Goodbye to The Idol. The controversial series, produced by Sam Levinson, the creator of Euphoria, and Canadian singer The Weeknd, who also stars in it, will not see a second season due to HBO’s decision.
HBO, the platform funding and supporting the show, announced this through a statement sent to Variety by Warner Bros.
The Idol’ was one of HBO’s most provocative original programs, and we’re pleased by the strong audience 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’re grateful to the creators, cast, and crew for their incredible work” –said a spokesperson for HBO.
The decision to cancel The Idol did not come as a surprise. Since its debut last June, controversies have swirled around the series. These include HBO’s choice to eliminate an episode and condensed the originally planned six-episode story into five. Right from the start, American critics were unreservedly critical.
Critics
The verdict was unanimous. Experts found the series, starring The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Deep, to be hollow, rather sexist, and at times, even vulgar from the very beginning.
Collider claimed that ‘The Idol’ was overly focused on sex and lacked substance, with a predictability that could be painful. The Playlist labeled it ‘raw, crude, and sexist,’ criticizing its ‘feeble’ dialogues. The Review Greek described it as a ‘soft porn music video’ flaunting an aesthetic reminiscent of Euphoria.
Subsequently, the audience echoed a similar yet slightly less harsh opinion.
According to a report by Warner Bros Discovery, the parent company of HBO Max, the first episode of The Idol had 913,000 viewers. The audience declined afterward, with the second episode only reaching 800,000 viewers, and it continued to decrease from there.
The End of The Weeknd’s Aspirations
With the cancellation of series, Abel’s ambition to excel outside the realm of music slips through his fingers. If he wishes to achieve his goal, he’ll need to persist in his efforts.
This HBO series marked his debut as a creator and actor. Through this platform, the artist behind hits like «Blinding Lights» and «I Was Never There» poured his heart and soul into portraying the twisted world faced by young artists trying to break into the music industry.
Despite boasting notable figures such as Lily-Rose Depp, Troye Shivan, and even BLACKPINK’s K-pop band member Jennie, the outcome suggests that the audience did not connect with the audacious concept as much as anticipated.
Did you watch ‘The Idol’? If you did, did you like it?
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