTY, AND S CONSEQUENC
It was nsired ntroversial by some who aren't fortable wh that creased level of nudy, but was an important scene given the nsistent topic of Nate Jabs's (Jab Elordi) homophobia. The dience has seen Nate do some awful thgs as part of his vlent streak and homophobia.
In a stirrg sequence set at a gay bar jt outsi their hometown, the two boys celebrate their recent graduatn and mourn their rapidly approachg separatn for llege wh an INXS-soundtracked slow dance, eventually givg way to a passnate kiss. And knowg what we know about how (and who) Cal turns out to be — a philanrg hband who’s ma a hab of secretly filmg his illic enunters wh young gay men and trans women — ’s easy to fill the gaps that separate that life-changg ‘80s moment om prent-day. Cal gets piss-dnk on a benr, dangeroly swerv traffic, and returns to the gay bar where he had his first same-sex kiss, only to try to start a brawl.
EUPHORIA FANS DISCS IF NATE JABS IS GAY AMIDST LEXI’S SHOCKG PLAY
Even his rawt moments — like the briefly tenr dance he shar wh a stranger at the gay bar, while remiscg on the one he shared wh Derek 25 years prr — are weighed down by his current realy. Ultimately, he’s still a ragg dnk a gay bar, terrorizg unspectg patrons; he’s an agonized bull nng around a very lite cha the scen do allow for are nuance and clary, acknowledgg that even the worst of have ep-seated pa whout tryg to turn Cal to a good person to make that pot. He returns to the same gay bar 25 years later not to pick up someone new, but to repture those feelgs he had wh one boy over two s ago.
At the gay bar, his fellow patrons wer away om him fear. While Euphoria's first season tablished Cal as an outwardly succsful man wh a secret life, the send season spent two episos lvg to Cal's backstory and then the breakdown he experienc, which clud a spectacular tellg off of his fay, when he n no longer nceal his inty as a gay man any longer.
As an adult, he's married, had two sons, and done well bs, yet he's hnted by the possibily that someone uld disver that he's gay.
EUPHORIA: NATE’S DAD GETS A BTERSWEET ORIG STORY “I KNOW WHAT ’S LIKE TO LIVE A DOUBLE LIFE,” SAYS ERIC DANE, WHO PLAYS CAL—AND EPLY RELAT TO HIS TORTURED CHARACTER.BY YOHANA DTAJANUARY 23, 2022COURTY OF HBO. SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVETHIS PIECE NTAS SPOILERS FOR SEASON TWO, EPISO THREE, OF EUPHORIA. CAL JABS HAS, AT LAST, GOTTEN THE ORIG-STORY TREATMENT. ON SUNDAY NIGHT’S EPISO OF EUPHORIA, FANS FALLY GOT AN EYE-OPENG REVELATN TO WHY NATE’S DAD IS THE WAY HE IS (READ: VILLAO, TORMENTED, CLOSETED), REVEALG THE BTER ROOTS OF HIS SON’S SEVERE DADDY ISSU. THE EPISO, WRTEN BY SHOW CREATOR SAM LEVSON, STARTS WH A FLASHBACK TO CAL HIGH SCHOOL. HE’S A STAR WRTLER, HAPPY AND GOOD-NATURED SPE OF HIS STRICT, OVERBEARG FATHER. HE SPENDS ALL HIS SPARE TIME WH HIS BT IEND DEREK. THEY START FALLG FOR EACH OTHER, BUT BSH THEIR FEELGS ASI, STEAD MAKG A GRAND SHOW OF GETTG GIRLIENDS AND HOOKG UP WH THEM—SOMETIM THE SAME ROOM, STEALG GLANC AT EACH OTHER. ON GRADUATN NIGHT, DEREK TAK CAL OUT SO THEY N CELEBRATE ALONE. (THE FUTURE IS G FOR THEM: CAL’S OFF TO DE, WHILE DEREK’S HEADG TO A STATE SCHOOL OUT WT.) DEREK’S SPOT TURNS OUT TO BE A GAY BAR, AND CAL ROLLS WH . THEY HEAD TO THE DANCE FLOOR, SPNG AROUND TO INXS’S “NEVER TEAR US APART.” IT’S KD OF A SUBURBAN Y TU MAMá TAMBIEN MOMENT, TWO BOYS AND A JEBOX A SPARSE BAR. THEY EVENTUALLY START KISSG, SHGGG OFF THEIR HETERO FA. BUT THE FANTASY IS DISPTED THE NEXT MORNG, WHEN CAL’S GIRLIEND MARSHA TELLS HIM SHE’S PREGNANT. AND, AS WE KNOW OM THE SHOW, SHE CIS TO KEEP THE CHILD. THE TWO GET MARRIED AND HAVE ANOTHER KID, NATE (JAB ELORDI), WHILE CAL STAYS THE CLOSET, HAVG NUMERO AFFAIRS AND SECRETLY FILMG HIS SEXUAL ENUNTERS. HIS BIFURTED LIFTYLE—UPSTANDG PILLAR OF THE MUNY BY DAY, CLOSETED CHEATER BY NIGHT—EVENTUALLY IMPRTS ON NATE, MOLDG HIS SON TO A VLENT MI-ME. ACTOR ERIC DANE, WHO PLAYS CAL, FOUND THE FLASHBACK “HEARTBREAKG,” EPENG HIS UNRSTANDG OF HIS BROKEN CHARACTER. “I DON’T KNOW WHAT ’S LIKE TO BE CAL, BUT I KNOW WHAT ’S LIKE TO LIVE A DOUBLE LIFE,” THE ACTOR SAID, LLG OM HIS HOME LOS ANGEL. “I’VE HAD MY OWN EXPERIENCE WH DG AND ALHOL ABE. THAT’S A DOUBLE LIFE.”THE ACTOR, WHO SHOT TO FAME AS DR. MARK SLOAN (AKA MCSTEAMY) GREY’S ANATOMY, HAS BEEN NDID ABOUT HIS BATTLE WH DGS, VOLUNTARILY ENTERG REHAB 2011 FOR AN ADDICTN TO PAKILLERS FOLLOWG A SPORTS JURY. “TRYG TO KEEP THAT SECRET IS TOUGH,” HE NTUED. “EVENTUALLY EVERYTHG ALWAYS TCH UP WH YOU.”DANE HAD NO IA ABOUT CAL’S HIGH SCHOOL BACKSTORY GOG TO SEASON TWO. “I TST SAM SO MUCH,” HE SAID. “I’VE NEVER BEEN ONE TO PICK THE WRER’S BRA ABOUT WHAT’S G UP THE FUTURE.… I KNOW ’S GOOD HANDS.”DANE FIRST READ THE SCRIPT AT THE ST’S FIRST TABLE READ, WHICH TOOK PLACE MARCH 2020. BUT LIKE VIRTUALLY EVERYTHG ELSE PRODUCTN AT THE TIME, SEASON TWO OF EUPHORIA WAS QUICKLY SHUT DOWN DUE TO THE PANMIC, NOT PICKG UP AGA UNTIL 2021. (IN THE TERIM, LEVSON SHOT THE FEATURE MALLM & MARIE, PL TWO SPECIAL EPISOS OF EUPHORIA CENTERED ON RUE AND JUL, RPECTIVELY.) IN THE FLASHBACK, CAL IS PLAYED BY A WNG ELIAS KAVAS. THOUGH DANE DON’T APPEAR THOSE SCEN, HE SPENT SOME TIME ON SET WHEN THEY WERE BEG SHOT, GETTG TO KNOW THE YOUNG ACTOR—WHO WILL NEXT BE SEEN A TEEN SHOW OF A DIFFERENT STRIPE, PRETTY LTLE LIARS: ORIGAL S. “HE WAS TERRIFIC,” DANE SAID, THOUGH HE ADMS HE DIDN’T UNRSTAND THE STG CHOICE AT FIRST. “AT FIRST GLANCE, I WAS LIKE, THAT’S YOUNG CAL? AND THEN I STARTED TALKG TO THE GUY AND I WATCHED SOME OF HIS STUFF AND I WAS LIKE, YEAH. THAT’S YOUNG CAL.”MOST POPULARWH MATRO, LEONARD BERNSTE’S LEGACY AND LOV FALLY H THE BIG SCREENBY REBEC FORD25 PERFECT TV EPISOS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARSBY HILLARY BISTHE BOOK OF CLARENCE IS A BOMBASTIC JOURNEY BACK TO THE BIBLIL ERABY REBEC FORDAFTER THE FLASHBACK, THE EPISO TCH UP TO MORN-DAY CAL, WHO’S STALKG FEZ’S HOE AFTER NATE TELLS HIM THE DG ALER OBTAED THE SEX TAPE CAL SECRETLY MA WHEN HE MTED STATUTORY RAPE WH JUL. ASHTRAY (JAVON “WANNA” WALTON) BRGS CAL TO THE HOE AT GUNPOT, QUTNG HIM AND BEATG HIM OVER THE HEAD WH THE END OF THE SHOTGUN. “THAT SCENE WAS A LTLE TOUGH BEE I DID TAKE MULTIPLE SHOTS TO THE HEAD,” DANE NOT. “IT WAS A PROP GUN, BUT AFTER 50-SOMETHG SHOTS, FEELS LIKE A SHOTGUN.” HE’S GRATEFUL TO THE 15-YEAR-OLD WALTON, WHO REAL LIFE IS A HIGHLY TRAED BOXER CURRENTLY WORKG TOWARD THE 2024 OLYMPICS: “HE WAS REALLY GOOD AT WORKG THAT SHOTGUN SO I DIDN’T END UP WH A NCSN AT THE END OF THE DAY.”IN THE SCENE, DON’T TAKE LONG FOR CAL TO REALIZE THAT FEZ, WHO IS UTTERLY NFED BY THE WHOLE SUATN, DON’T HAVE THE TAPE. SLOWLY, THE SCENE TILTS AWAY OM DRAMA AND UP TOWARD EDY, WH DANE LIKENG TO A BIZARRO EPISO OF THREE’S COMPANY. IT WAS A RARE TREAT FOR HIM TO ACT ALONGSI OTHER ST MEMBERS OF THE SHOW, AS MOST OF HIS SCEN ARE UALLY WH ELORDI. HE’S NOT PLAG, THOUGH: “I LOVE HIM LIKE A LTLE BROTHER,” HE SAID OF THE YOUNG ATRALIAN ACTOR, WHO OCSNALLY ASKS DANE FOR ADVICE AND GEEKS OUT ABOUT THE CRAFT OF ACTG. “Z IS THAT WAY [TOO],” DANE ADDS—REFERRG, OF URSE, TO ZENDAYA, THE SHOW’S LEAD. “EVERYBODY’S SO TALENTED ON THE SHOW, THAT AT TIM I FEEL LIKE I’M PUNCHG ABOVE MY WEIGHT,” DANE SAYS. “THE KIDS ARE SO PREC, YOU KNOW? THEY’RE 20-SOMETHGS. IT’S UNBELIEVABLE.”MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— TV STAR SARAH WYNTER’S BATTLE WH POSTPARTUM PSYCHOSIS— CARíONA BALFE’S CELTIC CONQUT, FROM OUTLANR TO BELFAST— THE BT MOVI AND SHOWS STREAMG ON NETFLIX THIS MONTH— 21 WARDROBE WNERS INSPIRED BY AND JT LIKE THAT…— WHAT VIVIAN VANCE DIDN’T LOVE ABOUT I LOVE LUCY— THE LIFE AND DEATH OF ROSANNE BOYLAND, A CAPOL RTER— INSECURE’S NATASHA ROTHWELL CAN DO IT ALL— FROM THE ARCHIVE: JOAN DIDN, OUR LADY OF L.A.— SIGN UP FOR THE “HWD DAILY” NEWSLETTER FOR MT-READ DTRY AND AWARDS VERAGE—PL A SPECIAL WEEKLY EDN OF “AWARDS INSIR.”YOHANA DTA
**Warng – Spoilers ahead for Euphoria**Everybody n agree that the latt episo of Euphoria was televisn artistry at s ft, wh Lexi’s play fally the spotlight on openg ahead, we explore that fal number challengg Nate Jabs’ sexualy, discs what fans thk about Jab Elordi’s character beg a closeted homosexual, and reveal what you n expect om the Season 2 on an Israeli miseri of the same name and adapted for HBO by Sam Levson, Euphoria stars Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Jab Elordi, Eric Dane, and more, a stellar ensemble piece that explor the psychology and relatnships of high school Euphoria fans nvced they spotted Tom Holland meo Episo 7Euphoria | Season 2 Official Teaser Trailer | HBOEuphoria S2 Ep7 repEuphoria Season 2 Episo 7, tled The Theater and Its Double, fally saw Lexi’s (M Apatow) play e to life – a productn that she has been quietly workg on the background of Season 2’s our characters the dience realized was a play about them, Maddy (Alexa Demie), Kat (Barbie Ferreira), Cassie (Sydney Sweeney), Jul (Schafer), and Rue (Zendaya) enjoyed a few touchg life moments Lexi clud the play – cludg her prr, close iendship wh and Cassie also had a few tearful moments light of their fallg out last week over the latter’s affair wh Nate, but was the closg number directed at Nate’s sexualy that was the real Lewis (At Abrams) end up playg the role of Nate on stage, leadg a dance number to the tune of Bonnie Tyler’s Holdg Out For A Hero, which basilly implied that Nate’s extreme masculy was an attempt to hi his display obvly didn’t go down well wh Nate and fans are still uncid on whether Nate is reprsg his te sexual inty, or if his ner nflict is rooted his feelgs about his om discs if Nate Jabs is gayEuphoria fans poted out that Nate’s sudn ncern for homophobia was a tellg sign of his reprsed sexualy. Cse like… he is not gay, he is/was love wh jul. Emergg om a mixture of homophobia and misogyny, rerc the ia that queer women are a challenge and nqut for men to ‘turn straight’ Schafer as Jul Euphoria Eddy Chen/HBOEuphoria also steps to problematic terrory wh s pictns of Cal and Nate Jabs, who are exampl of what is monly known as the “homophobic homosexual” trope – where a closeted character is so aaid of their queerns that they rerce their masculy through homophobia and bullyg.
Though Nate is not explicly queer, like Cal is, ’s ma clear that he has hered his father’s homophobic and toxic like thisThis was brought to the fore recently season 2, episo 7 the form of Lexi’s school play which, based on her life experienc, dited a large amount of time to showg on-screen Nate (played by Ethan) lip syncg to Bonnie Tyler’s Holdg Out for a Hero while gyratg wh his semi-clad sports team.
‘EUPHORIA’ REVEALS THE TRAGIC BACKSTORY OF ITS BIGGT PSYCHORECAPTHE THIRD EPISO OF THE HBO H’S SEND SEASON FOC ON CAL JABS, THE RINT DAD OM HELL, AND SE RUE MAKE A CISN THAT ULD E BACK TO HNT HER. KYNDALL CUNNGHAMENTERTAMENT REPORTERUPDATED JAN. 23, 2022 10:00PM EST HBOLAST WEEK’S EPISO WAS A REHG DIVERSN OM EUPHORIA’S TYPIL STCTURE, BEGNG THE PRENT AS OPPOSED TO A LD OPEN PICTG SOMEONE’S TERRIBLE UPBRGG. BUT LEVSON IS AS MTED TO THE DUB “TRMA PLOT” AS HE IS TO FILMG MALE CROTCH. AND THERE’S HARDLY A PERSON WH THIS ENSEMBLE OF THOROUGHLY FUCKED-UP CHARACTERS MORE SUED FOR THIS VICE THAN ERIC DANE’S CAL JABS.CAL’S EPLY CLICHED BACKSTORY PRETTY MUCH WR SELF THANKS TO YEARS OF TEEN PROGRAMMG FEATURG “THE CLOSETED JOCK” AND THE WRONGHEAD SOCIETAL NOTN THAT THE WORST MEN ARE SECRETLY GAY. ACRDGLY, WE’RE TRODUCED TO A TEENAGE CAL PETG A HIGH SCHOOL WRTLG MATCH. WE ALSO MEET HIS TEAMMATE AND BT IEND DERRICK, WHOSE ROLE CAL’S SEXUAL AWAKENG BE OBV PRETTY QUICKLY WHEN HE STAR DIRECTLY AT HIS PENIS A LOCKER ROOM. DPE THE ROMANTIC UNRCURRENTS THEIR IENDSHIP, THEY EACH PURSUE RELATNSHIPS WH GIRLS. CAL STARTS DATG A CLASSMATE NAMED MARSHA, WHO TURNS OUT TO BE NATE’S MOM, AND NVC HIMSELF THAT HE ENJOYS HAVG SEX WH HER. AT THIS POT THE SEQUENCE, THE AMOUNT OF BARE BOOBS, BUTTS AND GENALS WE’VE SEEN IS PRETTY JARRG, EVEN BY HBO STANDARDS. IF VIEWERS WERE TAKEN ABACK BY LAST WEEK’S SEX SCEN, THIS EPISO IS SURE TO SPARK MORE DISCSNS ABOUT LEVSON’S TREATMENT OF FEMALE NUDY AND WHAT SEEMS LIKE A TACTIC TO FEND HIMSELF OM CRICISM BY UNDATG WH CLOSPS OF PENIS. BUT BACK TO CAL AND DERRICK. THEIR FEELGS FOR ONE ANOTHER FALLY E TO A HEAD WHEN THEY GO TO A BAR AFTER THEIR GRADUATN, START LIP-SYNCG TO INXS’ “NEVER TEAR US APART” THE MOST STEREOTYPIL FASHN, AND SHARE A KISS. THE NEXT MORNG, CAL RECEIV NEWS OM MARSHA THAT SHE’S PREGNANT A VERY “TIMOTHEE CHALAMET AT THE END OF CALL ME BY YOUR NAME” MOMENT THAT MAK CAL’S NTEMPT FOR NATE A LOT LS PLITED. THIS BACKSTORY IS TECHNILLY SAD BUT NOT NECSARILY SYMPATHY-EVOKG, NSIRG WHAT WE KNOW TAK PLACE THE FUTURE. SPEAKG OF WHICH, WE JUMP FORWARD TO THE PRENT WHERE RUE IS SGG AND DANCG AROUND TO FRANK SATRA'S “CALL ME IRRPONSIBLE,” AS IF THE LIST OF PRE-LENNIUM SONGS THIS KID KNOWS BY HEART ULDN’T GET ANYMORE ABSURD. GIA TCH HER AND ASKS IF SHE’S HIGH, WHICH LEADS RUE TO A FOURTH-WALL PRENTATN ON “HOW TO GET AWAY WH BEG A DG ADDICT.” BASILLY, RUE TRICKS GIA TO THKG THAT SHE’S SUICIDAL AND, THEREFORE, NEEDS TO SMOKE WEED, WHICH SHE AS A “VER DG” FOR THE HARR STUFF. THIS ZANY SEGMENT SERV AS A REMR THAT NO MATTER HOW “ADULT” THIS PROGRAM IS, MUCH OF THE ACTG REQUIRED OF ZENDAYA IS STILL VERY DISNEY CHANNEL.AFTER TERROGATG ELLTT ABOUT HIS SEXUAL PROCLIVI, JUL IS FALLY NVCED THAT HE’S NOT JT TRYG TO SLEEP WH RUE, AND THE THREE OF THEM BEE THEIR OWN LTLE ODDBALL CLIQUE. THEY PLAY TTH OR DARE AND, LATER ON, ELLT GETS JUL TO ADM THAT RUE ISN’T A SEXUAL PERSON. IN A NOT-SO-SHOCKG TURN OF EVENTS, SEEMS LIKE RUE SHOULD BE NCERNED ABOUT ELLT WANTG TO GET WH JUL. IN A MORE WHOLOME PART OF THE EPISO, LEXI GETS A SELF-THORED PLAY GREENL AT SCHOOL, REPLACG THE UAL PRODUCTN OF OKLAHOMA. RUE STAT VIA VOICEOVER THAT LEXI HAS ALWAYS LIVED HER LIFE AS AN “OBSERVER,” PARED TO CASSIE AND HER BOLR PEERS. SO FAR, WE DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHY LEXI SUFFERS OM SUPPORTG CHARACTER SYNDROME—OTHER THAN THAT’S HOW SHE’S BEEN WRTEN—OR HER POT OF VIEW ON WHAT SHE OBSERV, ASI OM BEWILRMENT. BUT SEEMS AN APPROPRIATE TACTIC FOR AN TROVERT TO GA NTROL OF THEIR LIFE BY NARRATIVIZG AND FORCG OTHER PEOPLE TO WATCH. ANYONE WH A SOCIAL MEDIA ACUNT N SORT OF RELATE.LIKEWISE, LEXI HAS ALWAYS “IMAGED HER LIFE AS A MOVIE,” SO, OF URSE, WE TRANSN TO A SEGMENT OF HER LERALLY PRODUCG A FILM OF HER OWN LIFE, MAKG CASSIE PUT ON HIO STUM AND GIVG A BEHD-THE-SCEN TOUR. SHE TELLS OM A DIRECTOR’S CHAIR THAT “SIKICKS ARE UALLY THE SMARTER, MORE SENSIVE, MORE PELLG CHARACTERS, BUT FOR SOME REASON, THEY JT GET OVERLOOKED.” SUCH AN OVERT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MAK ME WONR WHETHER LEVSON WILL ACTUALLY EXPLORE WHY THIS NOTN IS TE WH LEXI’S CHARACTER OR JT PAYG LIP SERVICE. “BUT SEEMS AN APPROPRIATE TACTIC FOR AN TROVERT TO GA NTROL OF THEIR LIFE BY NARRATIVIZG AND FORCG OTHER PEOPLE TO WATCH. ANYONE WH A SOCIAL MEDIA ACUNT N SORT OF RELATE.” MEANWHILE, WE FD CASSIE WHAT WE N ONLY HOPE IS THE HEIGHT OF HER NROSIS. HER OBSSN WH NATE HAS NOW MANIFTED A THREE-HOUR-LONG BETY ROUTE BEFORE SCHOOL AND FASHN NOVA ENSEMBL TO PROVE HER VOTN TO HIM. ONE OF THE MOST AMG ASPECTS OF THIS SHOW IS S PRENTATN OF GEN Z FASHN AND MAKP TRENDS THAT SEEMS BORRLE PARODIC. LIKEWISE, ’S HILAR TO WATCH CASSIE TRANSFORM HERSELF TO THE CURRENT HYPER-FEME IAL TO THE POT WHERE SHE, A BLON, WHE WOMAN, IS LAYG HER NON-EXISTENT BABY HAIRS AND UNKNOWGLY LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE MADDY.CASSIE’S BT MOMENT THIS EPISO, HOWEVER, IS WHEN SHE SHOWS UP TO SCHOOL WH BOUFFANT HAIR AND A PUFFED-SLEEVED PLAID TOP THAT MAK THE OTHER GIRLS THK SHE’S DNG FOR OKLAHOMA. LIKEWISE, CASSIE, EPLY SULTED, LNCH TO HER MUCH-ANTICIPATED “AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER!” MONOLOGUE, REVEALG HER AFFAIR WH NATE TO MADDY. BUT THANKFULLY, THIS RANT IS ONLY IMAGED.THE CRIME-RELATED PORTNS OF THIS EPISO PROVE THAT THE SHOW REALLY THRIV WHEN FOCED ON RELATNSHIPS AND LOWER-STAK DRAMA. I WOULD’VE MUCH RATHER WATCHED FEZ AND LEXI GO ON AN AWKWARD ICE CREAM DATE. INSTEAD, WE WATCH FEZ AND ASHTRAY TERROGATE CAL AFTER TCHG HIM LURKG OUTSI OF THEIR HOE. CAL ACCINTALLY MENTNS RERDG HIMSELF HAVG SEX WH JUL, ASSUMG FEZ KNEW ABOUT . REALIZG HE’S DUG HIMSELF TO AN EVEN BIGGER HOLE, HE PROMIS TO LEAVE THEM ALONE. BUT I DOUBT THIS WILL BE THE LAST WE SEE OF CAL’S SERIAL KILLER-LIKE TENNCI. SYDNEY SWEENEY EUPHORIA HBO FALLY, RUE CIS TO GET TO DG ALG SO SHE N “DO DGS FOR EE.” SHE UP WH A PLAN THAT VOLV BLACKMAILG STUNT SELLERS WH DATA OM THEIR PHON SO THEY WON’T SNCH. IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT EVEN THE DUMBT TEENAGERS WOULD SIGN UP FOR THIS AS OPPOSED TO WORKG AT THE MALL, BUT THE STOIC DG LORD OM THE SEASON PREMIERE, LRA, THKS ’S BRILLIANT AND GIV HER $10K WORTH OF DGS TO SELL. IT’S UNCLEAR WHETHER RUE WILL FOLLOW THROUGH WH THIS PLAN, BUT IF SHE DON’T LRA TELLS HER SHE’LL BE “KIDNAPPED AND SOLD TO SOME REALLY SICK PEOPLE.”RUE BOLDLY GO STRAIGHT OM LRA’S HOE TO AN AA MEETG, DGS TOW. ALI QUTNS HER AFTERWARDS WH HIS UAL WISECRACKG, BUT RUE ISN’T AMED. SHE GETS HIM UPSET BY CURSG AT HIM AND WALKS OFF WH HER SUSE.“RUMATNS: BIG AND LTLE BULLYS” NCLUS WH CASSIE GETTG STOOD UP BY NATE, WHO SHOWS UP TO MADDY’S WORK WH FLOWERS STEAD. SO FAR, SEEMS LIKE LEVSON DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WH KAT, WHOSE STORYLE THIS EPISO NSISTS OF GOG TO DNER WH ETHAN’S FAY AND STUTTERG OVER A QUTN A BRIEF SCENE. HOWEVER, ISN’T SHOCKG THAT THE WRER OF THIS SHOW IS DISTERTED THE ONLY CHARACTER WH A HEALTHY RELATNSHIP. KYNDALL CUNNGHAM
While was bizarre, there’s no doubt that was signed to mock Nate, who Lexi has reason to believe is gay after Maddy revealed she’d found gay porn on his phone a prev episo.
Euphoria isn’t the first teen drama to e the "homophobic homosexual" trope.
From Sex Edutn’s Adam Groff and Glee’s Dave Karofsky, to The Perks of Beg a Wallflower’s Patrick and Brad, TV show creators often wre their villas as closeted gay characters: 's an easy shock reveal, and also adds plexy to the the trope is problematic: picts queerns as somethg negative that, when exposed, fally giv the villas their ppance. "That was so homophobic, " he then says to Cassie and, for once, he was Dane as Cal Jabs Euphoria Eddy Chen/HBOThe other problem is that, by shiftg the blame onto the queer muny, don’t addrs the ntributors – prejudic, ignorance and jt pla celty – that make homophobia the issue is today. Would not have been more tertg if Euphoria had chosen to explore the reasons behd straight male toxic masculy through Nate and Cal rather than makg about beg (or worryg about beg) gay?