GENERATION: A NEW EUPHORIA?
A Candid Teen Drama About Sex + Identity
OK, this one goes out to all of you Euphoria fans out there. (Tbh, who isn’t a Euphoria fan at this point?). It will be a while before HBO Max can deliver us a new season of the Zendaya and Hunter Schafer led teen drama, so it has kindly given us a new show to hold us over. Enter: genera+ion (Generation).
Based on its swanky spelling and all-lowercase letters, you probably guessed it’s about Gen Z. Well, you’re correct. Generation explores modern sexuality and all that that entails. From supporting and unsupporting parents to online dating to actually embracing bisexuality (new studies show more than half of LGBTQ Gen Z identify as bisexual), Generation really shows it all. And, like the series it’s being compared to, it features candid discussions about sex.
“I am such a fan of Euphoria and We Are Who We Are, and the incredible specificity with which they tell all these stories and how stereotypes are just ripped open and you can see the underbelly and the minutiae of all these different characters,” Chase Sui Wonders, who plays Riley in the show, told Indiewire. “This show does that to such an extent because you’re taking a microscope to these different people. It feels like an entirely different world and an entirely different set of idiosyncrasies.”
Based on the trailer, which is set to Troye Sivan’s “Rager teenager!” there are sundry relationships shown. There is a teen with gay parents who are discussing adding a third to their relationship. There are girls in love, men in love and a vast array of gender identities. It’s a textbook for sexuality in the 21st century, so other generations, listen up.
The show hails from the married production duo Daniel and Ben Barnz, who are behind projects like Jennifer Anistion’s Cake. The pair usually works exclusively together, with Daniel serving as director and writer and Ben producing the work. Now, though, they’ve added a third collaborator: their 18-year-old daughter, Zelda, who is a writer for Generation. With that comes a first-hand, authentic voice that will likely resonate with its younger audiences and provide reliable insight to those looking for an education.
“This came from Zelda, this was her idea,” said Ben. “It came from stories she started to tell us about her gender and sexuality that were poignant and funny. We suggested that she write them down, and we thought it would make an interesting TV show… but we really didn’t think it was gonna get made.”
Generation stars an up-and-coming cast of Nathanya Alexander, Chloe East, Nava Mau, Lukita Maxwell, Haley Sanchez, Uly Schlesinger, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Chase Sui Wonders with Justice Smith and Martha Plimpton. HBO Max will release the show on March 11.
