The Israeli Series on which Euphoria was based: Remake or Reinterpretation?

Euphoria is the series everyone is talking about. Drama, drugs, crime and mental health problems are mixed with the story of a group of teenagers facing current problems. It is a production that has been addictive for its fans, in which Zendaya’s performance also shines.

Despite its popularity, and the good direction of Sam Levinson, it is not an original idea. This series is based on an Israeli series of the same name that was broadcast in 2012 and was set in the 90s. However, it is true that its director has given it new nuances. In fact, he has been inspired by his own life and history with addictions. “It’s about what I felt and looked for when I was an addict. My evolution at that time, the people I met and who mattered to me. I’ve been clean for 14 years now, but I wanted to explore these issues in an authentic way and without repressing anything I felt then,” Levinson said in an interview with the newspaper El País.

What are the differences between the original version of Euphoria and the one on HBO Max?

In the Israeli series recorded in Hebrew, created by Ron Leshem and directed by Dafna Levin, the protagonist, named Hofit, is a drug-addicted girl who faces multiple situations of emotional explosion, just like Rue, the protagonist of HBO. However, their secrets and dramas are different.

To begin with, in the Israeli series, the revelation is that the protagonist, Hofit, narrates the entire story while she is dead, while, for the moment, in the American series, Rue is alive. Will they suffer the same fate in the end? Related to the deaths, the creators of the original idea were based on a true story of a person who was murdered outside a nightclub in 2004. From there a crucial character named Raanan, who is the one who really inspires the plot of this version.

Although the original version also talks about a group of teenagers who have excesses with drugs and sex, and parental conflicts, the new version of HBO Max addresses other more current issues such as feminism; self-esteem problems and body positivity; the struggle of the LGTBI community and gender changes.

Also read: How To Imitate the Make-Up of Euphoria

In this line, the American series also makes a deeper exploration of the psychology of the characters and the relationships that are woven between them. In fact, communication and the absence of parental figures is fundamental in the plot, while in the Israeli one the adult figures had almost no participation in the scenes. Likewise, the HBO series has a production of higher technical and audiovisual quality, which makes it more attractive.

On the other hand, one of the most obvious changes is that they are developed in different societies and times. One in Israel in the 1990s and one in the United States today. In both countries it has generated controversy for its intense and strong scenes. However, while the North American production has already announced up to a third season, only 10 episodes that made up a single season were shot in Israel.