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Euphoria explores Cal Jacobs’ sexuality with tragic gay romantic backstory

The HBO show about tearaway teens is getting queerer by the episode.

By Jamie Tabberer

Words: Jamie Tabberer; pictures: HBO

Spoilers for season two, episode three of Euphora follow.

Euphoria, HBO’s Skins-esque series about US teens gone wild, is getting queerer by the episode in its second season.

In season two episode three ‘Ruminations: Big and Little Bullys, which dropped on NOWTV in the UK this week, the show’s resident villain Cal (Eric Dane) was given a gay origin story worthy of its own movie. 

In a romantic flashback sequence, the symbol of toxic masculinity was seen exploring his sexuality with his high school friend – that is, until his girlfriend falls pregnant (presumably with his eldest son, played in the present day by heartthrob Jacob Elordi.) Disast.

 
 
 
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The latest instalment is the latest in a long line of headline-generating episodes for the Zendeya-starring show.

Only last week, actor Christin Byrdsong made waves when he revealed that it he was the mystery extra rimmed by Cal – played by Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane – six minutes into episode two of season two.

On Twitter, Byrdsong wrote: “The dream was to work on this amazing show, with the incredible director, and multitalented actors.

“And I got to film [a] fake sex scene with a childhood crush/actor inspiration!”

Replying to a fan who said “there are two darkskin characters in euphoria and one of them was getting they butt ate by nate’s dad as an extra,” Byrdsong said: “It was me #DreamsComeTrue.”

Coverage has also focused on the abundance of male appendages on the show, with a guy going full frontal while on the toilet in episode one of season two – no doubt inspired by an infamous scene from season one which featured 30 penises in one go.