The Idol (TV series) explained

Genre:Drama
Director:Sam Levinson
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:1
Num Episodes:5
Producer:Harrison Kreiss
Location:Los Angeles, California
Runtime:45–65 minutes
Network:HBO
Related:Euphoria

The Idol is an American drama television series created by Sam Levinson, Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, and Reza Fahim. The series focuses on female pop idol Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) and her complex relationship with Tedros (Tesfaye), a sleazy nightclub owner, self-help guru, and cult leader. Appearing in supporting roles are Suzanna Son, Troye Sivan, Jane Adams, Jennie Ruby Jane, Rachel Sennott, Hari Nef, Moses Sumney, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Eli Roth, Ramsey, and Hank Azaria.

The Idol underwent significant creative changes, with Levinson taking over directing duties and reshaping the series to align with a new vision. There was a shift away from the initial storyline towards a focus on a "degrading" love story with heavier sexual content. Production was paused and resumed several times, with scenes filmed during Tesfaye's tour. The series was shot using improvisation and featured scenes filmed at Tesfaye's mansion.

It premiered its first two episodes at the 76th Cannes Film Festival in May 2023. The series aired on HBO and Max from June 4 to July 2, 2023. The series was widely panned upon release and was canceled after one season in August 2023.[1] [2]

Synopsis

Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) is a pop idol who resolves to reclaim her title as the sexiest pop star in the United States after her last tour was canceled following a nervous breakdown. She begins a complex relationship with Tedros (Abel Tesfaye), a self-help guru and the head of a contemporary cult.[3]

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Guest

Production

Development

On June 29, 2021, Tesfaye announced that he would be creating, executive producing, and co-writing a drama series for HBO alongside Reza Fahim and Sam Levinson.[7] On the same day, Ashley Levinson and Joseph Epstein were announced as executive producers for the series, with Epstein also serving as a writer and the series' showrunner. Mary Laws was also announced as a writer and a co-executive producer, alongside Tesfaye's co-manager Wassim Slaiby and his creative director La Mar Taylor.[8] Amy Seimetz was signed on as the director and as an executive producer.[9]

On November 22, 2021, HBO gave the production a series order for a first season consisting of six episodes.[10] Following a creative overhaul in the spring of 2022, the season was condensed to five episodes.[11] On January 14, 2022, Deadline Hollywood reported that Nick Hall had joined the production as an executive producer, following his move to A24 to oversee creative for the company's television slate.[12] On August 28, 2023, HBO announced that The Idol was canceled after one season.[2]

Casting

In the initial announcement, Tesfaye revealed that he would be starring in the series.[13] On September 29, 2021, it was reported that Lily-Rose Depp had signed on to play the female lead opposite Tesfaye.[14] [15] On November 22, Suzanna Son, Steve Zissis, and Troye Sivan joined the main cast, while Melanie Liburd, Tunde Adebimpe, Elizabeth Berkley, Nico Hiraga, and Anne Heche were announced as recurring characters.[16] On December 2, Juliebeth Gonzalez joined the cast as a series regular, while Maya Eshet, Tyson Ritter, Kate Lyn Sheil, Liz Caribel Sierra, and Finley Rose Slater were cast in recurring roles.[17]

On April 25, 2022, Variety reported that the show was set to undergo a major overhaul, with "drastic" changes in the cast and creative directions. On April 27, Deadline Hollywood reported that Son, Zissis, and Gonzalez were not expected to return.[18] In July, actors Rachel Sennott and Hari Nef, along with Jennie Ruby Jane, joined the cast;[19] [20] [21] Moses Sumney, Jane Adams, Dan Levy, Eli Roth, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Mike Dean, Ramsey, and Hank Azaria were confirmed as cast members on August 21 in the second teaser trailer. On March 1, 2023, Rolling Stone reported that Son and Sivan remained in the cast despite the overhaul.[22] It was later announced that Heche (in what would have been her final television role) and Berkley were no longer in the cast as HBO took the series in "a new creative direction".[23]

Filming

Principal photography began in November 2021 in and around Los Angeles, California.[24] Production was temporarily paused in April 2022 due to Tesfaye co-headlining the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival with Swedish House Mafia on short notice.[25] On April 25, Variety reported that Seimetz had left the project amid its creative overhaul, with roughly 80% of the series already filmed.[22] [26] HBO released a statement following Seimetz's exit, saying: "The Idols creative team continues to build, refine, and evolve their vision for the show and they have aligned on a new creative direction. The production will be adjusting its cast and crew accordingly to best serve this new approach to the series."[27]

Levinson reportedly took over Seimetz's directing duties sometime in April 2022. According to IndieWire and other sources, Tesfaye wanted to tone down the "cult" aspect of the story,[22] [28] and felt concerned that Seimetz's initial work on the show "lean[ed] too much into a female perspective."[29] Reporting by Rolling Stone noted the marked differences between Seimetz's initial work and Levinson's reshooting and rewriting of the series, which scrapped Seimetz's initial approach—a troubled starlet falling victim to a predatory industry figure and fighting to reclaim her own agency. Crew members described the Levinson rework's focus on a "degrading" love story, with a heavier emphasis on sexual content and nudity, as amounting to "sexual torture porn" and "like [a] rape fantasy".[22]

Production resumed in late May 2022 and was paused again in early July, just as Tesfaye began embarking on his After Hours til Dawn Tour.[30] Scenes from The Idol were filmed in September at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, during Tesfaye's tour. Audience members were notified of the filming before the concert commenced.[31] [32]

The series was shot using two to three cameras, with the cast improvising, leaving the editors with long first cuts.[33] The series used Tesfaye's Bel Air mansion as Jocelyn's home.[34]

Music

See main article: Music from The Idol. The series' soundtrack, The Idol, Vol. 1, was originally set to be released on June 30. The soundtrack was set to include songs created by the Weeknd himself and supporting cast member Mike Dean, among others. "Double Fantasy", featuring Future, was released as the lead single from the soundtrack on April 21, 2023.[35] "Popular", a collaboration with Playboi Carti and Madonna, was released as the second single from the soundtrack on June 2, 2023. On June 8, 2023, it was announced that new music was set to be released following or preceding the premiere of each episode in an EP format, abandoning the soundtrack format altogether.

Release

The Idol premiered out-of-competition at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 22, 2023, where the series received a five-minute standing ovation following the screening of its first two episodes, which is considered a normal to lukewarm audience reaction at the festival.[36] This is also where Sam Levinson announced that the show was taking place in the same universe as his other HBO series, Euphoria.[37] [38] [39] [40] It marks the fifth television series to be screened at the festival after Carlos, Too Old to Die Young, Twin Peaks, and Irma Vep.[41] The series began airing on HBO and Max on June 4, 2023.[42]

Reception

Critical response

The Idol received negative reviews from critics,[43] [44] with some deeming it "boring".[45] Critics that attended the series' premiere at the Cannes Film Festival disapproved of its script, direction, and sexual content.[46] [47] [48] [49] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a rating of 19% based on 106 critic reviews, with an average rating of 4.30/10. The site's consensus reads: "Every bit as florid and sleazy as the industry it seeks to satirize, The Idol places itself on a pedestal with unbridled style but wilts under the spotlight."[50] On Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average, the series holds a score of 27 out of 100, based on 23 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[51]

Leila Latif of The Guardian and Ed Power of The Daily Telegraph respectively described The Idol as "one of the worst programs ever made" and "the worst TV show of the year".[45] [52] David Fear of Rolling Stone slammed the first two episodes as "nasty, brutish, much longer than it is, and way, way worse than you'd have anticipated", lamenting that the series "has mistaken misery for profundity, stock perversity for envelope-pushing, crude caricatures for sharp satire, toxicity for complexity, nipple shots for screen presence".[53] Levinson's screenwriting was criticized by The Daily Beasts Fletcher Peters as "cliché."[54]

In his review of the first two episodes for Vanity Fair, Richard Lawson described The Idol as "a tawdry tale of sex gone scary, dressed up in the visual vernacular of TV's wunderkind du jour" that "offers up enough regular old entertainment to balance out his aggressive flourish and the bluster of [Levinson's] thematic ambitions".[55] Remarking that "in trying so hard to be transgressive, the show ultimately becomes regressive", Lovia Gyarke of The Hollywood Reporter observed that the series "shows glimmers of potential when it stops trying so hard to be shocking".[56] Writing for Vogue, Douglas Greenwood deemed it "a gorgeous-looking horror show" and "buzzy, brazen television that will do exactly what it set out to do: get people talking".[57] A review from Alex Barasch in The New Yorker considered the series to be "a stylishly shot, faintly sordid project".[58]

On Tesfaye's performance, Jason Gorber of RogerEbert.com panned his acting as "turgid" and "terrible", while Stephen Rodrick of Variety considered him lacking in the charisma described by the series's publicity materials, "trying to play louche but just [coming] off, as one character describes him, 'rapey.'"[59] [60] [61] Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times criticized his "painful line readings and his laughable facial expressions."[62] The New York Timess James Poniewozik wrote that Tesfaye's performance was "flat, except when he overcorrects into outbursts" and called Depp "a watchable screen presence" while criticizing her singing ability.[63]

Accolades

Award / Film FestivalDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)Result
Guild of Music Supervisors AwardsMarch 5, 2023Best Music Supervision in a Trailer – SeriesScenery Sumandra, Gregory Sweeney – Official Teaser #3[64]
Cannes Film FestivalMay 27, 2023Queer PalmSam Levinson[65]
Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists GuildFebruary 18, 2024Best Contemporary Make-Up in a Television Series, Limited, Miniseries, or Movie for TelevisionKirsten Sage Coleman, Mandy Artusato, Jessie Bishop, Erin Blinn[66]
Best Contemporary Hair Styling in a Television Series, Limited, Miniseries, or Movie for TelevisionChristopher Fulton, Gloria Conrad, Kamaura Eley, Kya Bilal
Primetime Emmy AwardsSeptember 7–8, 2024Outstanding Choreography for Scripted ProgrammingNina McNeely – Routines: Rehearsal / Music Video Shoot / Dollhouse[67]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Seemayer . Zach . HBO's 'The Idol' Canceled After Controversial First Season . Entertainment Tonight . August 29, 2023 . August 28, 2023 . January 9, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240109032146/https://www.etonline.com/hbos-the-idol-canceled-after-controversial-first-season-210472 . live .
  2. Web site: 'The Idol' Canceled: Controversial Series From Sam Levinson and the Weeknd Won't Get Season 2. Variety. Hailu. Selome. August 28, 2023. August 28, 2023. September 2, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230902035430/https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/the-idol-canceled-the-weeknd-hbo-season-2-1235706540/. live.
  3. Web site: Emily . Krauser . August 29, 2023 . 'The Idol': Everything to Know About The Weeknd's Controversial HBO Series . June 14, 2024 . . en.
  4. Web site: Pop Tarts & Rat Tales. HBO. June 5, 2023. May 4, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240504000709/https://www.hbo.com/the-idol/season-1/1-pop-tarts-and-rat-tales. live.
  5. Web site: Hemenway. Megan. The Idol's Euphoria Cameo: Was Alexa Demie Playing Maddy?. Screen Rant. June 5, 2023. July 18, 2023. May 4, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240504000453/https://screenrant.com/the-idol-euphoria-cameo-alexa-demie-maddy-explained/. live.
  6. Web site: Grady. Gabrielle. 'The Idol' Is Connected to 'Euphoria' — Here's How. Collider. June 8, 2023. July 18, 2023. June 29, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230629063806/https://collider.com/the-idol-euphoria-universe/. live.
  7. Web site: White. Peter. June 29, 2021. The Weeknd To Star In & Write Pop Singer Cult Drama Series 'The Idol' With Sam Levinson In The Works At HBO. November 23, 2021. Deadline Hollywood. June 30, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210630001750/https://deadline.com/2021/06/the-weeknd-pop-star-cult-drama-the-idol-sam-levinson-hbo-1234783685/. live.
  8. Web site: The Weeknd to Star in, Co-Write Cult Series in the Works at HBO With 'Euphoria' Creator. Variety. Otterson. Joe. June 29, 2021. November 22, 2021. April 25, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220425195326/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/the-weeknd-cult-series-the-idol-hbo-1235007926/. live.
  9. Web site: Hailu . Selome . April 25, 2022 . Amy Seimetz Out as Director of the Weeknd's HBO Drama Series 'The Idol', Series to Undergo Significant Reshoots . October 1, 2022 . Variety . July 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220728131417/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/the-weeknd-hbo-the-idol-1235240109/ . live.
  10. Web site: The Weeknd's HBO Drama The Idol Snags Series Order. Porter. Rick. The Hollywood Reporter. November 22, 2021. June 27, 2023. June 27, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230627124537/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/the-weeknd-idol-hbo-series-1235051695/. live.
  11. Web site: The Idol: HBO's Controversial Drama Is Ending One Week Early — Here's Why (Exclusive). Nemetz. Dave. TV Line. June 26, 2023. June 26, 2023. June 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230626195226/https://tvline.com/news/the-idol-season-1-episode-count-finale-five-or-six-1235005721/. live.
  12. Web site: Andreeva. Nellie. January 14, 2022. Nick Hall Joins A24 To Oversee Creative For TV. January 25, 2022. Deadline Hollywood. January 30, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220130082511/https://deadline.com/2022/01/nick-hall-j-a24-oversee-creative-tv-1234912726/. live.
  13. Mamo. Heran. June 29, 2021. The Weeknd to Star In & Co-Write New HBO Series With 'Euphoria' Creator. January 17, 2022. Billboard. July 22, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220722123805/https://www.billboard.com/culture/tv-film/the-weeknd-hbo-series-euphoria-creator-9594855/. live.
  14. Web site: Andreeva. Nellie. September 29, 2021. Lily-Rose Depp Joins The Weeknd In 'The Idol' Drama Series In Works At HBO. October 2, 2021. Deadline Hollywood. July 7, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220707152531/https://deadline.com/2021/09/lily-rose-depp-joins-the-weeknd-in-the-idol-drama-series-in-works-at-hbo-1234846863/. live.
  15. Web site: Thomas . Carly . May 24, 2023 . Blackpink's Jennie Kim Says Being a Part of HBO's 'The Idol' Was "An Opportunity to Just be Myself and be Brave" . May 31, 2023 . The Hollywood Reporter . May 31, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230531042806/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/blackpink-jennie-kim-the-idol-role-1235499234/ . live.
  16. Web site: November 23, 2021. The Weeknd's HBO Series The Idol Casts Troye Sivan and TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe. November 23, 2021. Pitchfork. April 18, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220418125431/https://pitchfork.com/news/the-weeknds-hbo-series-the-idol-casts-troye-sivan-and-tv-on-the-radios-tunde-adebimpe/. live.
  17. Web site: 'The Idol': HBO's Music Industry Drama Series Adds Six To Cast. Deadline Hollywood. Denise. Petski. December 2, 2021. December 2, 2021. July 25, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220725225545/https://deadline.com/2021/12/the-idol-hbo-music-industry-drama-series-cast-abel-the-weeknd-tesfaye-lily-rose-depp-1234883757/. live.
  18. Web site: April 27, 2022. 'The Idol': Suzanna Son Not Returning To HBO Drama Series Amid Creative Overhaul. August 23, 2022. Deadline. August 12, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220812152341/https://deadline.com/2022/04/the-idol-hbo-suzanna-son-1235010740/. live.
  19. Web site: Jacob . Lola . July 7, 2022 . Rachel Sennott joins the cast of 'The Idol' starring The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp. . July 7, 2022 . Coup De Main Magazine . July 7, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220707165853/https://www.coupdemainmagazine.com/the-weeknd/18645 . live.
  20. Web site: Hess . Liam . July 6, 2022 . Hari Nef Is Having a Moment in the Hair Color of the Season . July 7, 2022 . Vogue . July 22, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220722074630/https://www.vogue.com/article/hari-nef-hair-color-of-the-season . live.
  21. Web site: Petski . Denise . July 20, 2022 . Blackpink's Jennie Joins The Weeknd's 'The Idol' HBO Series . July 20, 2022 . Deadline Hollywood . July 20, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220720152325/https://deadline.com/2022/07/blackpinks-jennie-the-weeknds-the-idol-hbo-series-lily-rose-depp-1235073029/ . live.
  22. Roundtree . Cheyenne . March 1, 2023 . 'The Idol': How HBO's Next 'Euphoria' Became Twisted 'Torture Porn' . March 1, 2023 . Rolling Stone . March 1, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230301220933/https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/the-idol-hbo-next-euphoria-torture-porn-the-weeknd-sam-levinson-lily-rose-depp-blackpink-jennie-1234688754/ . live.
  23. Web site: The Idol: A Timeline of the HBO Series' Controversies. June 3, 2023. June 16, 2023. June 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230610105955/https://www.thewrap.com/the-idol-controversy-explained-the-weeknd-sam-levinson/. live.
  24. Web site: Holmes . Martin . HBO Picks Up The Weeknd's Drama 'The Idol' For Full Series, Adds 8 To Cast . April 25, 2022 . TV Insider . November 23, 2021 . November 24, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211124032437/http://www.tvinsider.com/1023150/hbo-picks-up-the-weeknds-drama-the-idol-for-full-series-adds-8-to-cast/ . live.
  25. Web site: April 14, 2022 . Inside the Weeknd and Swedish House Mafia's very last-minute Coachella collab . April 25, 2022 . Los Angeles Times . August 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220812060139/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-04-14/swedish-house-mafia-the-weeknd-coachella-headliner-kanye-west . live.
  26. Web site: Hailu . Selome . April 25, 2022 . The Weeknd's HBO Drama Series 'The Idol' to Undergo Significant Reshoots . April 25, 2022 . Variety . July 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220728131417/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/the-weeknd-hbo-the-idol-1235240109/ . live.
  27. Web site: White . Peter . April 26, 2022 . 'The Idol': Director Amy Seimetz Exits Amid Overhaul Of HBO Drama Series . April 26, 2022 . Deadline Hollywood . July 19, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220719214811/https://deadline.com/2022/04/the-idol-director-amy-seimetz-exits-hbo-1235009540/ . live.
  28. Web site: Roxborough . Scott . May 23, 2023 . Cannes: Lily-Rose Depp, The Weeknd on Depicting the "Pornification" of American Pop Culture in Sexually Explicit 'The Idol' . May 31, 2023 . The Hollywood Reporter . May 31, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230531045006/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/lily-rose-depp-the-weeknd-sex-celebrity-the-idol-1235498268/ . live.
  29. Web site: Bergeson . Samantha . April 27, 2022 . The Weeknd and Sam Levinson's HBO Series 'The Idol' Undergoing Reshoots, Cast and Crew Changes . August 22, 2022 . IndieWire . May 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220521103430/https://www.indiewire.com/2022/04/the-weeknd-hbo-show-the-idol-sam-levinson-reshoots-1234719394/ . live.
  30. Web site: July 8, 2022 . 'So humbling and incredible': The Weeknd talks about his journey from Scarborough to world stages . July 17, 2022 . thestar.com . he was expecting to immediately jump on a plane to wrap filming in L.A in the six days between his Toronto and Philadelphia gigs. . July 30, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220730141142/https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2022/07/08/so-humbling-and-incredible-the-weeknd-talks-about-his-journey-from-scarborough-to-world-stages.html . live.
  31. Web site: Parker . Lyndsey . September 4, 2022 . The Weeknd suddenly cuts short L.A. concert due to vocal issues: 'This is killing me' . September 4, 2022 . Yahoo . September 4, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220904101122/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/the-weeknd-cuts-short-la-concert-due-to-vocal-issues-this-is-killing-me-083106088.html . live.
  32. News: Wood . Mikael . September 3, 2022 . The Weeknd brings dark-pop spectacle, and Lily-Rose Depp, to SoFi Stadium . September 4, 2022 . LA Times . September 4, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220904000820/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-09-03/the-weeknd-concert-sofi-stadium . live.
  33. Web site: 'The Idol' Owes More to Robert Altman and Reality TV Than to 'Euphoria'. IndieWire. Jim. Hemphill. June 25, 2023. June 26, 2023. June 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230626020810/https://www.indiewire.com/features/craft/the-idol-editing-altman-hbo-1234878019/. live.
  34. Web site: Yes, That's the Weeknd's Actual Bel-Air Mansion in 'The Idol' . June 7, 2023 . June 27, 2023 . June 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230627072527/https://www.gq.com/story/the-weeknd-the-idol-hbo-actual-mansion-bel-air-estate-jocelyn . live .
  35. The Weeknd's 'Double Fantasy' With Future From 'The Idol' Soundtrack Is Dropping Soon. Billboard. Heran. Mamo. April 19, 2023. April 21, 2023. April 20, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230420104358/https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/the-weeknd-future-double-fantasy-the-idol-soundtrack-coming-soon-1235310241/. live.
  36. Web site: Blyth. Antonia. Hipes. Patrick. May 22, 2023. 'The Idol' Gets Five-Minute Standing Ovation After Cannes Premiere; Sam Levinson Gets Emotional In Speech. May 22, 2023. Deadline Hollywood. May 23, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230523000809/https://deadline.com/2023/05/the-idol-lily-cannes-standing-ovation-sam-levinson-lily-rose-depp-the-weeknd-1235375399/. live.
  37. Web site: Adam. Bentz. June 5, 2023. Are Euphoria & The Idol Set In The Same Universe? Big Cameo Has Fans Speculating. Screen Rant. June 6, 2023. May 4, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240504000648/https://screenrant.com/the-idol-show-euphoria-maddy-cameo-universe-speculation/. live.
  38. Web site: Lucy. Ford. June 5, 2023. Is There a Euphoria Crossover in The Idol?. Glamour. June 6, 2023. May 4, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240504010516/https://www.glamour.com/story/is-there-a-euphoria-crossover-in-the-idol. live.
  39. Web site: Hanna. Wickes. June 5, 2023. Is There a Crossover Between HBO Shows 'Euphoria' and 'The Idol'? Their Connection Explained. J-14. June 6, 2023. May 4, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240504000647/https://www.j-14.com/posts/the-idol-euphoria-crossover-rumors-connection-spoilers/. live.
  40. Web site: Jennifer. Machin. May 23, 2023. SAM LEVINSON REPORTEDLY HAS CONFIRMED THAT 'THE IDOL' AND 'EUPHORIA' TAKE PLACE IN THE SAME UNIVERSE. Hypebae. June 6, 2023. May 24, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230524161631/https://hypebae.com/2023/5/sam-levinson-the-idol-euphoria-same-universe-alexa-demie-hbo-tv-series. live.
  41. Web site: May 10, 2023 . The Screenings Guide of the 76th Festival de Cannes . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230511182932/https://cdn-medias.festival-cannes.com/uploads/2023/05/2023_cannes_horaires_web-2.pdf . May 11, 2023 . May 14, 2023 . . 3.
  42. Web site: The Weeknd's Music Industry Drama The Idol Gets Premiere Date at HBO — Watch Teaser Trailer. TVLine. Claire. Franken. April 17, 2023. April 17, 2023. April 17, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230417152112/https://tvline.com/2023/04/17/the-weeknd-the-idol-release-date-hbo-trailer-video/. live.
  43. Web site: Bergeson. Samantha. 'The Idol' Season 2? It Was 'Never Intended' to Be a Limited Series. IndieWire. June 29, 2023. July 5, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230629183224/https://www.indiewire.com/news/breaking-news/the-idol-season-2-never-intended-limited-series-1234880012/. June 29, 2023. live.
  44. Web site: Abad-Santos. Alex. HBO knows you don't like The Idol. But it didn't shorten the season because of it. Vox. June 28, 2023. July 5, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230628204223/https://www.vox.com/culture/2023/6/28/23777444/hbo-the-idol-finale-five-or-six-episodes. June 28, 2023. live.
  45. Web site: Parkel. Inga. The Idol lampooned by critics as 'one of the worst programmes ever made' after finale. The Independent. July 4, 2023. July 5, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230705024333/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/the-idol-finale-hbo-critics-b2369198.html. July 5, 2023. live.
  46. Web site: Alex . Gonzalez . May 23, 2023 . Early Reviews Of HBO's 'The Idol' Have More 'Softcore Porn' Comparisons Than They Do Praise For The Show. May 24, 2023 . . May 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230524013738/https://uproxx.com/music/hbo-the-idol-critics-cannes-reviews/ . live.
  47. Web site: 'The Idol': Critics Slam The Weeknd's HBO Max Series After Screening First 2 Episodes . May 24, 2023 . . May 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230524015218/https://www.etonline.com/media/videos/the-idol-critics-slam-the-weeknds-hbo-max-series-after-screening-first-2-episodes . live.
  48. Web site: Nicole . Vassell . May 23, 2023 . The Idol opens to dismal Rotten Tomatoes score after Cannes debut . May 24, 2023 . . May 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230524000946/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/the-idol-rotten-tomatoes-sam-levinson-b2344419.html . live.
  49. Web site: May 23, 2023 . Cannes review: Critics slam The Weeknd's 'The Idol' as 'toxic' . May 24, 2023 . New York Daily News . May 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230524010913/https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ny-the-idol-hbo-cannes-reviews-20230523-5n4t3iil4jhznicgrt7mxbdhnu-story.html . live.
  50. the_idol. The Idol. tv. 1. July 3, 2023. y.
  51. the-idol-2023. The Idol. tv. 1. June 9, 2023. y.
  52. Web site: Youngs. Ian. The Idol savaged by critics as 'worst TV show of the year' after finale. BBC. July 4, 2023. July 5, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230704161026/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66096183. July 4, 2023.
  53. Fear . David . May 23, 2023 . 'The Idol' Is More Toxic and Way Worse Than You've Heard . May 23, 2023 . Rolling Stone . May 23, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230523235441/https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/the-idol-review-the-weeknd-sam-levinson-lily-rose-depp-abel-tesfaye-hbo-cannes-bdsm-sex-music-1234739047/ . live.
  54. Web site: 'The Idol' Episode 2 Recap: A Hellish Video Shoot Ends in Blood, Bruises, and a Breakdown. The Daily Beast. Peters. Fletcher. June 11, 2023. June 11, 2023. June 12, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230612032239/https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-idol-episode-2-recap-blood-bruises-and-the-music-video-from-hell. live.
  55. Web site: May 23, 2023 . Showbiz, Not Sex, Sells 'The Idol' . June 22, 2023 . . limited . May 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240517181504/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/05/the-idol-tv-review . live .
  56. Web site: May 23, 2023 . 'The Idol' Review: Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd in an HBO Series That's More Regressive Than Transgressive . May 23, 2023 . The Hollywood Reporter . May 23, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230523014216/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/the-idol-review-lily-rose-depp-and-the-weeknd-in-an-hbo-series-thats-more-regressive-than-transgressive-1235497665/ . live.
  57. Web site: May 23, 2023 . 'The Idol' Is a Gorgeous-Looking Horror Show . May 26, 2023 . . May 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526234025/https://www.vogue.com/article/the-idol-cannes-review . live.
  58. Barasch . Alex . June 6, 2023 . "The Idol" Is All Smoke and Mirrors . . June 7, 2023 . 0028-792X . May 4, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240504000939/https://www.newyorker.com/culture/on-television/the-idol-is-all-smoke-and-mirrors . live .
  59. Web site: Rodrick . Stephen . June 5, 2023 . On 'The Idol,' Why Are the Weeknd's Acting Skills Nonexistent? . July 4, 2023 . . January 6, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240106025509/https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/the-idol-weeknd-acting-lily-rose-depp-1235632723/ . live .
  60. Web site: Martin . Laura . The Idol: why the HBO show became 2023's biggest TV disaster . July 4, 2023 . . July 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230703174616/https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20230703-the-idol-why-the-hbo-show-became-2023s-biggest-tv-disaster . live .
  61. Web site: Gorber . Jason . May 25, 2023 . Cannes 2023: The Idol, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Killers of the Flower Moon . July 4, 2023 . . July 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230704151839/https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals/cannes-2023-the-idol-indiana-jones-and-the-dial-of-destiny-killers-of-the-flower-moon . live .
  62. Web site: Wood . Mikael . June 30, 2023 . 'The Idol' is hot garbage. Will its stench cling to the Weeknd? . July 4, 2023 . . limited . July 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230704151839/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-06-30/idol-the-weeknd-tedros-sam-levinson-finale . live .
  63. News: Poniewozik . James . Morris . Wesley . Zoladz . Lindsay . June 30, 2023 . 'The Idol' Is Ending Sunday. Here's Why That's a Good Thing. . . limited . July 4, 2023 . 0362-4331 . July 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230703103500/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/arts/television/the-idol-finale.html . live .
  64. Web site: 'Elvis,' 'Stranger Things' Win at 13th Annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards . The Hollywood Reporter . May 15, 2023 . March 5, 2023 . March 6, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230306080541/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/guild-of-music-supervisors-awards-2023-winners-1235341234/ . live. Verhoeven, Beatrice.
  65. Web site: La Sélection Officielle Queer Palm . . November 8, 2022 . May 14, 2023 . fr . May 14, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230514214424/https://queerpalm.org/fr/ . live.
  66. Web site: February 18, 2024 . Winners! 11th Annual MUAHS Guild Awards . https://web.archive.org/web/20240315145926/https://local706.org/winners-11th-annual-muahs-guild-awards/ . March 22, 2024 . Local 706 . en-US . March 15, 2024 . live .
  67. Web site: Rice . Lynette . Hipes . Patrick . July 17, 2024 . Emmy Nominations 2024: The Complete List . July 17, 2024 . Deadline . en-US.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "The Idol (TV series)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.