Euphoria’s midseason episode explores grief over what could’ve been

In “You Cannot See, Think Of Those Who Can,” Euphoria once again kicks things off by focusing on Rue and Jules’ relationship. Rue fakes an orgasm after oral sex with Jules because she is too high to feel anything. It’s not only an embarrassing moment but shows how drugs continue to interfere with every aspect of Rue’s life; she cannot immerse herself in a sexual experience. This is particularly concerning as Rue has put Jules on a pedestal, often placing her drive to be sober in the hands of Jules, and disparaging Jules if she deviates in any way. Rue previously lashed out at Jules in the Christmas special, when she told Ali how she felt wronged by Jules. Rue accused Jules of cheating on her, although they were not officially a couple, and has made her out to be someone who is inconsiderate and unreliable. This behavior suggests Rue’s replaced her substance addiction with a Jules obsession.

Jules discusses the awkward sexual encounter with Elliot, who asks her to demonstrate what took place. They go back and forth, trying to understand how the results occurred. Jules and Elliot begin to make out and do so until Rue texts Elliot that she is outside. They immediately stop, and Jules stares at the ceiling in bewilderment. While I enjoy the chemistry between the actors, Elliot’s actions are questionable. In last week’s “interrogation” scene, Elliot said Jules is a “nut” for being a trans girl wearing a binder. Here, he actively pursues Jules as they discuss her relationship with Rue. At first, Elliot appeared to be the exact opposite of Nate: Nate is here to wreak havoc, but Elliot is positioned as a relaxed and chill male friend. In reality, Elliot is subtly helping in the destruction of Rue and Jules’ relationship.

Next, a montage jumps between Cassie celebrating Maddy’s birthday, and Nate and Maddy seemingly reconnecting. Cassie plasters on a fake smile to hide her secret melancholy and uneasiness relationship with Nate. Maddy, Kat, and BB seem unable to notice. The sequence helps the audience understand that while everyone may love each other, they’re not always emotionally in tune with one another and able to detect issues. Cassie is clearly in agonizing pain and no one acknowledges it.

Cassie and Maddy’s relationships with Nate are juxtaposed. Cassie and Nate fight about her role in the rift between Nate and Maddy, while Maddy and Nate discuss their love for each other before holding one another. While both relationships have been shown to be volatile, there is an odd connection between Maddy and Nate. Cassie and Nate’s relationship is built upon their frustration with Maddy. The dysfunction in Cassie and Nate’s relationship is a product of two people going through separate episodes of mental health issues, and they both contribute to it. The dysfunction in Maddy and Nate’s relationship is solely caused by Nate, and Maddy is reacting to his actions.

Kat is slacking by herself at Maddy’s birthday while everyone else drinks and parties. Maddy pulls her into another room to have a heart-to-heart about what is bothering her. I was glad to get a scene between just Maddy and Kat, so we could see how their relationship had evolved after their falling-out in season one. But the continuation of the Kat and Ethan storyline being the reason for Kat’s sadness and this conversation was anti-climatic. The Kat and Ethan storyline has been drawn out for too long. This is something that could’ve been resolved by the second episode and used as a way for Kat’s relationship with online toxic positivity to develop. I would have loved to have seen Maddy give Kat advice about how she reconciles that with her approach to the world.

Rue, Jules, and Elliot decide to steal beer from a local convenience store, which Rue begins to drink at an alarming rate. Elliot asks her to stop. Jules takes this a step further by questioning why she is drinking. Rue asks to be taken home. It seems obvious that Jules is no longer Rue’s obsession or primary motivation for sobriety. Now that she’s no longer held in such high regard by Rue, Jules isn’t immune to the harsh aspects of Rue’s addiction. This night gives Jules a clearer insight into the future.

Nate arrives at Maddy’s birthday party and gives her jewelry from Tiffany’s. Cassie is clearly not pleased with the attention Nate is showering on Maddy. Cassie and Nate make eye contact as she is covered in vomit and crying. This mirrors the moment in the previous episode, when they passed each other in the hallways at school—Nate only acknowledges Cassie when she is dressed like Maddy. The scene underscores the truth about this love triangle. Nate will always put Maddy above Cassie. Nate will always only acknowledge Cassie at her lowest points because he enjoys manipulation and having the upper hand in their dynamic. Most of all, Nate does not enjoy a relationship where he can be on the receiving end of unpredictable behavior; he must be the one inflicting it at all cost.

Rue sits alone in her room before making her way into a church sanctuary. She walks down the aisle and into the arms of Labrinth, Euphoria’s music composer, who’s taken on the role of a pastor. She imagines she’s being held by her late father, and apologizes for who she has become. Meanwhile, Cal pulls his old car out from his garage and takes a joyride to the same club that he and Derek first kissed and danced together as teenagers. After returning home, he drunkenly urinates on the floor before awakening his sons and wife. He tells them about his sexual history with men, blames them for stunting his emotional maturity and abandons them.

Cal’s outbursts and Rue’s fantasized apology both echo the theme of grief. The two characters—really, all of the characters—are deeply yearning for a life that is out of reach, either because circumstances that are out of their control or consequences of their own actions. Euphoria has looked at grief previously through the eyes of its characters, primarily with the loss of Rue’s father. But the plot usually propels its characters into some other questionable actions: Nate runs from his sexuality, Kat becoming a cam girl, or Cassie’s love life. Here, Rue and Cal are given the time to express regret over who they have become. Cal’s monologue in particular consists of very few cutaways. We are forced to sit with the discomfort—flies on the wall of his home, as the years of suppression come pouring out.

Rue’s grief takes shape in one of Sam Levinson’s standard fantasy sequences, but still gets to the heart of her issues: the gaping hole that the loss of a parent creates in someone’s future. Both instances show that grief left to fester can be catastrophic for those grieving and everyone they love.

As we make our way through the halfway point of the season, Euphoria asks us to observe grief and complicated romantic relationships in their many forms. The show is at its best when it allows for real character work, and the heavy-handed teenage existentialism and fantastical visuals are used sparingly. The relationship drama remains one-dimensional, but at least the chaos has an orderly through-line this week.