RIP ‘Euphoria’: Creator Sam Levinson Explains Why This Is The End

Popcast

The New York Times

Music, Music Commentary, Music Interviews

3.4 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 1 June 2026

⏱️ 77 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Sam Levinson, the writer, director and creator of “Euphoria,” sat down with Joe and Jon to explain why he felt it was time to end HBO’s juggernaut series. With its third season in seven years, “Euphoria” concluded a thrilling, provocative and tumultuous run with a cast of the defining young actors of the 2020s: Zendaya, who won two Emmys for her portrayal of Rue, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer and more. In this wide-ranging conversation, Levinson, himself a former addict, described staying true to his vision, his approach to shooting sensitive subject matter and the limits of empathy.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Is there a chance for more euphoria moving forward?
0:03.3	In terms of the story that we set out to tell, which is a story about addiction and its consequences, this feels like the end to me.
0:15.8	So that's it.
0:25.2	Welcome to The New York Times Popcast.
0:27.5	You are America, my dream.
0:30.8	Of weekly culture chat, I'm John Caramonica, and I'm the critic.
0:32.1	I'm Joe Koskarelli.
0:33.1	I am the reporter.
0:35.5	I'm Sam Levinson, and I'm on Popcast.
0:36.6	Ooh, boy.
0:37.3	Nailed it.
0:38.0	Heavy.
0:39.4	Not everyone can nail it.
0:43.0	Any professional actors and musicians have failed.
0:45.1	It failed at this very part.
0:47.1	I had one job to do it. We're off and running.
0:48.5	Sam Levinson is the creator, writer, director, and producer of Euphoria, which just ended its third season on HBO.
0:57.1	We're going to talk about it.
0:58.7	Euphoria started airing in 2019 as a hyper-styled high school drama starring Zendaya as
1:06.1	Rue Bennett, a drug-addicted student, alongside one of the most stacked ensembles of young actors
1:14.2	ever assembled on TV. In the course of its run, Euphoria helped make stars out of
1:19.4	Sidney Sweeney, who plays Cassie, Jacob Allorty, who plays Nate. There's Hunter Schaefer
	...

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