Here’s What They Cut Out of the Wild First Episode of "Euphoria"

Trigger Warning: The article discusses sexual assault.

The first ep of HBO’s controversial Euphoria debuted on Foxtel yesterday and (*siren noises*).

Produced by Drake and starring Zendaya, the show isn’t just a showcase for our mononymous faves; it’s a remake of an Israeli series that goes all in on its depiction of teens doing the absolute most.

And in the debut episode, that means having heaps of sex, doing lots of drugs and basically getting into situations that would give any viewing parents stress-nightmares for literal years to come.

real-time video of me, a 34-year-old, watching the first episode of EUPHORIA pic.twitter.com/oJPKKdAJP4

— david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) June 17, 2019

Expectedly, the yoof are way into it already.

it's what the enitre cast deserves #feelEUPHORIA pic.twitter.com/kR3Nzw8Usy

— Miranda | stream euphoria (@zenfieya) June 18, 2019

However, the version of Euphoria’s pilot that we got in Australia is a slightly censored version compared with the one that aired in the States. (Student Edge confirmed with Foxtel that the same edited episode ran on both Fox Showcase and their streaming alternative, Foxtel Now.)

Here’s why.

In America, Euphoria airs on the pay cable channel HBO, where series like The Sopranos, Game of Thrones and Westworld have pushed the boundaries of on-screen sex, violence and drug use. However, the high school age of the characters in Euphoria (if not the actors) certainly makes the content a whole lot more confronting. And though Zendaya, who stars in the show as the disaffected teen addict Rue, pre-empted the premiere with a warning that the show was "a raw and honest portrait of addiction", the hot takes about Euphoria going "too far" are already coming thick and fast.

pic.twitter.com/RVxXzjk2vC

— Zendaya (@Zendaya) June 16, 2019

In Australia, Euphoria airs on HBO’s local home, Foxtel, screening at 9:30pm EST Mondays on the Fox Showcase channel. Foxtel’s Executive Director of Television Brian Walsh came out reiterated before the show’s debut, "This series is not for everybody and it’s not for your 14-year-old."

"Parental Guidance is advised for our customers using streaming and there’s a good reason why the channel timeslot is 9.30pm," he added. (Despite the fact that, in Western Australia, it actually airs at 7:30pm WST. Time zone trickery!)

"The show isn’t always easy to watch, and there is no question it pushes the boundaries, but it is provocative, authentic and unforgettable," Walsh concluded in his statement.

Nonetheless, cuts had to be made.

According to TV Tonight, to comply with Australia’s Subscription TV Code of Practice, Foxtel had to crop one scene in particular. But which scene? When you watch the full 51-minute instalment, you might hardly believe anything had been chopped at all, given how hard Euphoria goes.

Thankfully, the episode that went out to critics to view was unedited, and after comparing both, we can tell you exactly what changed in Euphoria’s journey down under.

*Spoiler warning for Euphoria’s first episode*

Mid-way through the episode, Hunter Schafer’s character Jules meets up with a mysterious older man, played by Eric Dane, in a seedy motel room, after chatting with him on a dating app.

While seated on the bed, Dane’s character proceeds to push his thumb down Jules’ throat. In the edited version of the episode, we next see Dane’s character in the extreme foreground, slightly blurry, presumably putting on a condom, while Jules remains seated. It proceeds an upsetting sequence of statutory rape.

However, in the unedited version of the episode, the camera shows Dane’s body unblurred, revealing his full-frontal nudity. (He was using a fake prosthetic for the scene.)

Speaking to EW, Dane said "it’s a pretty intense scene," and, yeah, no s***. He also added that, although he used a prosthetic in the moment (because its "protocol" and "also very considerate to your scene partner"), he would have been "willing to do anything that’s critical to the story and crucial to creating a very real and truthful feel to how the story is gonna go down."

He also defended the graphic nature of the full frontal sequence, saying, "I just don’t see how you shoot a scene like that without showing nudity. And, you know, it kind of matches the stakes. The stakes are so high, you can’t hold anything back, really."

*End of spoilers*

Though HBO shows are notorious for being most explicit in their pilots (no doubt to grab our attention) it seems unlikely Euphoria will pull any punches as the series progresses. Zendaya herself has said that the first episode is "the most mild", and Episode 2 reportedly had to edit approximately "80" penises out of one locker room sequence, leaving just 30.

Will it end up becoming as controversial a lightning rod as Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why? Can it maintain its pledge to be raw and authentic without becoming exploitative? And will we see Zendaya tripping down Inception-style hallways again in future eps? Find out when it airs on Foxtel.

Are you experiencing suicidal thoughts, sexual assault or domestic and family violence? Seeking to support someone who is? Call Lifeline on 131 114 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.

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Header Image: HBO