Euphoriapaints the picture that good parenting seems like an impossible task. Unlikeother teen shows, inEuphoria, parents are not out here giving moral judgments on their children’s outfit choices, demanding unfinished homework be completed, or blowing up their phones when they party all night. Neither do they ground their kids when they slam doors. It begs the question: what exactly is the show driving at? Is their physical and emotional absence from their children’s lives purposely intended to add to the characters' respective arcs, or give the teenagers the liberty of choice?Euphoria’s teenage characters engage in wild activities, and we cannot help but wonder: where are the parents?! And why are they not doing their job?
Amidst the drug use, partying, violence, anxiety, depression, assault, and identity crises the teen characters engage in, most of the parents are conveniently missing, thus leaving their wards to navigate their dilemmas on their own — usually in more destructive forms. How much blame do the parents inEuphoriadeserve for their kids' trauma? More importantly, how intentional are they about seeing their children’s well-being improve and actually being better parents? This list will rank the parents ofEuphoriafrom worst to best. Settle in.
10Cal Jacobs
Nate’s dad is easily ranked as the worst parent in this series.Cal Jacobsis depicted as a wealthy and powerful businessman, who is also deeply troubled and struggling with his own identity. He is married to a woman, with whom he has three children, but he also has a secret life, where he frequents motel rooms to meet up with men and trans women.
EuphoriaSeason 2 gave Cal an empathetic backstory of his youth. However, it does not justify his terrible deeds as a father. In one of the last scenes in the season, we see Cal apologize to Nate for being a terrible father and failing to protect him from his inner turmoil. However, it is too late, as Nate has imbibed his worst traits. Some see the light ofredemption for Cal Jacobsdown the tunnel, and if this occurs, he might just becomeEuphoria’s best parent. Until then, he remains the worst.
Related:Euphoria: 10 Times Rue Was the Worst
9Gus Howard
Almost every character inEuphoriaexhibits daddy issues like it’s a competition of who has the worst dad. If it is indeed one, Cassie deserves the crown as it radiates all over her individuality and decisions.
Multiple events have triggered her insecurities and contributed toher flawed traits. From being sexualized at a young age and having her sex tapes online to constantly being slut-shamed by obnoxious jocks and her abortion. However, none of these effects hold up to the impact of her dad abandoning her at a very young age.
If there was a time machine through whichGus Howardwould see the consequences of leaving his family, perhaps he would have stayed, fixed his marriage with Suze, and been a great dad to two amazing daughters. Instead, he joined the group chat of fathers who left for a pack of cigarettes and never returned.
8Marsha Jacobs
It is alarming for a mother to know nothing about her sons. Even worse is being fine with it. Yes, teenagers are snobbish and never want to talk; however,Marsha Jacobs' negligence of Nate’s personal life reeks of nonchalance.
In one of the rare scenes in which the mother converses with her son, she probes Nate’s transformation from a sweet little boy to the toxic persona he embodies. This is ironic because she fails to realizeNate’s psychology resultedfrom witnessing Cal’s secret life, which she knew about. Rather than waiting for it to blow out in the leaving room, as Cal bid his family goodbye for good in Season 2, Episode 4, Marsha could have been a realist and talked about the trauma Nate developed watching his dad’s sex tapes at a young age. She could have helped him healthily navigate the topic of sexuality instead of pretending their family was normal.
Perhaps even she had no idea how to handle the reality of her husband’s queerness. Nonetheless, being silent about it to her children only made it worse. Also, let’s not talk about how she encourages Nate’s abusive behavior toward Maddy inEuphoriaSeason 2, Episode 6.
7Sonia Perez
A dysfunctional marriage is a prerequisite for poor parenting and its detrimental consequences on children. Maddy’s parents exhibit zero affection for one another, and this played a huge negative impact on her. InEuphoriaSeason 1, Episode 5, Maddy fires back at her mother,Sonia Perez, calling her out for criticizing her relationship with Nate when she doesn’t even speak to her husband. Maddy’s distorted views on love stem from the unhealthy marriage she witnessed between her parents. It is difficult for her to be in a healthy relationship because she never saw her parents share one.
Although Maddy’s mother is partly responsible for her daughter’s mindset, her role in her daughter’s confidence cannot be dismissed. Mrs. Perez, being a hardworking esthetician, inspiredMaddy’s unique makeup styleand relentless work ethic. One of Sonia’s best moments is when she insists on pressing charges against Nate for physically assaulting her daughter. She may have had a negative role in forming Maddy’s toxic love life, but she won’t sit idly and watch her daughter suffer.
6Frederick McKay
We know them. They are the dad coaches, theKing Richard-type of fatherswho only see one thing and one thing alone in their children: greatness.Fredrick McKayis tough and spirited. He wants the best out of his son, McKay. However, when the reality of McKay never going pro sets in, rather than encourage his son to dream and imagine himself more than football, he claims it’s the self-doubt speaking to him and urges him to get his head straight.
It is very important to have fathers who push their sons to be calm and assertive toward their goals despite societal and systemic animosity. However, it is also essential to understand when a child needs a break to be human.
InEuphoriaSeason 2, we are introduced toSamantha(Minka Kelly), a young single mother whose son Maddy babysits in their luxurious home. Amidst the chaos of the show, mixed with questionable parenting at this point of the series, Samantha is a breath of fresh air.
Samantha is just an adult version ofEuphoria’s teenagers. In a wholesome conversation with Maddy, we see glimpses of Samantha’s maturity and wisdom as she gives a confounded Maddy some important life advice on friendship and love. Also, we see her generosity when Samantha gifts her a piece of clothing she knew Maddy fancied. We hope she returns in Season 3 as a big sister to the girls. They need one.
Related:Euphoria: 10 Times Maddy Deserved Better
4Marie O’Neil
InEuphoriaSeason 1, the shots of Fez’s grandma is an old woman lying on a sick bed. It was in the sophomore season we saw everythingMarie O’Neilwas. She was a drug dealer, but also a great grandma, who deserves all the care Fez gives her.
Fez’s grandmother is portrayed as a caring and supportive figure in the show, and her relationship with him is an important part of his character development. The character is played byThe Soprano’s Katherine Narducci, who received critical acclaim for her brief appearance in the role.
3Suzie Howard
Gus lost a good one. In a friend group, one parent always plays a parental role to the entire squad. That is whoSuze Howardis for her daughter’s friends, Maddy, Kat, and Rue. We often see Suze show genuine concern for the girl-squad, especially Rue when she comes out of rehab and whenever she goes through her episodes.
Being abandoned with two daughters is one of every mother’s worst nightmares. Yet, this is Suze’s reality — still, she does not fret. She rises to the motherhood call whenever it comes, thus earning the admiration ofEuphoria’s religious fandom. Although she is not perfect — she curses in front of her children and drinks a lot — it does not take away one of her best traits: her blunt honesty that spares no one. Not even her daughter.
2David Vaughn
According to Rue’s narration, “Dads never gets custody. When they do, you know it’s pretty f’d up.”David Vaughn, Jules’s dad, is supportive and very kind. Although he is a recurring character, David’s relationship with his daughter is one of the best father-daughter ones we see inEuphoria. David and his daughter need more scenes together. Seeing how Jule’s arc ended in Season 2, Rue could really use her dad’s comforting presence.
1Leslie Bennett
If there was a TV mother of the year award,Leslie Bennettwould win it. Leslie is a single mother who strives to raise her two daughters, Rue and Gia. She is shown to be caring and compassionate, but also somewhat overprotective of her daughters, particularly Rue. Through Leslie, we get a mere picture of the harrowing reality of being a parent to an addict. Despite many of Rue’s worst moments, Leslie always loves her. There are moments she pushed to the limits, and she runs out of patience for Rue’s folly, but she always returns to ensure calm. Beneath Rue’s irrational actions, Leslie always sees her baby girl screaming for help.
