Euphoria season 3: Fans react to second episode 'America My Dream'

Euphoria Sundays are so back.

The second episode, titled "America My Dream," from the long-awaited third season of the HBO series aired last night (April 19), where we finally got to see how the characters are getting on in a five-year time jump from high school to their adult lives.

It's been a long time coming for fans, given that the last season aired in early 2022, which has meant there's been almost a four-year gap between seasons.

*Spoilers ahead for season 3, episode 2*

What happened in episode 2?

Eddy Chen/HBO

In episode two, Alamo Brown (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) isn't happy with Laurie (Martha Kelly) after the drugs he bought from her were laced with fentanyl. So, as repayment, he decides to take Rue (Zendaya) off her hands, and we see her working in Alamo's strip club (Rosalía makes a cameo as a stripper with a neck brace) and hooking up with one of the strippers, Angel (Priscilla Delgado). But Rue admits in her narration that she's still thinking about Jules (Hunter Schafer).

There are flashbacks which confirm that Rue relapsed, is using again, and is homeless. She reveals that her mum and sister have cut her off until she sorts herself out, as one scene shows Rue tearfully leaving her mum a voicemail.

At the strip club, we see Angel asking where her friend and fellow stripper Tish (who overdosed and died in the previous episode after taking the fentanyl-laced drugs Laurie sold to Alamo). Angel's not convinced by Alamo's story that Tish ran away, and in the end, Rue breaks it to her that Tish died, and Angel turns to drugs in her grief. Alamo tells Rue he'll pay for Angel's rehab, but when she's dropped off at the informal facility, the saying "when something sounds too good to be true, it probably is" comes to mind.

Eddy Chen/HBO

Meanwhile, we also see how Maddy (Alexa Demie) lands her assistant job with an LA talent manager (Rebecca Pidgeon), as she gives a persuasive hiring speech, telling her, "I know my generation is entitled, but I don't believe anybody owes me anything. I'm not a victim, I'm not an HR nightmare, and I believe in capitalism."

Although the money she's making in the role isn't enough to support her family after her mother's salon struggled due to Covid pandemic. She sees how she can capitalise on the growing social media market and starts managing influencer Katelyn (Anna Van Patten) and getting her to push into the boundaries of nudity with her content.

However, her boss catches wind of her side hustle when she introduces Kaitlyn to her boss's client, upcoming actor Dylan Reid (Homer Gere) and the pair get photographed together. Despite Maddy trying to convince her boss that there is an opportunity to guide OnlyFans influencers into mainstream entertainment careers, her boss was having none of it and demanded that she drop Katelyn as a client.

Turns out Maddy was right, as Kaitlyn's career goes on to flourish. But it seems another opportunity presents itself when she gets a DM from former high school best friend Cassie (Sydney Sweeney), asking to meet up with the hope that Maddy will help boost her profile. Despite their previous friendship fallout from when Cassie got together with her ex Nate (Jacob Elordi), she tells Cassie she forgives her - but it appears to be part of a wider plan she's scheming...

Like Rue, Nate is also in thousands of dollars of debt (how exactly remains unclear), but he's keen to find more investors to get him out of it and invites them over.

Eddy Chen/HBO

But first, we see a drunken Cal (the first appearance of the late Eric Dane) turn up, and Nate insists he's doing just fine after taking over his construction business. Rather than discussing business, Cal lectures his son about Cassie's OnlyFans, which he heard about at a Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous meeting. That's when Nate points out his father's hypocrisy, given how he cheated on his wife and slept with his classmate Jules.

Later at a party, Cassie shows her OnlyFans to guests, noting the money it's bringing in. To which a friend is particularly concerned about the "sick" images of her dressed up as a baby. As words spread about Cassie's OF, Nate demands she deletes it - which she does in the end after Nate agrees he'll fork out on his fiancée's expensive wedding demands.

Near the end of the episode, Jules and Rue reunite. We learn she dropped out of art school and is a sugarbaby living in a luxury Manhattan penthouse apartment, paid for by this arrangement. Rue makes a pass at Jules, who tells her, "You can’t just show up after all this time and think everything’s going to be the same.” Clearly, there are lingering feelings as Jules invites Rue to join her in her bath.

Fans react to the second episode

After episode two dropped, fans have been reacting to all the events and drama

One person said, "How Nate got himself into more debt than Rue did."

"Rue saying she hasn’t talked to her mom in 2 years and Gia doesn’t answer her texts," a second person wrote.

A third person added, "RUE DONT END HER LIKE THAT," in response to Rue's voiceover in the Maddy and Cassie pool scene.

"What a crazy parallel," a fourth person noted, pointing out the similarities between two scenes with Nate and Cal - one in season two, the other in the latest episode.

A fifth person posted, "Me trying to get hired in today’s current job market crisis:" referring to Maddy's speech to the talent manager.

"How my parents think you get a job in 2026."

Everyone loved the scenes with Nate and Cassie's housekeeper Juana.

"This was her way of telling everyone that nate is fake rich im crying."

And the Rosalía cameo.

"They don’t pay her enough for this s***"

"Oh we're never seeing Angel again."

"Euphoria doing a covid storyline in the big year of 2026."

"Cassie’s friend being disgusted about the photos and snitching on her before they’re even posted."

"'And yet you showed up here?' I SCREAMED."

There's excitement from seeing previews of Nate and Cassie's upcoming wedding.

Season 1, 2 and the first two episodes of season 3 of Euphoria are now available to watch on HBO Max.

Elsewhere from Indy100, Euphoria season 3: Fans react to premiere episode - and they're 'confused', and Sydney Sweeney's 'weird ass baby scene' in Euphoria sparks debate.

How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel

Sign up to our free indy100 weekly newsletter

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.