Euphoria’s melancholy first season has come to a close, but that doesn’t mean everyone is entitled to a happy ending. While many of the central characters are slithering through high school blues, Christopher McKay (played by Algee Smith) is experiencing more than red cup shindigs in college.
Viewers caught another glimpse of the machismo McKay in “The Next Episode” while experiencing the parallels of male masculinity, especially when it comes to young black men. Enticed by thought of ruling an all-white fraternity, McKay’s hazing period is more traumatic than comical as he finds himself in his most vulnerable state yet. While getting in between the sheets with Cassie (Sydney Sweeney), his future fraternity brothers invade his room, leaving him naked, frightened and defenseless to himself and Cassie.
The gang of five or six pins McKay face down on the ground as they force themselves on top of him, dry humping him profusely. A phone shines down on his body as they record the incident. Cassie finds herself screaming “Stop! Get off of him!” as the group chants “McGay! McGay! McGay!” The Sig Pi Nu brothers finish the act and exit the room. As tears run down the face of Mckay and his trembling body lays face dwon on the ground, viewers go through the trauma and humiliation he recieved from his frat brothers. McKay is rattled and embarrassed, as Cassie sits on the bed in silence attemption to piece together what occurred. He has a moment to himself in the bathroom where he is faced with his emotions although he momentarily avoids staring at himself in the mirror.
Euphoria’s knack to push the envelope has raised eyebrows but for Smith, the goal is to tell a story many others have glossed over.
“I feel like that [incident] challenged everything in him,” he tells VIBE. “You’re in a personal moment with your girl and out of nowhere, this happened. You know getting hazed is a part of the proccess, but he didn’t expect it at this time. This challenged him as a man since he couldn’t protect Cassie or himself.”
Click here to read the full VIBE interview with Algee Smith.