Last Night on Euphoria: Cal Jacobs focuses on the third episode of Euphoria, with an over 15-minute opening montage depicting his turbulent senior year in high school.
Following episode 2, in which Cal uncovered Nate’s knowledge of his sex tape with Jules—and that the tape may not be in Nate’s possession—Cal is the weekly focus.
Cal takes up the sex tape grail quest in Episode 3, which validates this last aspect. (By the way, Maddy has the recording, but Cal isn’t aware of this.)
What happened Last Night on Euphoria?
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In addition, Episode 3 (finally!) brings us more Lexi, whose school play will add even another layer of metafiction to an already mysterious universe of narrators and dreams.
Meanwhile, as the siren voice of drugs draws Rue to its ecstatic beaches, Jules and Rue begin to drift apart. Rue now has a suitcase, despite her relapse being disguised from her friends and family. And there’s enough drama in that luggage to last the rest of the season.
Before we go into the episode, a brief word regarding drug use this season (which, like sex, is not reflective of the generational cohort depicted in the show)—namely, it appears to be growing cooler?
It’s essential to keep in mind that the series follows us through abuse cycles. So far this season, we’ve been on a high with Rue—a high that hasn’t had any obvious consequences.
However, there will be repercussions. The episode’s ending image contradicts rue’s introductory dance montage. While Rue’s use temporarily alleviates her depression,
it also isolates her, leaving her alone in the dark at the end of the episode. Her sister, Jules, and Ali, who constitute her support system, have all been pushed away.
The series is ultimately a warning tale, as brilliant, technicolor, and musically-hyped as the drug-accompanying cinematography can be—and there is an argument that these characteristics tend to promote drug usage—
Rue’s downward arc began in Episode 3, and it will continue in Episode 4.
Summer in Cal’s INXS
Cal Jacobs, a high school student, is the protagonist of the first episode. Cal spent every day with his best friend, Derick, according to Rue, who narrates the extended segment. They listen to INXS while driving around, go to wrestling practice together, meet girls, date girls, and finally graduate. Throughout, the two experience intimate, stressful moments, culminating in a gay bar kiss on a rainy summer night before college.
Then, unexpectedly, a phone call shatters the summer of love. Cal finds that his girlfriend is expecting a child, most likely Nate. He sobs.
Rue Is Extremely High, Like… Extremely High
Rue dances about her house to the tune of a song that has been playing in her brain. Her sister notices her and inquires whether she is high.
Rue then takes a long break from the fourth wall to explain to the audience that she is indeed high, but she has a cover. She’s decided to plant the concept of her smoking pot in the minds of her friends and family because she realises there’s no way to conceal her drug use completely.
Rue’s ruse is bought by both Jules and her sister, who blame her erratic emotions on her marijuana use.
Jules forgives Rue for concealing her relationship with Elliot now that she knows this. On the other hand, Jules feels Elliot only wants to sleep with Rue and interrogates him to find out. Both accuse each other of sexual promiscuity, but they appear to get along.
Elliot doesn’t strictly identify his sexuality, and Jules discovers relationships with both genders. They appear to become buddies and start hanging out together.
Sexuality comes up frequently in their discussions. Jules and Elliot debate sex drive while Rue is away. Rue and Jules are not sexually active, as Elliot discovers.
He informs Jules that he first suspected Rue was asexual and inquired about Rue’s sex drive, given that Jules had previously confessed she is a more sexual person than Rue.
Elliot then admits that he likes Jules and goes on to validate her. (It’s implied that Rue hasn’t told Jules about these things.) The camera lingers, as though the two are sharing a private moment. In future episodes, we’ll see how this plays out.
Lexi! Welcome to Oklahoma!
Since Fez and Cal’s unpleasant convenience shop incident, Lexi worked on a play. Lexi discovered that her lack of intervention stemmed from her preference for bystanders.
She starts writing on her views, notably her sister Cassie’s relationship with her and their troubled family. The school will put on the play, including a faux behind-the-scenes sequence in which Lexi explains to the audience (us) why she chose to cast the supporting character as the main character.
Mock BTS interviews with Rue, who plays a supporting role, are shown in the sequence.
It’s all quite meta, and it seems to reflect Rue’s previous argument about people seeking comfort in entertainment/television, which she made in her own fourth wall break (referencing the very show that she is in, Euphoria, and HBO.)
If there was ever a moment begging to be studied by film students, this would be it.
Note me, Nate
On the other hand, Cassie has begun waking up at 4 a.m. to devote more time to herself. On the other hand, her self-care routine is geared to draw Nate’s attention in the halls. He doesn’t have any.
Cassie convinces herself that Nate is a sartorialist, and the scene concludes with Cassie and Maddy walking side by side in the same attire. Cassie then bolts when she realises Maddy has noticed her.
Cassie begins to cry silently later in the episode, and she comes close to telling Maddy that she loves Nate. She subsequently tells Maddy that she (Maddy) deserves someone who genuinely cares about her (Maddy), even though she (Cassie) believes she (Cassie) deserves someone who genuinely cares about her (Cassie) (Cassie).
We then cut to sequences when Nate is clearly unconcerned about her (Cassie). Nate being a filthy weirdo and hooking up with Cassie while his folks listen below interrupts Nate’s fantasies of caring sex.
What the hell is going on with this show?
Nate arrives at Maddy’s babysitting residence with a bouquet of roses at the end of the episode.
Rue has broken down
Rue proposes to Fez (who declines) and then Fez’s plug (the laconic woman from that creepy apartment) to use her to sell drugs because she can no longer afford it.
(Rather than, say, taking a legal job to get money.) She claims she won’t narc because she’s underage, and she claims her buddies won’t narc because they’re anxious about getting into college.
The woman, who is well aware that Rue is an addict, gives her a shot and hands her a black suitcase containing $10,000 worth of heroin. On her way out, the woman threatened Rue with kidnapping and selling her to “some pretty sick people” if she lost any money.
Rue subsequently takes the unnoticed luggage to NA, where Ali confronts her on the street. Rue labels Ali a poor father after learning about Alli’s past during the dinner episode, prompting Ali to give Rue an ultimatum:
if she disrespects him again, he’ll dump her. Rue insults him once more, bringing up his previous domestic violence. Ali departs. Rue sits in her room by herself, getting high on her own supply. We’re at it again.
Back to Cal
Cal visits Fez after realizing that Nate does not have the tape. As Fez interrogates Cal, Ashtray repeatedly pistol whips him with a shotgun.
Cal asks Fez to return the recording, presuming Fez had it and had been blackmailing Nate (an accusation we’re led to assume came from Nate).
Fez, who has only recently discovered that Cal had sex with a minor, Jules and that Nate has sickened his father on him, throws the bombshell: Nate is in love with Jules.
Cal is completely baffled. Fez is completely confused. Cal, who is completely bewildered, is allowed to leave by Fez.
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