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alisalindley
Reviews
Euphoria: Pilot (2019)
Desperately needs a trigger warning
TW: sexual assault
I was really excited to watch this show, and enjoyed the first part of it, despite it being rather melancholy. I loved the cinematography, and was eager to see how the story and characters developed. But I didn't make it through the first episode because a scene midway through triggered major PTSD.
You see, I know the show deals with difficult subject matter, and I wasn't expecting happy fluff. I love dark shows and movies, and have no trouble watching them. But to spring a scene involving sexual assault on the audience without any warning, especially when it is framed in a way that makes it seem inescapable, is absolutely unacceptable.
The scene depicts sudden violence during initially consensual sex as the narrator comments on how such a thing is to be expected, considering "everyone" watches porn, and how the most popular porn is of women being dominated and abused. It does not shy away from depicting this graphically. For someone who has been recovering from exactly that happening to them, it was all too much, considering there was ZERO warning beforehand. I went back and checked - the only indication of disturbing content is an 18+ TV rating that lists "Violence, Language, Sex, Nudity, Mature Themes." Honestly, I don't think I would have had such a negative reaction if I had known in advance what I was in for, and I find it extremely inconsiderate on the part of the producers not to include at least a heads up for the people whose story they're supposed to be telling.