Euphoria made a splash back in 2019 when it debuted on HBO, and HBO wasted no time in renewing the series for a second season. Unfortunately, all signs seemingly pointed toward 2020 ending without any new Euphoria content. Now, just under a month after the Emmys upset that saw leading lady Zendaya take home a trophy, HBO announced that Euphoria is coming back way sooner than expected. In fact, new Euphoria is on the way before the end of the year. No need to wait until 2021!
Two special episodes of Euphoria are on the way to HBO between the end of Season 1 and beginning of Season 2, and the first will premiere on Sunday, December 6. It will follow Rue as she celebrates Christmas. Series creator Sam Levinson wrote and directed the episode, which is called "Trouble Don't Last Always." Fear the Walking Dead's Colman Domingo, who appeared in Season 1 as a man recovering from a substance abuse disorder, will appear alongside Zendaya in the episode.
"Trouble Don't Last Always" was produced under COVID-19 guidelines, as was the second episode. The second has yet to receive a premiere date. Deadline reported back in September that Euphoria was looking to begin filming the second season early in 2021, and HBO president Casey Bloys confirmed at the time that there would be a "special COVID episode."
It's not clear at this point if the first of the two special episodes will actually join Euphoria to the ranks of the many TV shows that will address the COVID-19 pandemic, or if Casey Bloys' mention of a "special COVID episode" simply refers to production under COVID protocols. Rue had plenty of problems on her plate as she relapsed at the end of Euphoria Season 1 without a pandemic, and the pandemic may mean that fans won't see any big dance numbers with Rue in a crowd like in the Season 1 finale any time soon.
HBO renewed Euphoria for Season 2 after only four episodes of Season 1 had aired, but the order for more episodes didn't come as a huge surprise. Euphoria ranked as HBO's youngest-skewing drama on the network's digital platforms by the halfway point of the first season, and the audience grew on a weekly basis on digital platforms. At the time, HBO Programming Executive Vice President Francesca Orsi shared that they "look forward to following these complex characters as their journeys continue through the challenging world they inhabit."
The confirmation of not one but two special episodes on the way comes following Euphoria picking up three Emmy wins, including Zendaya's upset to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama. The show also came out on top in Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) and Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics. Zendaya, who previously explained how she picks projects like Euphoria, celebrated Euphoria returning ahead of Season 2:
If you missed Euphoria's original run back when it aired in the summer of 2019, you can find the full eight-episode first season streaming on HBO Max now. As for the special episodes, the first will debut on Sunday, December 6 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO. It will be available to stream on HBO Max as well.
For some viewing options during the wait for Euphoria on December 6, check out our 2020 fall TV premiere schedule! If streaming is more your style, find more TV and movie now and in the not-too-distant future on our 2020 Netflix guide.
