Lexi Howard (Maude Apatow) looks to be getting a more prominent storyline in Euphoria season 2, giving one of the show's most interesting characters the opportunity to shine after she was sidelined in season 1. Euphoria follows an eclectic cast of characters, most of whom are students at East Highland High School. When Euphoria premiered in 2019, the show was met with plenty of controversy due to its unflinching look at the raucous group of teenagers centered around Zendaya's Rue. While the characters deal with hot button issues like addiction, sex in the social media age, and a myriad of other issues, one character in particular was posited as an outsider from the beginning.
Lexi is introduced in one of the more humorous scenes in the premiere of Euphoria season 1. When Rue needs to pass a drug test fresh out of rehab, she runs to Lexi's house and asks for her drug-free pee. While Lexi is annoyed by the request, she ultimately relents, partly due to the fact that Rue and her have been friends since pre-school. However, throughout the rest of the season, Lexi, who is the sister of Sydney Sweeney's Cassie, is largely left by the wayside in favor of Euphoria's wilder characters - a snub that many view as a mistake for the show. Now, Euphoria season 2 seems to be rectifying this by giving Lexi a more prominent role.
The Euphoria season 2 premiere is centered around a massive New Year's Eve party and, like the rest of the cast, Lexi is right there to ring in 2022. After striking up a conversation with drug dealer Fez (Angus Cloud), the pair have instant chemistry that hints at a potential romantic subplot for the unlikely pair. Lexi largely served as an audience proxy in season 1, rolling her eyes at her sister, Rue, and their friends, but, now, it seems Lexi will be in the thick of it thanks to her potential relationship with Fez.
Lexi is played by Maude Apatow, the daughter of comedy movie director Judd Apatow, and while she has done well with the material she's been given, it's always seemed as if there could be something more for Lexi to do. After Fez's violent confrontation with Nate Jacobs in the season premiere, it seemed Lexi could be turned off by his actions, but Euphoria episode 2 sees Lexi go to Fez's gas station to warn him that Nate's father knows what Fez did. This is consistent with Lexi's caring demeanor that she has had thus far, while also inserting her into the drama in a way that she hasn't been before.
Reviews for Euphoria season 2 also seem to hint at an arc for Lexi that goes beyond a relationship with Fez. Lexi will be putting on a play in Euphoria season 2, with the character coming out of her shell and directing her fellow students in what looks to be a truly inventive stage show in line with Euphoria's bombastic sensibilities. Euphoria is consistently praised as one of the best shows on HBO right now and this is thanks in large part to Zendaya's portrayal of Rue. Still, it's clear that the show has always needed more well-rounded, three-dimensional characters and Lexi is the perfect vehicle for that, something that HBO's Euphoria is finally beginning to recognize.