One of Sam Levinson's Best Work

 Award-winning show from HBO Max, Euphoria (2019), directed by Sam Levinson has caught my eye from one of their special episodes: Jules.  When Euphoria's production was over, they had some extra segments that didn't make it on the show. As a result, the show included special episodes from their characters such as Jules and Rue. These episodes follow mainly their add-on of the show.

The special episode follows one of the characters, Jules played by Hunter Schafer, who shows her first therapy session with her therapist, Dr. Mardy Nichols played by Lauren Weedman. Jules, who is just in her first therapy session, opens up to her therapist about her difficulties, her past, and the secret she has been keeping from her lover Rue. Jules keeps talking about her life while showing scenes of the actual occurrences. She discusses the transitional issues and how she feels more at ease with online friends than with real-life ones. Jules is now having disagreements with Rue, her partner, leading her to turn to her online buddies, who she hasn't even met. Jules' body behavior and emotions are depicted in multiple shots, including an extreme close-up and a medium shot, while she expresses her thoughts to her therapist.

Furthermore, because Jules did not grow up in a conventional, loving home, her therapist encourages her to talk about her family troubles. In addition to sending Jule to a psychiatric hospital, Jule's mother also abandoned her because of her issues with addiction. Since that time, Jules has continued to live with her father, relocating from one house to the next. Her mother returned during the special episode, but Jules was having none of it. Jules felt betrayed by her father for giving her mother an opportunity to confront her when he was aware of what she had done.

This special episode was a lot to take in and overall quite profound. Yet, I relished watching it as I observed Jules' personal growth and how, as a result of all she has experienced, her viewpoint on things is different from others. The therapy session gave me an idea of what I would like to include for my therapy scene in my film's opening, therefore that scene was the most helpful to me. This episode's props and costumes served as further inspiration for me.