Super Bowl Sunday is traditionally reserved for football, halftime shows, and commercials. But in 2022, the NFL shared that Sunday with HBO’s Euphoria. While millions of viewers tuned in for the game, others showed up for what the internet famously referred to as “Euphoria Sundays,” turning the night into a cultural split-screen moment.
Four years ago, Euphoria, had Sundays completely on lock. Every week for eight consecutive weeks, fans tuned in at exactly 9 p.m. to watch the latest episode unfold in real time. It wasn’t just a show people caught up on later — it was appointment television.
That dedication didn’t stop on Super Bowl Sunday.
Instead of skipping a week or moving its schedule to avoid competition with football’s biggest night, Euphoria stayed put. Season 2, Episode 6, titled “A Thousand Little Trees of Blood,” premiered that night, and fans tuned in anyway.
For viewers, this episode felt like its own Super Bowl.
Fans weren’t just tuning in for entertainment; they were tuning in for answers. Viewers knew Episode 6 would focus on the aftermath of Rue ( Zendaya) exposing Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) secret relationship with Nate (Jacob Elordi), her best friend Maddy’s ( Alexa Demie) ex-boyfriend — a moment that quickly became one of the show’s most recognizable references. The line, “Hey Cass… how long have you been f*cking Nate Jacobs?” lived far beyond the episode itself and is still considered a popular TikTok soundbite in 2026.
That moment sparked widespread conversation across social media, with X (formerly known as Twitter) flooded with debates over whose side viewers were on — Cassie’s or Maddy’s. Fans weren’t just watching the drama unfold; they were fully invested in seeing who would ultimately “win the battle” between the two.
Zendaya’s portrayal of Rue, the show’s deeply complex and troubled protagonist, only added to the intensity. As “everyone’s favorite drug addict,” as fans often jokingly referred to her character online, Rue’s unpredictability kept audiences emotionally invested and coming back every week along fueled with even messier supporting character storylines as well.
Despite competing with the Super Bowl LVI on NBC, Euphoria drew 5.1 million viewers across HBO and HBO Max. That number represented a 20% increase from the previous week and was up 45% from the season’s average. According to Variety, the show’s Season 2 per-episode viewership was already up nearly 100% compared to Season 1 after just its first four episodes.
In the television industry, most shows wouldn’t dare air a new episode during the Super Bowl because of the huge risk of being overshadowed, even for major streaming hits. Just recently, HBO moved up the release dates of Industry and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to Friday instead of their usual Sunday spot to avoid clashing with Super Bowl Sunday, a strategy networks use to protect viewership and engagement.
While Euphoria’s 5.1 million viewers didn’t come close to the Super Bowl’s 112.3 million audience in 2022, the numbers were still impressive given the circumstances and, more importantly, they proved a point.
A scripted show with strong storytelling, a strong cast, and a dedicated fan base can compete with live sports.
If you weren’t watching Euphoria in real time, it’s hard to fully capture just how intense the online conversation was. Imagine the social media buzz surrounding Love Island this past summer, but more focused, more layered, and only once a week. This was back when fans could debate their favorite shows online with a bit more common sense, making the experience entertaining rather than exhausting.
Beyond ratings, Euphoria season 2 dominated pop culture throughout 2022. The show had TikTok in a chokehold, with soundbites going viral, fashion and makeup looks inspired by the series becoming a trend, and debates heating up daily on Twitter. From its soundtrack to its aesthetic, Euphoria became more than a TV show— it became a pop culture staple.
Nearly four years later, Euphoria’s impact still lingers, as the series prepares to return for Season 3 on April 12, 2026.
Still, Euphoria’s decision to air a new episode on Super Bowl Sunday in 2022 proved that the series was operating in a league of its own. In doing so, it showed that a scripted series can hold its own even against the most dominant live sporting event, redefining what appointment television looks like in the streaming era. The show did not just survive one of the most competitive nights on television; it demonstrated that when audiences are emotionally invested, they will show up no matter what else is on.