As Cassie would put it, Euphoria has never, ever been more different. Four years after its second season aired, the critically acclaimed HBO teen drama is set to make its grand return on April 12. 

Set in the fictional Californian town of East Highland, the show follows Rue Bennett (Zendaya), a teenage addict struggling to achieve sobriety, and her band of friends as they navigate the challenges of adolescence. 

Back for season 3, Euphoria finds its characters five years after high school. Rue now lives in Mexico, working to pay back the debt she owes substance trafficker Laurie (Martha Kelly). Meanwhile, the other East Highland teenagers have mended their own paths: Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) and Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney) are knee deep in a tumultuous marriage, Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer) is pursuing art school, Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie) is working at an Hollywood agency, and Lexi Howard (Maude Apatow) is now a showrunner’s assistant. Based on released trailers, the plot catapults into action when Laurie arrives in Mexico, demanding her money back from Rue.

Considering the significant time jump, the third season appears to be a complete upheaval of Euphoria’s previous installments. The first two Euphoria seasons notably pushed the boundaries of the genre, exploring mature yet realistic themes with graphic intensity rarely found in teen dramas. Season 1 and 2’s scenes depicting teenage sexuality and drug use were praised for raw portrayal yet slammed by many conservative critics, who argued the show was too obscene. However, its graphic approach to teen television was exactly what made Euphoria so special; many viewers resonated with storylines like Rue’s addiction, Cassie’s struggle with objectification and Nate’s toxic masculinity. 

Now that the characters are adults, much of what made Euphoria groundbreaking no longer holds true. Season 3 may still explore themes of addiction, sexuality and identity, but these themes are commonplace in adult dramas. Even the season’s new storylines, like Nate and Cassie’s marriage troubles, are unimaginative tropes that have been done before.

The third season also seems to have abandoned Euphoria’s signature aesthetic. The dramatic colors, glittery makeup, and bold fashion of previous seasons have been exchanged for warmer, subdued visuals and style. While the aesthetic isn’t necessary for Euphoria, its absence in the released trailers makes season 3 feel like a completely different show. 

Regardless, the hype for Euphoria season 3 is undeniably there. The trailer racked up 100 million viewers in its first two days, the largest original series trailer launch for HBO. While reactions both positive and negative stormed social media platforms, viewers can agree on one thing: Euphoria season 3 is about to be wild.