The Idol it only ran on HBO for five episodes. (The show was originally greenlit for a six-episode run, but when the series was heavily reworked during production, it was cut down to five.) Perhaps given its reception and subject matter, that is for the better.
The show featured Lily-Rose Depp and Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd. The show’s plot centers around Depp’s character, Jocelyn, a pop star who becomes increasingly attached to Tesfaye’s character, Tedros. Jocelyn had a mild breakdown and is trying to put her difficult career back together. Tedros owns a night club and seems to be a powerful man in the business. Eventually, it becomes clear that he is also a cult leader and a dangerous presence.
Sam Levinson, creator of the HBO teen drama Euphoria, and Tesfaye worked together to cook this series, and it certainly has that feeling. Unfortunately, critics also say it’s almost unnecessarily dark. Some felt it didn’t do a very good job satirizing the industry they are trying to exploit; instead he was just as spiritual as the world he was trying to portray.
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After a controversial first season – and rumors earlier this summer that the show would not return for a second season, which HBO denied at the time – the series is now officially over . Here’s what a spokesperson from the channel had to say about the news:
Idol was one of HBO’s most exciting original programs, and we are delighted with the audience’s strong response. After much thought and consideration, HBO, as well as the creators and producers have decided not to move forward with a second season. We are grateful to the creators, cast and crew for their amazing work.
In addition, it seems that some of the people behind the show had a mixed understanding of what was intended from the beginning. Moses Sumney believed that it was a limited series, while Da’Vine Joy Randolph had accepted that there would definitely be a second season. The show is at 19 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
