Stuntin' Like My Daddy (Euphoria)
Nate's backstory and Rue's first day of school.
"Stuntin' Like My Daddy" is the second episode of the first season of the American teen drama television series Euphoria. Written and directed by series creator Sam Levinson, it originally aired on HBO on June 23, 2019. The episode introduces key character backstories and plot threads, including Nate Jacobs' childhood discovery of his father's pornography and his subsequent development of anger issues, as well as Rue Bennett's first day of school with her new friend Jules Vaughn.
- Series
- Euphoria
- Season
- 1
- Episode number
- 2
- Air date
- June 23, 2019
- Network
- HBO
- Writer and director
- Sam Levinson
- Title reference
- 2006 song by Birdman and Lil Wayne
Lore & Background
The episode's cold open shows Nate Jacobs as a child discovering his father Cal's amateur pornography. As a teenager, Nate becomes a popular quarterback with severe anger issues and extreme protectiveness of his girlfriend Maddy Perez. In the present, Rue Bennett spends time with Jules Vaughn on the first day of school, while Kat Hernandez meets classmate Ethan Daley. Rue breaks down in theater class and runs to the bathroom to snort drugs, but is interrupted by her childhood friend Lexi Howard. Rue reminisces about trying oxycodone at thirteen, stealing from her dying father's prescription. Kat discovers that an amateur video of her losing her virginity has been uploaded to PornHub by McKay's brothers, Roy and Troy. Nate breaks into Tyler Clarkson's apartment, coercing him to take the blame for Nate's own assault on Maddy, and brutally beats him. The episode ends revealing that Nate is the Scruff user "ShyGuy118" who has been texting Jules.
Reader's Guide
This episode is significant for establishing Nate Jacobs as a central antagonist and exploring his psychological motivations. It also advances multiple character arcs: Rue's drug addiction and friendship with Jules, Kat's unexpected online fame from a leaked video, and the beginning of Nate's catfishing of Jules. The episode received mostly critical acclaim, though some critics noted it as a connector episode between the premiere and later mid-season highs. The title parallels Nate and his father, and the episode features location shooting at Del Amo Fashion Center and Grant High School. A scene depicting Nate's uncomfortability in a changing room with over thirty shots of penises was criticized by both critics and supporters, with Zendaya addressing the double standard of nudity on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Did You Know?
- The episode title references the 2006 song 'Stuntin' Like My Daddy' by Birdman and Lil Wayne.
- Location shooting for the shopping mall where Nate stalks Tyler took place at Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, California.
- This is the only episode of the first two seasons where the title song appears, playing over the episode's title card.
- Nate's actor Jacob Elordi kept a journal with a photo of Eric Dane (who plays Cal) as the centerpiece to develop his character.
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