HBO has announced that Euphoria is officially ending with Season 3, closing its run after 7 years, 3 seasons, and 26 episodes.

Sam Levinson, the creator, writer, and director of the hit HBO series, confirmed that the show is officially over. He shared the news on the New York Times music podcast, Popcast, in conversation with host Joe Coscarelli. The final episode of Season 3, titled “In God We Trust,” served as the actual series finale.

“In terms of the story we set out to tell, which is about addiction and its consequences, this feels like the end to me,” Levinson said in the interview published Sunday night.

He added that the Euphoria story is a “tragic one in the end, but it’s also the truth. If you are experimenting or taking drugs today, it’s very possible it’ll kill you.”

Following the brutal death of Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) in the penultimate episode, the show’s central character, Rue Bennett (Zendaya), died of a fentanyl overdose in the finale. This tragic ending mirrored how cast member Angus Cloud passed away in real life during the writing of Season 3.

“It was a way of honoring Angus and saying a prayer for the future,” Levinson told the NYT, explaining how the finale was created as a tribute to one of their own.

According to the creator, bringing Season 3 to life was a massive challenge. The production faced major hurdles, including finding a creative way to continue the characters’ stories beyond high school, navigating the Hollywood strikes, and dealing with the sudden deaths of Cloud and series producer Kevin Turen in 2023. Additionally, there were complex logistics involved in reassembling a cast that has since become high priced movie stars, led by Zendaya, Elordi, and Sydney Sweeney.

Because of these challenges, Season 3 was always expected to be the last. However, at the start of 2026, Levinson did mention he had a loose idea for a potential fourth season before ultimately deciding to close the chapter.

Ratings and Reviews for the Series

The series is coming to an end despite pulling in massive viewing figures. The Season 3 premiere attracted more than 12.3 million viewers in the US, according to Warner Bros. Discovery. This marked the biggest launch in the show’s history, pulling in a 58% increase compared to the Season 2 premiere.

Even with high ratings, the show faced heavy criticism. Critics accused the HBO drama of leaning too far into shock value, with The Guardian calling it “a grubby, humorless work of torture porn” and The Hollywood Reporter stating the series “leaps closer to flashy irrelevance.”

While the show is ending on a massive scale, it leaves a bittersweet feeling for fans and viewers. Do you think it is the right time for the show to come to a close, or was there room for just one more season?