Every Sydney Sweeney TV Show, Ranked

5 Everything Sucks!

Emaline Addario

Netflix’s Everything Sucks! is a hidden gem from the streaming service’s early wave of teen nostalgia shows. Set in 1996 in the real-life town of Boring, Oregon, the series follows a group of high school outsiders split between the A/V club and the drama club.

The show leans heavily into its ‘90s aesthetic — VHS camcorders, alt-rock needle drops, awkward teen angst, and while it sometimes piles on familiar coming-of-age tropes, it still manages to land genuine emotional moments. Often compared to a more comedy-forward Freaks and Geeks, Everything Sucks! only lasted a single season despite earned solid reviews, leaving its storylines frustratingly unfinished.

Sydney Sweeney appears as Emaline Addario, a dramatic and unpredictable junior in the school’s theater program. Emaline initially seems like a classic high school “drama queen,” leaning into theatrical flair and chaotic energy that makes her a scene-stealer in the show’s ensemble.

However, Sweeney gradually reveals deeper layers beneath Emaline’s bravado. Her character struggles with loneliness and identity, turning what could have been a one-note comedic role into something far more empathetic.

The series itself faced criticism for occasionally relying too heavily on nostalgia gimmicks and exaggerated teen situations, and some supporting characters never received the development they deserved. Still, the ensemble performances were widely praised, particularly the coming-out storyline that became the emotional centerpiece of the season.

Everything Sucks! feels like an early prototype for the kind of heightened teen storytelling that would later define Euphoria. Even in a supporting role, Sweeney’s performance hints at the intensity and vulnerability she would later bring to more prominent shows.

4 The Handmaid’s Tale

Eden Spencer

The Handmaid’s Tale debuted to near-universal acclaim, bringing Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel to life with striking visuals and powerful performances. The first season closely adapted Atwood’s source material and was widely hailed as a masterpiece of prestige television.

Its runaway success led Hulu to continue the story beyond the novel, transforming what initially seemed like a limited adaptation into a long-running series. Beginning with season 2, the show had to expand the world of Gilead without the guidance of Atwood’s original narrative.

While the second season remained largely beloved, some cracks began to appear in its critical reception. Reviewers noted pacing issues, increasingly graphic brutality, and storylines that occasionally felt stretched beyond their natural endpoint. By The Handmaid's Tale seasons 3 and 4, the response had grown more mixed, with many critics and viewers feeling that the narrative had become repetitive and slow-moving.

Sydney Sweeney appeared in The Handmaid's Tale season 2 as Eden Spencer, a devout teenage girl assigned to marry Nick. Eden genuinely believes in Gilead’s teachings and eagerly tries to be the perfect wife. Her innocence and devotion make her storyline especially tragic, as she struggles to understand a world in which affection and personal freedom are tightly controlled.

Although Eden appears in only a handful of episodes, Sweeney leaves a strong impression. The character functions more as a narrative catalyst than a fully developed figure, but her arc is one of the most emotionally devastating threads in The Handmaid's Tale season 2.

When Eden falls in love with a young Guardian and attempts to run away, she is captured and condemned. Even when given the chance to save herself by repenting, Eden refuses, choosing conviction over survival in a moment that underscores the cruelty and indoctrination at the heart of Gilead.

3 Sharp Objects

Alice

HBO’s Sharp Objects is a nearly unbearable slow burn, maintaining its grip through an unshakably grim atmosphere and an exceptional cast. Based on Gillian Flynn’s novel, the series follows journalist Camille Preaker as she returns to her hometown to report on a string of murders, forcing her to confront the trauma she has spent years trying to escape.

Sharp Objects benefits from its tight structure, delivering a story that is both carefully paced and gripping in execution. The series is directed with a sure hand and occasionally flamboyant stylistic flourishes by Jean-Marc Vallée, who directed all eight episodes.

His fragmented editing and dreamlike transitions mirror Camille’s fractured mental state. Paired with Flynn’s honey-coated but often barbed dialogue and a powerhouse ensemble led by Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects is an intense psychological portrait of generational trauma, small-town toxicity, and the damage people carry with them long after they leave home.

Sweeney appears in Sharp Objects in a smaller but memorable role as Alice, Camille’s friend from a psychiatric hospital. Alice is introduced through flashbacks, where the two form a fragile bond in treatment while coping with self-destructive impulses. She is one of the few people who truly understands Camille’s pain, offering moments of empathy and dark humor within an otherwise bleak environment.

Alice’s storyline ultimately turns tragic, and her fate leaves a lasting emotional mark on Camille. Even though Sweeney appears only briefly, the role helps illuminate Camille’s backstory and emotional wounds. Like many supporting characters in Sharp Objects, Alice functions as more of a key piece of the psychological puzzle that defines Camille’s trauma.

2 The White Lotus

Olivia Mossbacher

The White Lotus turned the limitations of the COVID-19 era production into its greatest strength. Created by Mike White, the series embraced a contained premise: assemble a talented ensemble cast, drop them into a luxurious tropical resort, and let the twisty interpersonal drama slowly unfurl.

With its satirical bite and murder-mystery framing device, the first season quickly became one of the most talked-about shows of 2021. What could have felt like a small, quarantined production instead felt sharply observed and expansive, skewering wealth, entitlement, and performative morality.

Two years after the premiere of Euphoria, Sweeney appeared in The White Lotus season 1 as Olivia Mossbacher, the sardonic college sophomore vacationing with her wealthy family. Olivia prides herself on moral superiority, yet her arc reveals the contradiction at the center of her worldview. Despite her progressive rhetoric, she rarely challenges the systems that benefit her.

Olivia’s dynamic with her friend Paula became one of the most memorable elements of season 1, capturing a very specific cultural moment: hyper-online, socially conscious college students wrestling with questions of privilege while still enjoying its advantages. The pair’s biting commentary and simmering tension add both humor and thematic depth, helping define the show’s satirical voice.

For Sweeney, Olivia remains one of her best roles. Olivia has a veneer of confidence, but she is deeply insecure and quietly competitive, particularly in her friendship with Paula. The character allows her to balance dry wit, subtle insecurity, and quiet judgment, helping establish the sharp social satire that made The White Lotus a breakout success.

1 Euphoria

Cassie Howard

Euphoria immediately stood out from other teen dramas for its exploration of addiction, identity, relationships, and trauma through an intensely stylized lens. Season 1 was widely praised for its bold visual style, emotionally raw performances, and willingness to tackle difficult subject matter head-on.

Euphoria’s impact expanded dramatically between seasons. After a pandemic delay, Euphoria season 2 premiered in 2022 and exploded into a full cultural phenomenon. The show’s aesthetic - glitter tears, bold makeup, and surreal party sequences bathed in neon light - became instantly recognizable. At its peak, Euphoria became one of HBO’s most-watched series since Game of Thrones.

Sweeney plays Cassie Howard, one of the show’s most emotionally volatile and tragic characters. Introduced in season 1, Cassie is a popular but deeply insecure teenager whose storyline revolves around her desperate need for love and validation, shaping a girl who often equates attention with affection.

Cassie’s role becomes even more central in season 2, when her secret relationship with Nate Jacobs ignites one of the show’s biggest conflicts. Her increasingly erratic behavior, including the now-iconic bathroom meltdown scene, became one of the most widely discussed moments of the season.

For Sweeney, Cassie Howard remains her most defining role. Euphoria gives her the space to play a character with enormous emotional range, and she fully commits to Cassie’s vulnerability, insecurity, and volatility. Whether portraying quiet heartbreak or explosive breakdowns, Sydney Sweeney brings a raw intensity that makes Cassie feel painfully real rather than melodramatic.