Everything Euphoria gets wrong about relationships

Cast your mind back to Euphoria season one and you'll probably remember that the cute, carefree romance between Rue and Jules was one of the reasons we all fell in love with the show in the first place. And while the relationship begins to fall apart at the end of season one, when Rue leaves Jules at a train station, it really goes past the point of no return in season two. Thanks to some meddling on the part of new boy Elliot (more on that later) and the escalating strain of Rue's addiction, it looks like we're going to have to say goodbye to this adorable duo for good. Still can't get over it? Check out our round-up of the best LGBTQIA+ on-screen PDA for more pop culture queer couple goals.

Euphoria's love triangle between Cassie, Nate and Maddy reached new, screaming-into-our-pillows levels of tension when Maddy and Nate seem to be on the cusp of getting back together in episode four. While so many of us have backslid (or gotten back) with an ex and it's not something to be ashamed of, in this case viewers at home couldn't help but feel devastated on Maddy's behalf. Not only has her BFF been sleeping with Nate behind her back but, as we saw from season one, the relationship was deeply toxic and not a space where she was valued or respected.

Elliot and Jules are probably one of this season of Euphoria's most controversial couples. While the plotline has given us the adorable IRL pairing of Hunter Schafer and Dominic Fike, it ultimately spells the end of Rules. Facilitating Rue's drug use until he realises just how dangerous it is becoming, Elliot spends the season cosying up to Jules and getting high with Rue in secret. On TikTok, fans were instantly divided about this love triangle and even Schafer admits she had her doubts, expressing her thoughts on first reading the script in an interview with The Cut; "Wait, why are we throwing, like, a dude into the middle of this?"

Do! Not! Come! For! Us! Look, I know we said earlier that we were shipping Fexi but to be honest this plotline has some, well, issues. For Lexi, we can't help but wonder whether the appeal of pursuing a relationship with Fez has less to do with genuine attraction and more to do with his "bad boy" status as the small town's resident drug dealer. As her character goes to great lengths to explain (even putting on the most OTT school play we have ever seen), she feels overlooked in her day-to-day life and is clearly craving drama...and that's exactly what she thinks she can gain from becoming entangled with Fez.

And, lastly on this list, the Cassie and Nate thing. The catalyst for a huge portion of this season's drama, this is a pretty textbook example of an unhealthy relationship. On Cassie's part, her dangerous romantic obsession seems to come from a place of deep insecurity – partially stemming from the ways boys have used and discarded her throughout her life. On the flipside, viewers at home can see that Nate barely registers Cassie's humanity. Clearly, this isn't going to end well for anyone...