Film & TV5 min(s) read
Published 13:08 20 Apr 2026 GMT
The third of season of Euphoria has only aired its first two episodes, but fans have been left critical of a certain storyline involving Sydney Sweeney.
Sweeney, who plays Cassie in the popular HBO show, is joined by the likes of Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, Alexa Demie and other returning names for the show's long awaited follow-up to season two, which aired in 2022.
The focus has seemingly shifted away from high school, and moved towards more adult subject-matter, which seems hard to believe if you've seen the earlier seasons of the angsty teen drama.
Cassie's life shows viewers that she has ended up with Nate (Elordi), but in an attempt to raise more money for their upcoming wedding, she turns to OnlyFans, under the management of former best friend Maddy (Demie).
The showrunners have already faced criticism from viewers after Cassie was shown in a sexualized baby outfit in a teaser video ahead of the second episode of the series, titled "America My Dream."
The episode shows that Cassie is willing to do anything to gain a following on OnlyFans, though it was revealed that the scenes could have been limited by federal law.
That is, if it wasn't for a loophole.
In Sunday's (April 19) episode, Cassie can be seen topless while eating an ice cream as it drips down her bare chest, while she is later seen nude apart from a cap, shin pads and shoes, with her private areas covered by her hands.
It makes for pretty explicit viewing, with it even classified under the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) definition of 'obscene, indecent and profane content'.
The FCC says that obscene content appeals "to an average person's prurient interest," also describing or depicting "sexual conduct in a 'patently offensive' way."
This is then "taken as a whole, lack serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value".
However, indecent content is described as that which portrays "sexual or excretory organs or activities in a way that is patently offensive, but does not meet the three-prong test for obscenity."
The broadcasting of obscene content is prohibited at all times in the day, but indecent and profane content are only banned for broadcast TV and radio between 6AM and 10PM.
But this still begs the question - how was HBO able to air Cassie's steamy scenes at 9PM ET yesterday?
Well, HBO is a cable channel, so they were able to get away with the move, as the FCC revealed: "The same rules for indecency and profanity do not apply to cable, satellite TV and satellite radio because they are subscription services."
Despite these scenes remaining legal-to-air, viewers were caught off-guard by how much the creators chose to show of the character's OnlyFans venture.
Many fans said the show had gone "too far", as one wrote on social media: "Honestly, Euphoria has always pushed boundaries, but it does feel like this season is going a bit too far for shock value.
"I get that it’s trying to portray dark and uncomfortable themes, but there’s a fine line between storytelling and unnecessary degradation."
Another wrote: "I’m glad everyone in Euphoria also thinks Cassie dressing as an adult baby is f**king weird."
Others described the scenes as "pathetic" and "disgusting."
Speaking about performing nude scenes in past projects, she told W Magazine: "I don’t get nervous. I think that the female body is a very powerful thing. And I’m telling my character’s story, so I owe it to them to tell it well and to do what needs to be done."
Euphoria creator Sam Levinson specifically defended the scenes from season three, telling The Hollywood Reporter: "[Cassie] has got her dog house and her little dog ears and the nose, and that has its own humor, but what makes the scene is the fact that her housekeeper is the one filming it.
"What we wanted to always find is the other layer of absurdity that we’re able to tie into it so that we’re not too inside of her fantasy or illusion — the gag is to jump out, to break the wall."
He did reveal that the scenes are supposed to be "gnarly and jarring" for the audience, adding: "We wanted to capture what she’s trying to show the audience and be inside of it, but then also pull back wider and see how depressing it is."
