The Idol is maybe HBO's biggest misstep in a while. Created by Sam Levinson (Euphoria), Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, and Reza Fahim.
The five part The Idol, focuses on an aspiring pop idol (Lily-Rose Depp) and her complex relationship with Tedros (Tesfaye), a self-help guru and cult leader.
Joining the musical and non-musical cast are Suzanna Son, Troye Sivan, Moses Sumney, Jane Adams, Dan Levy, Jennie Ruby Jane, Eli Roth, Rachel Sennott, Hari Nef, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Mike Dean, Ramsey, and Hank Azaria.
HBO have had an extremely solid start to 2023, with The Last of Us, final season of Succession, critical acclaim for the final run of Barry along with one of my favourite TV comedies returning, Somebody Somewhere. So for this series (in my opinion) to start strong then just go bat shit crazy! Like real bat shit crazy!
With The Weeknd releasing the outstanding single Popular with mad old Madonna and Playboi Carti, along with Lily-Rose Depp's single World Class Sinner/I'm a Freak.
The Idol premiered its first two episodes at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, then starting on Binge in Australia early June.
Originally meant to run for six episodes, something happened, then episode five served at the season finales. Well in my mind this will be a series finale. I can't see this returning for a second run. Receiving negative reviews from critics for its script, direction, and sexual content, loads of hate comments online along with really, really bad press.
Although the cinematography, production design, and Depp's performance were praised.
Now the first three episodes were decent, however the final two were just plain AWFUL.
In the finale. Spoilers ahead if you can get through all five episodes.
Jocelyn Forever opens with Jocelyn recording “Tough Love” with Tedros’ (The Weeknd) hand-picked producer Mike Dean.
The song is coming together, but when Tedros tries to get involved, she abruptly turns on him. Maybe Jocelyn is over The Weeknd?
Then Jocelyn gets an urgent call from her Live Nation rep Andrew Finklestein, who needs to meet her face-to-face to discuss her tour. Leia tries to tell her something, but she coldly cuts her off.
Jocelyn assembles Tedros’ "cult" and offers them a showcase with her team, snapping at Tedros when he tries to speak. Tedros pulls Xander aside and urges him to stand up for himself and grab this opportunity.
A fleet of luxury cars pull up to Jocelyn’s house, and the cult warmly greet Chaim, Destiny, Nikki and Andrew with warm hugs — and plenty of sexual innuendo.
Tedros immediately attacks Nikki, though, for being algorithm cunt for signing Dyanne without his approval. Andrew cuts him off, telling him he’s leaving in five minutes if Jocelyn doesn’t show up. While they wait, Destiny asks Chloe to sing the song she was working on, and Chaim is impressed, but Andrew is growing impatient — and Leia is fielding frantic calls from Jocelyn’s ex Rob, saying he’s been accused of rape at Jocelyn’s house and he needs Joss to clear his name.
Jocelyn finally emerges, telling Andrew she wants Chloe to be her opening act and asking him to listen to Izaak before she sings.
He reluctantly agrees, and yes, Izaak is wildly talented, but Andrew is concerned about Jocelyn’s state of mind and how it affects his bottom line. But eventually, the talent wins everyone over — even Nikki, who offers Tedros an olive branch and makes plans with him while Destiny and Chaim conspire to keep these kids for themselves.
The mood in the room changes, though, when Nikki gets word about Rob’s rape accusation. Jocelyn is stunned and stares daggers at Tedros, who throws Rob under the bus.
While Xander grabs the mike and sings a dreamy version of “My Sweet Lord,” Jocelyn grabs Tedros and accuses him directly, ordering him to leave.
Jocelyn threatens to call the cops, and he says he’ll kill her before they get to him. So she goes straight to Chaim and tells him, “Pay him whatever the fuck he wants to get out of my life forever.” Chaim chats with Tedros, telling him the twisted story of the Big Bad Wolf that comes across as a thinly veiled threat, and security hauls him away while Jocelyn dances and writhes to a new song for Andrew.
Chaim gives Tedros half a million dollars to disappear, but Tedros defiantly tears up the check. Chaim will go to Plan B.
Andrew loves the song and loves Jocelyn’s new direction, and the tour is back on. Chaim tells Jocelyn that Tedros is done, though he doesn’t get into specifics, and Leia leaves Jocelyn a note that looks like a resignation letter.
Nikki breaks the news to Dyanne that they’re holding the release of her song due to a nebulous legal matter and Dyanne knows it’s about Jocelyn.
Chaim meets with Vanity Fair writer Talia and tells her he has a bigger story for her.
Time jump, six weeks later, with Joss about to embark on a sold-out stadium tour with a trio of hit singles and Chloe, Izaak and Xander as her opening acts.
Tedros is firmly out of the picture, too, after Talia’s Vanity Fair article exposed his past as a pimp and made him lose his club. Andrew and her team celebrate his downfall, but Tedros still shows up at the stadium, asking if Joss left an artist pass for him.
There’s nothing under “Tedros,” but there is a pass under his real name, Mauricio Jackson.
He goes to see Jocelyn, only to find Destiny, who threatens to kill him if he hurts Joss.
Jocelyn finally comes out to see him, telling him she’s glad he came and intimately cradling his face. He notices she still has the hairbrush her mom supposedly beat her with.
So that story was made up? They hold hands as she rides off to the stage before facing an adoring crowd chanting her name. She wants to introduce them to “the love of her life,” bringing Tedros on stage with her and kissing him while her team looks on with disbelief.
“You’re mine, forever,” she tells Tedros before ordering him to stand off to the side.
So it was a weird AF final hour and five minutes. I really would be surprised if HBO gave this another few episodes. It has been relatively popular however it was a real red hot mess. With the writers strike, awful reviews and HBO already cancelling series like Perry Mason, this could also be a one and very expensive done!
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