The current state of the “show of the summer” competition

Euphoria

I haven’t watched Euphoria, but I think it deserves to be a part of the conversation. 5/8 episodes have been released in season one, and the shows “mature content” has generated a lot of conversation.

The TV show is likely too new to win “show of the summer” as audiences are still discovering it, but it could potentially be a contender in years to come. It’s “mature content” might not appeal to everyone, but this didn’t hold back Game of Thrones.

The Contenders

There are still more episodes to come and Succession hasn’t even started yet, but so far it looks like there are two top contenders for “show of the summer”: Big Little Lies and Stranger Things. No single show has stood out above the others, but these two seem to have a slight edge.

Big Little Lies

I thought it “would win” due to its star-studded cast, the momentum it built in season one and the degree to which HBO seemed to be promoting the show. I thought it “wouldn’t win” because it wasn’t clear where the TV show would go after season one. Was a second season even necessary?

What’s happened: The show has received some criticism related to the plot and the controversy with showrunner Andrea Arnold. At the same time, however, it’s seemingly dominated the Sunday night conversation, and with the addition of Merryl Streepe, the cast has produced some compelling content.

Takeaway: A lot will be riding on how the season wraps up its final episode. If it’s well received, the “show of the summer” crown could be in reach. Despite the seemingly mixed reception, it has still fared well on Rotten Tomatoes.

Rotten Tomatoes Scores:

Season 1: Tomatometer 93%, Audience score 94%

Season 2: Tomatometer 94%, Audience score N/A