‘Euphoria’ Season 2 Episode 7 Recap: High School Musical

As Roy Scheider once said, “Showtime, folks!” It’s no Bob Fosse production — in fact, far from it — but Lexi’s (Maude Apatow) play took the stage tonight in Euphoria, and it was…a doozy. Lexi’s play, called “Our Life” and not “Oklahoma,” does not actually seem like a real, developed play. But the episode highlights what Euphoria is doing well right now: making us fall for every side character. While the show has zeroed-in on characters like Nate (Jacob Elordi) and Cal Jacobs (Eric Dane), we’ve begun to care more about the Ethans (Austin Abrams), Lexis, and Fezcos (Angus Cloud) of the show. We finally got to catch up with the little guys this episode. But why did it take so long to get here?

Maude Apatow’s performance is killer this episode, even though it’s a shame we didn’t get another “This Is Life” sequence like the one from Episode 3. Nor did we get a cold open with Lexi as some might’ve hoped for, but to play devil’s advocate, we already know most of her background thanks to Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) Season 1 open. Plus, most of the Howard family trauma has been unearthed over the course of the two seasons, and we get even more with the play. But a tiny Lexi would’ve been cute. Still, Apatow breaks a leg over and over again in this episode, running her high school theater production like she would lead a battalion into battle. “She’s a genius,” Bobbi says. Maybe?

But maybe not, because honestly, it’s so difficult to tell what the audience is actually watching in this episode. “Our Life” is about as understandable as “Twinkle Towne,” the musical Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens are auditioning for in High School Musical. Because we know Lexi and we know what’s been going in Euphoria, we can comprehend her vague voiceovers and avant-garde storyline, but that audience has to be snoring. Anyone without a preexisting knowledge of Lexi Howard is forced to scratch their head in the audience, thinking, “Why should I care about this high school girl?” And yet, there they are, guffawing in the audience, seemingly entertained.

Don’t get me wrong: some of the reactions are hilarious. Specifically, Suze Howard’s (Alanna Ubach) cackles and yelps of joy from the audience mirrored the exact noises I made when watching her hilarious reactions. (Can we please get a cold open on Suze Howard? I will do whatever it takes to get one on her.) But the rest of the audience kind of weirded me out. Watching Rue (Zendaya) in the crowd felt kind of weird. The last two episodes have been so focused on her withdrawal that seeing her in a crowd of people, alone (Where’s Gia?) and completely unfazed, was quite the sharp turn. And even though the play ultimately makes her laugh, there’s no reason for a disgruntled Maddy (Alexa Demie) to be in attendance, neither Kat (Barbie Ferreira), who just broke up with the show’s lead. Further, Nate would be the type of boyfriend to make Cassie go alone. Above all, why is Elliot (Dominic Fike) there? I digress.

Maybe it’s a good thing Kat came to see the show, because she now sees everything she’s missing by dumping that boy-toy of hers. Back when Ethan told Kat he “got the part,” which part, specifically, was unclear. I had my mind set on him playing Nate, but this was so much better. Playing both Nate and Cassie’s dad and Suze? The Oedpius complex is shaking. That “Holding Out for a Hero” scene should be taught in every cinema course across the globe.

In terms of the other wife guys of Episode 7, let’s talk about Fezco. Sweet, sweet Fez, with his nicely-steamed shirt and roses for Lexi. Realistically, their romance makes no sense — Ethan and Lexi is more in line with what a real high school would look like — but I won’t pretend I’m not charmed. Between Laurie and the Mouse hunters, though, Fez has a big storm coming. That is, if Laurie even returns at all. There’s a chance Episode 5 was the last of Laurie, which would upset me. Right now, Euphoria seems more focused on Rue’s recovery than it is on her massive drug debt. The scene between her and her mother (Nika King) is gutting, though, a necessary update after the big blow-up.

Still, apparently, the biggest part of Euphoria continues to be between Nate and Cassie. Even though everyone knows, the pair can’t shake lingering bad blood from past arguments. We end on Cassie, freshly broken up with, blowing literal steam onto the window into the theater. Arguments about mistreatment of Kat and Jules have been made, as both characters’ screen time dwindles and they’re constantly blamed for mistreating their partners. I’d argue the same for Cassie. She’s been removed from her friend group, from her family, and now, her entire storyline hinges on Nate. She has been portrayed as vicious to her girlfriends, nearly psychotic to her boyfriend, pervertedly submissive in sex, and void of all personality. This isn’t a realistic, harrowing look at a teenage girl. Euphoria‘s portrayal of Cassie has become sadistic.

Before the finale airs, though, a quick run-down of everything left open ended: Cassie and Nate have just broken up, leaving Cassie enraged at her sister and Nate with those weird nightmares about his dad, Cal, who is on the loose somewhere. Jules burned the disc of their sex video, but there’s chance Maddy saved it to her drive. Maddy has seemingly thrown the towel in on her friendship with Cassie and her relationship with Nate, but something’s brewing with her boss, Samantha, who records her in the closet as she tries on clothes. Kat is spiraling out of control, having just broken up with Ethan, the star of Lexi’s play. Lexi is waiting on Fez to arrive at her play, though he’s tied up with folks who suspect he might’ve killed Mouse — who was actually killed by Ash. Then, there’s Rue, who has cut things off with both Jules and Elliot, and owes a whopping $10,000 to Laurie. Oh, and her mom is flirting with Ali.

Is that all? Hopefully.

Hot Gossip From East Highland High

Some stray strands of tittle-tattle we’re expecting to hear more about in the episodes to come.

• Nate’s Continually Odd Dreams: Nate has been having a lot of weird dreams about his dad, including ones where he assaults Cassie and one where he assaults Nate himself. Is that what drove Nate insane? Did his father molest him at a young age? Nate needs a lot of therapy.
• Cassie’s New Look: “She certainly looks the part.” Brilliant.
• A Gift From Samantha: Revealed last episode, Samantha’s been spying on Maddy in her closet via an alarm clock camera. But it seems like Samantha doesn’t care all that much, because she gifts her that amazing sparkly purple dress as a parting gift.
• Jules Destroys the Disk: Jules burned and smashed the disk with her sex video ft. Cal, but is there another copy out there? Something tells me that this story will return.

Where to watch Euphoria