Euphoria, one of my favorite contemporary television shows, is a barn-burner of storytelling. Its first season is relentless, fearless, and fearsome in its impressive filmmaking, exacting emotional turbulence, and sheer boundary-pushing audacity in its extreme content. Zendaya anchored the first season expertly as Rue (winning an Emmy for her troubles) and creator Sam Levinson (who also helmed the underrated Assassination Nation) wrote and directed one helluva statement. How can they follow it all up? Until we wait for a season 2, we'll at least get two new special episodes — including a dang Christmas special! — airing on HBO as a stopgap of sorts.

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Image via HBO

These episodes were completed safely during the pandemic, and the first one (the aforementioned yuletide jaunt) comes from writer/director Levinson and stars Zendaya as she tries to celebrate Christmas while reckoning with, like, all the traumatic shit that happened to her in season 1 of Euphoria. The episode, titled "Trouble Don't Last Always" (optimism?), also features Colman Domingo, who played Ali, a man who goes to Rue's support groups and absolutely devastates us all with us monologues of tough wisdom. Details for the second episode, including its airdate, will come at a later time.

There are three things about me you should know: I love Euphoria, I love Christmas, and I love "melancholic, unorthodox examinations of Christmas in the televisual form". This special sounds custom-designed for me, and I cannot wait to experience it in all its form-pushing glory. Levinson and Zendaya seem to be on a pandemic creativity tear lately, having recently collaborated on Malcolm and Marie, and their level of risk-taking propulsion always results in a product at least worth talking about.

Euphoria's Christmas special, "Trouble Don't Last Always," airs on HBO December 6 at 9pm, and will stream on HBO Max after. Check out its official synopsis below. The second special episode's details will be revealed soon. For more on Euphoria, here's our interview with Sydney Sweeney.

In the aftermath of being left by Jules at the train station and relapsing, the first special episode follows Rue (played by Emmy®-winner Zendaya) as she celebrates Christmas. Written and directed by series creator Sam Levinson, the episode, titled "Trouble Don't Last Always,” also stars Colman Domingo, who appeared in season one.