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Episode 7 “Rain or Shine” Recap and Details
- Director(s): Sam Levinson
- Writer(s): Sam Levinson
- Public Release Date (HBO Max): May 25, 2026
- Check out more of our “Euphoria” coverage.
- Images © of HBO
The Man In The Hole: Hooker, Ali, Nate, Naz, Artur, Rue
This episode focuses on Ali back when he was cheating on his wife, with a hooker of all things, smoking crack, and far from the man he is today. We even see what it takes and the weight of being that man, as he spends quality time with Rue, we see how he handled the pandemic, and peer into his book of those he wasn’t able to help get to the other side. Heck, to set the tone of the episode, we even get to see him discover, or go to the funeral, of many who didn’t make it.
Of which, for Nate, he is one of the characters who has 0 chance of returning if Euphoria ever gets a 4th season. Thanks to Naz wanting his money and feeling the need to up the stakes, he has Artur, the one who has been beating up Nate, bury him alive. But, while focused on how long he could survive without water, it wasn’t factored in that a snake could just bite and kill him.
With Friends Like These: Maddy, Naz, Cassie, Alamo, Dylan, Patty
Nate’s debt was marital debt, so Cassie was expected to pay when Nate didn’t. Thing is, Cassie closed her OnlyFans account. Which, with the network telling Patty they don’t want to hire Cassie, means her income source is gone. Then, to make matters worse, Maddy gets fired, so Cassie, not having income, doesn’t get her percentage or have a way to platform Alamo’s girls.
So with that, Maddy gets on Cassie’s case, makes it clear she basically owns her, and works on rebuilding her life by re-running the playbook. She uses Dylan to make Cassie famous again, with over 100K followers after Cassie posts herself on Dylan’s social media, post-sex. However, Naz still wants a million dollars.
Enter Maddy, making a deal with the devil, Alamo, who is admittedly sweet on her. However, this doesn’t mean that when they learn Nate is dead, he lets this go. Especially since Alamo killed Naz, permanently ending that problem for Cassie and, in extension, Maddy.
Only God Can Judge Me: Rue, Faye, Wayne, Laurie, Lexi, Maddy, Ali
Rue can see the end of her journey coming soon, and she thinks it could be a happy ending – maybe one like Ali, where she helps people instead of playing a part in destroying their lives. However, there are so many obstacles in the way. There is Lexi, who has very little faith in Rue. Maddy? She blabs what Lexi told her about Rue having worries about the DEA to Alamo, but the biggest issue is everyone who lives in Laurie’s compound.
With the creation of a story that Alamo beat and sent her away, accused of being a traitor, Laurie’s people don’t welcome Rue with open arms, but she does get to sit amongst them. But it is made clear that she will be punished. Rue is hoping that the DEA will swoop in before then, especially as Alamo and Laurie’s people make a drug run, but it isn’t clear if they may arrive on time.
You see, Wayne doesn’t want to mangle or sell off Rue; he wants her dead. In fact, he wants Faye to do it, and originally, she is against it. She wants to rob Wayne and Laurie blind with Rue, but when they get into Wayne’s safe, and there is no money there, Faye flips out. She snitches on Rue, and we’re left, once again, questioning how or if Rue may survive another screw-up?
New Characters in Episode 7
Hooker (Natasha Lyonne)
- Character Summary: This unnamed woman is the one Ali would get high and cheat on his wife with.
Artur (Matthew Willig)
- Character Summary: Artur is Naz’s right hand, who handled his dirty work.
Collected Quote(s)
- Short-term desires become long-term patterns – Rue
Review and Commentary
Highlights
Ali’s Backstory [83/100]
While there is a part of me that does wish we got to see his daughters, older now, talk to him and see that dynamic, getting to see the dark side of Ali wasn’t terrible. I think what was more impactful was his shift towards trying to save young people than seeing him at his worst, however. For the smoking, crack, boxing, and fights with his wife off-screen, I don’t think we needed that visual. It didn’t really paint the kind of rock bottom that held a candle to Rue’s rock bottom.
However, I will admit getting emotional as the show walked us through his multiple failures, discovering people hanging themselves, and being left to wonder if Rue would be a phone call he makes periodically, or a new name for his little black book.
Low Points
Not As Excited For The Penultimate Episode as We Should Be [67/100]
While HBO has the next episode labeled as a season finale, it is difficult to imagine it not being the series finale. Nate is dead, things have escalated for Rue in such a way that either she needs to be put in a box, jail, or get a happy ending, and while Maddy, Cassie, Lexi, and some others have storylines that could still unfurl, it seems like things would be best to end now. But, even with the likelihood of ending with the next episode, I’m not giddy, scared of what may happen, or have that sort of peace that can come with closure.
Because this was such a transitional season, I’m more interested in seeing if Sam Levinson can pull off something worthy of season 3 existing, never mind the hype the show had for its first two seasons.
On The Fence
Nate’s Death Felt Anti-Climactic [73/100]
As said in our past coverage for this season, Nate had a lot coming to him. But this season, which almost purely focused on karma coming to collect, took away from everything that was left to understand or discover. Yes, we got to see him and his dad work through their issues to a point, but that felt like a small part of his journey. What about his performance of being a man, an alpha male type? His own trauma, not just what his dad subjected others to, which the two have worked through? There was a heart there that could have done more than swell up, bled out, and leave us with a corpse.
Maddy Losing The Upper Hand [74/100]
Seeing characters like Maddy be vulnerable can often be considered a treat. However, when it is with characters like Alamo? That’s different. But perhaps one of the key issues here is that Maddy made herself vulnerable not only for Cassie but also for Nate. Two people she has immensely complicated relationships with, and truly, had what Naz promised coming to them.
So to see her soft underbelly, her willingness to get into an outfit Alamo picked, and get into a hot tub with him to work out a deal? I feel like it should have been a bigger thing. Not just because of Maddy’s history with Cassie and Nate, but because of Rue’s recent warning and the fact that Maddy doesn’t have a safety net. So, there won’t be anyone coming to save her if things go south.
Scenes That Feel Missing [73.5/100]
While I can’t think of anything that could or should have been cut, I do feel like certain things should have been added or made clear. For example, did Maddy have sex with Alamo? Euphoria doesn’t really do subtle when it comes to sex or violence, so if it wasn’t seen, should we assume it didn’t happen? Also, considering how Lexi is evolving into a villain, not getting her to see the absolute pleasure of telling Cassie she got fired seems like a lost opportunity.
Never mind, considering Dylan has been pimped and used by Maddy, with multiple girls, it would have been interesting to see how he felt after Cassie made that post. He seems like a nice guy, so the reminder that, as likable as Cassie is, she is a pimp, a user, and as bad as everyone else, would have been good for her character.
Add in questioning where Bishop is, maybe seeing Nate’s dad – assuming his actor was able to still perform at the time, it just feels like a lot of things which could have bolstered this episode were sidestepped.
Overall
Our Overall Rating [74/100]
As the latest season comes to a close, there is a need to wonder, with a tonal shift, survival seeming less likely for Rue, will this show end its lead and star or do a classic ending which leaves the door open for interpretation? The coward’s way out?
What To Check Out Next
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