Euphoria Episode 6 left viewers shocked and wondering what happened to McKay. He was reportedly raped by eight frat boys while he and Cassie were making out. He then locked himself in the bathroom and cried while pretending everything was fine.

The episode also featured Nate Jacobs putting his signature toxic masculinity act to work. He blackmailed Maddy’s party hookup and continues to manipulate Jules.

Is This the Scene That Made the Original Actor Quit?

Euphoria’s raw approach to sensitive topics has been praised by some and criticized by others. The series was created by Zendaya to “represent teen realities” and address issues that young people face on a daily basis. Unfortunately, some of those realistic aspects have made viewers uncomfortable.

During the season premiere, Brian “Astro” Bradley left the show because of his discomfort with his role and the subject matter. He reportedly felt that the script was too explicit and didn’t fit his character. The show ultimately reshot his scenes with Algee Smith, who plays Cassie’s boyfriend.

Even though HBO has been very upfront that Euphoria isn’t your mama’s teen drama, many parents have been worried about some of the shows’ content. Especially, after a locker room scene featured 17 penises (yes, we counted) in full view. It was allegedly toned down due to concerns from prudish execs. It was also rumored that Barbie Ferreira (Kat Hernandez) butted heads with creator Sam Levinson over her character’s direction.

Did Algee Smith Quit?

Euphoria returned for season two earlier this month, and while the show has been gaining traction in terms of viewership, some critics are wondering if it’s really all that. One of the things that’s been causing concern is the way that the show handles its controversial scenes.

This week’s episode featured a disturbing scene that saw McKay attacked by a group of frat boys in his dorm room. While it didn’t look like the guys actually raped him, they were straddling him and simulating sex acts.

It was a shocking scene that left many viewers feeling unsafe after watching the episode. However, it was also the kind of scene that would make sense on a show like Euphoria that embraces a toxic notion of masculinity. In fact, that’s what we’ve seen a lot of this season. From McKay’s dad preaching about the importance of releasing emotions through beautiful words to his own desire to yell at players on the football field, this has been a season of bottled up anger.

Was the Scene That Made the Original Actor Quit the Same Scene That Made Algee Smith Quit?

The second season of HBO’s boundary-pushing teen drama Euphoria is currently airing, and many viewers are still trying to wrap their heads around some of the more controversial scenes. One such scene has been causing a lot of confusion and angst among viewers is a disturbing bedroom scene involving Chris McKay, the lone college student in the group of troubled, revenge-prone, pill-popping teen delinquents.

It’s unclear if this is the same scene that made original actor Brian ‘Astro’ Bradley quit the show, but sources told The Hollywood Reporter that he was uncomfortable shooting some of the more graphic scenes. He was replaced by Algee Smith (The Hate U Give) and had his pilot scenes reshot.

There were also rumors that his storyline was reduced because Smith is unvaccinated, but a representative for HBO denied this, saying that the decision to reduce McKay’s presence was entirely creative and not influenced by Smith’s vaccine status. The rep also noted that he complied with all of the production’s COVID-19 testing protocols, including multiple times a week and on days off.

Was the Scene That Made the Original Actor Quit the Same Scene That Made Algee Smith Quit the Original Actor?

After two fairly Rue-centric episodes, Euphoria needed to refocus its narrative and deliver some meatier drama. This week’s episode was delivered.

This episode also features the return of Algee Smith as McKay. He and his storyline haven’t been as compelling or interesting as others, but this episode gives him a chance to shine.

He’s beaten by a group of ski mask-wearing white fraternity brothers, who drag him out of bed naked and repeatedly pantomime sodomizing him in a nightmarish scene that brings to mind the many horrors and indignities Black men have suffered throughout history. The scene was originally much more graphic but was toned down by HBO to avoid alienating prudish viewers.

Meanwhile, Kat and Ethan bicker, and he continues to play with her emotionally. His behavior is reminiscent of the way he used to treat her when they first started dating. This week, he threatens to take her away from her family.