‘Euphoria’ Season 2 Finale Raid is Very Unrealistic, According to a Former DEA Agent
HBO Max’s hit teen drama Euphoria is known for several things: its endlessly quotable dialogue, glimmering, all-out makeup looks, and graphic depictions of addiction, sex, and high school relationships.
However, according to a retired DEA agent, the show isn’t entirely realistic with its portrayal of law enforcement. This is true most notably regarding the nail-biting raid scene in the Season 2 finale.
A quick recap of the ‘Euphoria’ Season 2 finale
As fans likely remember, the Euphoria Season 2 finale left viewers on a massive cliffhanger. The episode, titled “All My Life, My Heart Has Yearned for a Thing I Cannot Name,” premiered on HBO Max back in February. It didn’t hold back when giving audiences a shocking conclusion to an already chaotic season.
Lexi’s (Maude Apatow) play hit a little too close to home, as the real-life events of her friends inspired it. This led a bloodthirsty Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) to storm on stage after her breakup with Nate (Jacob Elordi). Maddy (Alexa Demie) chases after her former best friend for hooking up with Nate in one of the season’s most iconic moments.
As for Nate, he finally hit back against his abusive dad, getting him arrested. Jules (Hunter Schafer) and Rue (Zendaya) also had a sweet reunion moment toward the end of the episode. Rue kisses Jules and tells her she loves and misses her.
But perhaps the most tragic arc involves Faye (Chloe Cherry), Fezco (Angus Cloud), and his younger brother, Ashtray (Javon Walton). In the episode, Faye warns Fez about Custer’s (Tyler Chase) betrayal. She tries to claim that drug dealer Laurie (Martha Kelly) is the person responsible for Mouse’s (Meeko Gattuso) death — not Ashtray, who hit him over the head with a hammer at the beginning of the season.
With police on the way, Fez tries to take the fall for Ashtray, but he won’t allow it. Ashtray locks himself in a bathroom with several loaded guns when a S.W.A.T. team enters the house. He proceeds to start a bloody shootout with them. Fez gets shot in the stomach in the crossfire while begging for his brother to stop.
Eventually, police break down the bathroom door. The camera cuts to Fez as he watches Ashtray be killed. Then, Faye and Fez are taken out of the house in handcuffs.
Former DEA agent: The Season 2 finale’s raid scene is ‘problematic’
Retired DEA special agent Craig Chretien recently sat down with Vanity Fair to review portrayals of drug trafficking in popular movies and TV shows. He analyzed Ozark, Narcos, and Breaking Bad in addition to films such as 2001’s Blow and 2014’s Sabotage.
When breaking down the scene in Euphoria Season 2 where SWAT members raid Fez and Ashtray’s home, Chretien explained that the show got some things right regarding procedures and technical entry. But, how the officers entered the house wouldn’t be 100% accurate to what would happen in real life.
“Having said that part, the actual technical part of the entry, I thought that part was problematic,” he said. “You don’t shoot at a door or a wall, not knowing what’s behind it.”
Chretien continued, “It could have been a hostage situation. A lot of unknowns. Time is on their advantage. They could easily back up, look at other options. Maybe call in a negotiator.”
Audience reactions to ‘Euphoria’ Season 2’s finale
Even though the finale raid scene wasn’t exactly spot-on in terms of SWAT procedures, fans’ responses to Euphoria season 2’s heartbreaking conclusion were very real.
Across social media, fans were vocally distraught about Ashtray’s death. Hashtags like #RIPAshtray made the rounds across Twitter and Instagram, with some viewers even speculating that Ashtray isn’t actually dead.
Even Angus Cloud admitted to having an emotional response to Ashtray’s final moments. The sequence apparently took three 12-hour days to shoot, and according to Cloud, took an emotional toll on the cast.
“I was all bummed out, and when the camera stops rolling, you still have this heavy weight on your shoulders. It was emotional. I was crying and stuff,” the actor told Vulture.
