Sam Levinson\u2019s decision to saturate his teen drama with enough characters to power a small colony is simultaneously understandable (drama! drama! drama!) and a mistake \u2013 and no where is the latter more apparent than with Kat, or lack thereof, we should say.<\/p>\n

2022 Warner Media, LLC.<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
Inversely, there was criticism from some viewers who felt that Kat\u2019s arc was a damning indictment of how bigger women cannot do as those in smaller, more societally accepted bodies do and<\/em> be desired for it.<\/p>\n
The lingering looks from men only really<\/em> arrived when she began wearing chokers and leather \u2013 a signifier of her new-found DTF attitude. The greatest expression of that \u2013 filming herself for punters on the internet \u2013\u00a0 took place in her bedroom, behind a mask, with the curtains pulled tight. The implication read into that from some was that the men who flocked to view her content only lusted after her in secret. In order to have her hot girl summer, Kat had to shift how she presented herself, which ties into long-standing problems with the hyper-sexualisation of fat women.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a valid argument but\u00a0as with so many discussions of a similar ilk, both courts hold weight and could sway you in their direction on any given day.<\/p>\n
$\""Euphoria,\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> 2022 Warner Media, LLC.<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
In Euphoria\u2019s second season, all of that was absent, with Levinson refusing to engage further with that strand of Kat\u2019s story \u2013 or with Kat at all, for that matter.<\/p>\n
There were hints of interesting storylines to come for her in the earlier episodes, but they ultimately amounted to little more than a brief nod. Contrary to that arresting image of Kat gyrating on-camera as she gleefully indulged her sensuality in the drama\u2019s first outing, we observed her in a heated debate with her current internal self-loathing, which manifested as a raft of beautiful, assertive women demanding that she love herself, which is easier said than done. Kat, while aware that she\u2019s entitled to feel that way, was unable to in that moment \u2013 a nanosecond of relatability in a season which far exceeded the heightened tendencies of the show\u2019s first chapter.<\/p>\n
Then there was the breakdown of Kat\u2019s romance with Ethan who, despite being emotionally attuned, affectionate, a good sport (#ethan4dragrace) and mature \u2013 unlike virtually all of his peers \u2013 he failed to stoke Kat\u2019s fire. Her acknowledgment that her boyfriend was a catch but that just wasn\u2019t enough for her sent Kat into a guilt spiral so extreme that she fabricated a terminal brain tumour to escape their relationship, rather than vocalise her truth.<\/p>\n
Kat was both bewildered by her lack of attraction, but also riddled with guilt and shame, which is an all too familiar emotion for women who choose themselves, and not a man or babies or any one of the endless reel of expectations that are attached to living in this world as a woman. That is the price you pay. Kat should<\/em> be happy, grateful even, to have and to hold Ethan and yet, she can\u2019t help but fantasise about Viking flipping her over and pummelling her like a jackhammer \u2013 a momentary gulp of pleasure before she is once again tormented by the belief that she has sinned.<\/p>\n
$\""Euphoria,\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> 2022 Warner Media, LLC.<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
That is a far richer storyline than so much of what we were served in season 2, such as Cassie\u2019s descent into madness, which dominated the narrative. The eldest Howard sibling, who came to resemble Game of Thrones\u2019 Daenerys during her razing of King\u2019s Landing when Cassie hijacked her sister\u2019s play, while compulsive didn\u2019t really<\/em> have anything of important to say, and quickly grew both tiresome and absurd. Levinson danced around the limits of defensible with Sydney Sweeney\u2019s character in season 1, but was all too happy to stride past that line in the most recent season.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Kat was right there, but ultimately ignored.<\/p>\n
There have been rumblings of tensions between Levinson and Ferreira<\/a>, although neither creator or actor, nor HBO, have publicly addressed those reports. It\u2019s impossible to say if those allegations are to blame for the lack of Kat, but what we can say with confidence is season 2 suffered as a result, and we\u2019ll be hoping for better in season 3.<\/p>\n
Euphoria is available to stream now on Sky and NOW. Find out what else is on with our TV Guide<\/span><\/a>, or visit our\u00a0<\/span>Drama<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>Hub for all the latest news.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n
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The latest issue of Radio Times is on sale now \u2013\u00a0subscribe now<\/a>\u00a0to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, l<\/strong>isten to the\u00a0Radio Times podcast<\/a>\u00a0with Jane Garvey.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/body><\/html>\n
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By Abby Robinson Published: Wednesday, 02 March 2022 at 12:00 am Sam Levinson\u2019s decision to saturate his teen drama with enough characters to power a small colony is simultaneously understandable (drama! drama! drama!) and a mistake \u2013 and no where is the latter more apparent than with Kat, or lack thereof, we should say. Barbie […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":0,"template":"","categories":[5],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Abby Robinson Published: Wednesday, 02 March 2022 at 12:00 am Sam Levinson\u2019s decision to saturate his teen drama with enough characters to power a small colony is simultaneously understandable (drama! drama! drama!) and a mistake \u2013 and no where is the latter more apparent than with Kat, or lack thereof, we should say. Barbie…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/11678"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}