HBO's Euphoria features complex characters with major flaws who sometimes do unlikable things. Despite that, some remain incredibly likable.

Content Warning: This list contains mentions of drug addiction, domestic violence, and sexual assault.

HBO's Euphoria is one of the most unique shows on all of television and it is filled with some of the most complex characters anywhere. They all have major flaws and make huge mistakes. At times, even the best of people on the show have moments where the viewer doesn't like them.

Of course, there are still some characters who are incredibly likable almost every time they appear on screen. Then on the other side of things, some are so detestable that the audience can't stand them. Most of them fall in the middle though, where things get a little tougher to figure out.

Updated on February 23rd, 2022 by Kevin Pantoja: It's often hard to rank Euphoria by likability because so many of them do questionable things, yet remain in the good graces of the fans. Even the protagonist, Rue, has done some seemingly unforgivable things during her tenure on the show. It helps that the Euphoria main characters are a varied bunch so you get a range of those who are almost always good and some who are truly terrible in every imaginable way. These are the kind of things that make the show such an intriguing watch on a weekly basis.

15 Cal Jacobs

The Jacobs family are the main antagonists of the series for a reason. When viewers first saw Cal, he was having sex with the underage Jules and recording it. That's enough to make him the most unlikable person on the show but Cal takes things to the next level.

He is also the person who has helped make his son as terrible as he is. Cal's sexual exploits were found out by Nate and turned him into an angry person. Cal also doesn't seem to care much for his wife and he doesn't like one of his sons, while he also treats the other poorly. Even when the show tried to give him a heartfelt backstory, it wasn't enough to turn fans around.

14 Nate Jacobs

In the first episode, Nate has clear problems with Maddy and bullies Jules at a party. Things get taken up to the next level in the following installment, "Stuntin' Like My Daddy." That's when he beats Tyler to a pulp and threatens to have him arrested just because of what Maddy told him. Nate only becomes more unlikable as audiences watch him catfish and blackmail Jules in the coming episodes.

He also completely ruins Tyler's life, framing him for assaulting Maddy when it was Nate who actually choked her. Nate treats everyone like they're beneath him and shows no remorse, getting away with it all. Even when he does something good, like give Jules the video of her and his father, he goes to awful lengths to get there, pointing a gun at Maddy's head and threatening her.

13 Elliot

The newest addition to the cast is Elliot, a student who Rue befriends at the New Year's Eve party in the season 2 premiere. He's doing drugs and she immediately bonded with him over that, continuing to do drugs afterward for a while. Elliot and Rue even admitted that they brought out the worst in each other.

He seemed to turn a corner with how he put down the drugs and revealed to Jules that Rue was still using. However, he apparently regretted the decision as he liked Rue how she was, even if it was killing her. He also seemed to enjoy being in the middle of the relationship drama between Rue and Jules a little too much.

12 Cassie Howard

The tale of Cassie Howard is a sad one. The tragedy of her father is one thing but she also struggles with her reputation. "The Trials and Tribulations of Trying to Pee While Depressed" laid out why she acts the way she does in her relationships. Just because she's done some sexual things in her past, that's all people see.

Alas, season 2 has done a 180 on her character. Cassie went from a sweet girl to someone who has become obsessive in the worst way. She believes she's in love with Nate, which has caused her to lash out at her friends and family members. Cassie also gave up Fezco to Cal and betrayed Maddy by hooking up with Nate and never stepping up to face the consequences or be honest.

11 Chris McKay

Chris McKay seems like he has a good heart. He has genuine feelings for Cassie but is easily persuaded and worries too much about what other people think. He has been shown to go out of his way to degrade Cassie or slut-shame her for her attire and past simply because Nate and others have said things to him.

McKay also didn't have the best response to Cassie's pregnancy. He'd be much happier and more likable if he worried more about himself and less about what his father and friends say. He hasn't been around enough in season 2 for anything to have really changed about him.

10 Kat Hernandez

When the series begins, it's clear that Kat is trying her best to fit in. She wants to be as cool and sexually experienced as her friends like Maddy. That sends her down the path to start experimenting and it actually leads to growth as a person. Kat changes up her look, begins to exude confidence, and owns who she is.

Throw in the way that she becomes a popular cam girl online and there's a lot to like about who Kat becomes. However, there are still the expected issues from someone growing. She remains insecure and when she sees Ethan harmlessly talking to another girl, she breaks his heart out of spite, which was uncalled for. It's understandable that, in season 2, she didn't feel a spark with Ethan but the way she went about breaking up with him was pretty terrible.

9 Rue Bennett

As the show's protagonist, you might expect Rue to rank higher. To be fair, the fans of the show do love her (and especially Zendaya's performance as her). That being said, it's difficult to fully consider her as the most likable person on the show. While she's sympathetic, there are some issues.

Fans root for her to get what she desires and become a happy person. She makes it difficult though and even admits that she would be a different person if she could be. Season 2 showed the worst of Rue, as her addiction led her to berate Jules, Ali, and her family members. Rue is certainly the show's best character but that doesn't always mean she's someone to love.

8 Gia Bennett

Things are hard for poor Gia Bennett. As Rue's younger sister, she gets a first hand look at what addiction has done to her and it's crushing. Gia seems to take the entire thing harder than anyone, showing a lot of emotions whenever Rue has one of her episodes.

Gia looked to dabble in some minor drugs in season 1 but it seems like Rue's experiences have changed her. Season 2 hasn't seen her trying anything like that as she mostly deals with the turmoil at home. There's really nothing to dislike about Gia though she isn't as prominent as other characters.

7 Ashtray

Ashtray is one of the characters who was bumped up to the main cast in season 2 and has only gotten more likable. While it's true that he did kill Mouse in cold blood, Ash did it to protect Fezco. That's what Ash is all about actually, as loyalty is his biggest trait.

Fans appreciate someone who is loyal and Ashtray would kill for Fezco. While he's not the most prominent character on the show, whenever he's around he has been one of the highlights.

6 Maddy Perez

Like Cassie, Maddy has done a turnaround in season 2 but in the opposite direction. Season 1 showed that she wanted to do nothing with her life and that she was happy to be with Nate, no matter how poorly he treated her because she can do nothing while he provides and buys her gifts. Her worst traits came out with him due to their horrifically toxic relationship.

Surprisingly, season 2 has seen her grow as a person. Maddy got a job to do something for herself and bonded with the kid she babysat for. She also seemed to push Nate away, though it was difficult. Maddy showed more emotion this season, explaining how betrayed she felt by Cassie in a heartbreaking scene. To top it off, she was also a good friend to Kat and acted as a big sister to Lexi.

5 Ethan Daley

In season 1, Ethan was basically as pure as they came. He was the nice guy who wanted Kat's attention and genuinely liked her, never trying to manipulate her or anything like that. He even said he'd do his best to not break her heart, saying he'd rather get hurt than hurt her.

Season 2 led to their breakup as Kat was missing a spark but Ethan remained good. He was a loyal boyfriend until the split and even then was just upset at Kat's lies about trying to dump him. When he appeared in Lexi's play, he took things up a notch, delivering a performance that made fans everywhere adore him.

4 Jules Vaughn

There are some fans out there who believed Jules was something of a villain. The special episode surrounding proved that's not the case. Ultimately, whenever she pulls away from Rue it's because she has a legitimate reason. Jules struggles with loving an addict and the pressure that comes with it.

There's a lot to love about how Jules is unabashedly herself no matter what people think. Fans were upset with her for kissing Elliot and what that meant for her and Rue but she did the right thing by telling Rue's mom about her using drugs. Jules has also proven to be a very good friend to Kat and especially Maddy recently.

3 Ali

Rue is someone who needs to be called on out at times and Ali is the person to do it most often. He met her in Narcotics Anonymous and saw through her lies, ultimately becoming her sponsor. He was a background character until the special episode where he and Rue had a long conversation in a diner.

Ali opened up, revealing some horrible things he had done. Despite that, he owned up to them and used it to help Rue in her situation. Even when she threw those things back at him in a hurtful moment, he was quick to forgive her because he's a good person at heart.

2 Lexi Howard

It's surprising that Lexi was one of the few characters to not get an episode with flashbacks dedicated to her in season 1. Despite that, she played a part in the past of both Rue and her sister Cassie. Lexi proves herself to be a loyal friend, always there for Rue regardless of the situation.

She is willing to give Rue her urine to pass a drug test, she's at her side during a rough Halloween, and it's Lexi who Rue imagines as her partner in crime when solving the Nate/Jules mystery. Lexi became a bigger player in season 2 thanks to her adorable romance with Fezco. While her play wasn't the nicest thing to do, viewers got behind most of it.

1 Fezco

In a lot of shows and films, drug dealers aren't depicted as the good guys. That's not the case in Euphoria. Fezco is a flat-out likable good guy from the second he's seen. He cares deeply for Rue, spending hundreds of dollars to protect her from a gangster. Even when Rue shouts at him that he made her an addict in an emotional scene, Fezco refuses to indulge her again.

He also looks out for her by standing up to Nate for her. There's also the way that he's shown taking care of his sick grandmother and Ashtray and how he's willing to do whatever it takes for those he loves. He's even endlessly nice to Faye when she enters his life and he shows genuine interest in Lexi as a person. His heart of gold is clear.

NEXT: 10 Best Non-Romantic Relationships On Euphoria

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