Forget ‘Euphoria,’ HBO’s Overlooked 8-Episode Drama Is the Perfect Replacement

Among the many disappointments in the final season of HBO’s Euphoria was that the show, which had previously prided itself on having a realistic depiction of high school, transformed into a crime drama with no aspects of believability. It was disappointing to see the series devolve in such a regressive way, but HBO has already delivered a more insightful and moving coming-of-age drama series with We Are Who We Are, created by the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Luca Guadagnino. Set on an American military base in Italy during 2016, We Are Who We Are is an earnest exploration of how confusing it can be to grow up, particularly during a climactic political moment. Unlike Euphoria’s artificial inclusion of melodrama and nastiness, We Are Who We Are offers something truthful while still being ambiguous about what young people are capable of.

The main character of We Are Who We Are is Fraser (Jack Dylan Grazer), a 14-year-old from New York City, who has just moved to Italy with his mother, Sarah (Chloë Sevigny). A colonel in the U.S. Army, Sarah and her partner, Maggie Teixeira (Alice Braga), have taken on new positions at the fictional base Caserma Maurizio Pialati, but Fraser has anxieties about fitting in at a new high school.

Although the Wilsons have only a brief encounter with their Nigerian neighbors, Danny (Scott Mescudi) and Jenny Poythress (Faith Alabi), Fraser develops a crush on their daughter, Caitlin (Jordan Kristine Seamón). We Are Who We Are is as much a “hangout” story as it is a historical drama, as it shows how much can change in the course of one person’s life over the course of one summer. Despite being set against the backdrop of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, We Are Who We Are explores progressive ideas about representation, identity, and self-love.

‘We Are Who We Are’ Is an Atmospheric Series About Growing Up

We Are Who We Are is unlike other coming-of-age shows because its Italian setting feels luscious and adventurous, giving it an opportunity to pay homage to many great works of cinema. The story’s focus on a group of mostly American children whose parents are serving on an Army base introduces some compelling ironies; they have simulated the environment of a Western high school in an area outside the news cycle, and they attain a level of escapism seemingly opposed to the strict regimentation of the military-industrial complex. What makes We Are Who We Are a more compelling series than Euphoria is that it doesn’t make any broad, sweeping statements about the status of an entire generation, specifically highlighting what these characters would do in certain circumstances. Although not everything about Fraser’s journey of self-actualization will be relatable, it is easy to invest in the story of someone who feels like an outsider and isn’t sure if he wants to carry on his parents’ legacy.

As is the case with much of Guadagnino’s work, We Are Who We Are has a terrific soundtrack that includes both classical music and a variety of pop hits from various decades. That many of the songs are lifted directly from 2016 only heightens the historical authenticity, as it goes to show just how different the world felt only a decade ago. Guadagnino clearly sees music as an important piece of nostalgia that is part of every young person’s life, and the show’s soundtrack is literalized in clever ways; Blood Orange, who also composed the series’ score, later appears as himself in the finale when Caitlin and Fraser cross paths during one of his concerts.

‘We Are Who We Are’ Depicts the Messiness of Young Love

We Are Who We Are is a refreshing show about young people because the series ultimately has an optimistic perspective without being too idealistic. Although there is conflict, with the heartbreak of young love being to blame for most of it, the characters’ friction is rarely motivated purely by hate. Perhaps taking the characters outside of America was the only way to do this, but We Are Who We Are doesn’t make their privilege the defining element of the story. Despite the fact that he has seemingly unlimited opportunities in a beautiful country, Fraser still feels weighed down by the expectations that he knows he will face in his future.

We Are Who We Are is one of the closest instances of an HBO show emulating the style of an arthouse film, with a loose narrative structure escalated by theme and character above all else. Although it doesn’t have the “shock value” of Euphoria, the realism with which conversations between young people are depicted makes We Are Who We Are equally visceral. It’s a testament to the strength of the entire ensemble that, in only seven episodes, the characters feel completely singular, with Seamón’s performance being the standout. We Are Who We Are is proof that it’s possible to make a show about youth that is not exclusively catered to young audiences; for some viewers, the series will be representative, and for others, it will be nostalgic.