There’s Something Seriously Wrong with HBO’s Euphoria
Sexual predators should never be glamorized.
I’ve been a fan of HBO’s Euphoria since it premiered back in 2019. The series follows a group of high school students as they navigate through trauma, drugs, identity, relationships, and sex. The show tries to balance the good and bad that comes with such things are drugs, sex, and relationship, however, it should have never attempted to sympathize with a character known for being a sexual predator.
Cal Jacobs, the father of Nate Jacobs, has been a problematic character from the beginning. We are introduced to him by way of having sex with a minor. The minor ended up being one of the main characters of the show, Jules Vaughn, who also happens to be the sole representation of trans identity in it. The main plotline for Cal Jacobs centers around him having and recording his sex with minors. In other words, the entire character’s story centers around him being a sexual predator. Why is it then that season 2, episode 3 begins with a 12-minute opener of younger Cal?
The episode entitled Ruminations: Big and Little Bullys has the following description, “As a teenager, Cal experienced a budding affection towards his friend Derek while dating his future wife Marsha. Eventually, Cal made his feelings known to Derek, who reciprocated them…
