People can say whatever they want about Euphoria season 3 , but the one undeniable thing is how great Alexa Demie has been as Maddy Perez throughout.
While most of the characters have become worse versions of what viewers previously saw, peaked in high school, or have mediocre storylines, Maddy has evolved. That evolution is why she’s been the best part of Euphoria season 3.
But to know why this is true, we have to start at the beginning.
Without privilege
The biggest thing that Rue, Cassie, and Nate have not done is learn from their mistakes. All three have continued to make the same mistakes that got them in trouble in high school. Nate remains immature and unsure about who he is, Cassie stays the same, and Rue is self-destructive.
Meanwhile, Maddy hasn’t gone backwards. That can be attributed to not growing up privileged.
"She quickly realized that there are two kinds of people in the world. The people who sit in the chairs, with their feet in the foot bath. And the people who kneel in front of the foot bath."Rue about Maddy
Rue, Nate, and Cassie were all upper-middle-class (if not wealthier). Meanwhile, in season 1, episode 3, "Bonnie and Clyde," viewers learn that Maddy’s mother worked as an aesthetician, and her father was usually unemployed and drunk.
Rather than repeat that cycle, Maddy studied the rich people who came into her mother’s job so she could emulate them and fit in with her classmates. And instead of being broke, she babysat to make money and keep up appearances.
Everything above is why Maddy doesn’t fall prey to tricks and understands the game better than her peers. Even Rue, who’s been at the bottom and in the gutter, ignores the signs that say “GIRL, RUN,” even though they’re constantly there.
More with less
One of the main criticisms I see online is about how much time Cassie’s storyline has gotten. She does seem to be getting a lot of attention this season, but more doesn’t always equal better. That’s where Maddy comes in.
This season, Maddy hasn’t been one of the main focal points. However, this seems to be the case throughout the series. Yes, she has episodes that focus on her, but she isn’t one of the three most “important” characters. It’s sad because Demie is among the most talented people on Euphoria.
She's too much of a scene stealer. The creative team likely knows that Maddy will be memorable in each of her scenes. For example, in “Stand Still and See,” she’s seen for less than five minutes. Within that time, she leaves a mark with a quick conversation with Alamo Brown. It may seem like she didn’t get through to him, but I’d bet that he sees the importance of what Maddy was saying. It helps that Bishop went to bat for her.
Learning and adapting
Lastly, and most importantly, Maddy is unlike her friends because she’s grown as a person. She’s always been more clever and strategic, but those skills have improved. She’s adapted to a cruel world that wants nothing more than to chew her up and swallow her. There are times when I wish this weren’t the case, but it’s going to make her ascension to greatness even better. It’ll be especially sweet when she’s passing Cassie and Nate on the way up as they fall.
Speaking of Cassie and Nate, dating one and being best friends with the other was one of the most important moments of her life. With Cassie, Maddy learned the unfortunate lesson that even the people close to you can betray you. As for Nate, dating him showed that being in love with an emotional and physically abusive monster can make a person hate themselves more than their abuser. This toughened her up for, as I previously said, a cruel world.
Maddy’s boss does not appreciate her, and her friends underestimate her. The one person who seems to understand and see her brilliance is a shady strip club owner with more trust issues than a young Bruce Wayne. Thankfully, while the people in Maddy’s life don’t see her potential, fans of Euphoria are praising Alexa Demie for all of her excellence in this season.
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