HBO’s controversial series The Idol has only aired two episodes, but already has industry observers debating its long-term future. A report from Page Six published June 15 implied that the network had already decided against ordering a second season, which was quickly disputed by sources connected to the show and its network.
The Page Six report cited sources pointing to co-creator and star The Weeknd’s alleged “egomanical behavior” and the largely mixed reactions and controversy surrounding the series. But that perspective was quickly contrasted by a source saying that The Idol “was never meant to be a long-running show,” but that “the door is definitely still open” for a longer run than the five episodes that will air in 2023. According to that source, the fact that a decision has not been made yet isn’t abnormal. The official HBO PR account quickly issued a tweet disputing the rumors, writing, “It is being misreported that a decision on a second season of The Idol has been determined. It has not, and we look forward to sharing the next episode with you Sunday night.”
The Page Six story features competing perspectives on The Weeknd, with one source saying working with him was “not an ideal experience.” But another voice quoted in the piece described him as being “beloved” on set, highlighting how he used his own palatial Bel-Air home for much of the shoot.
The shift to shooting at The Weeknd’s home came after a well-documented behind the scenes shakeup where original director Amy Seimetz left the project and was replaced by Sam Levinson, already something of a master at titillating and provoking HBO viewers with his series Euphoria. Deadline reported in April 2022 that the impetus for the changes was because The Weeknd felt the show was too centered around the “female perspective.
After two episodes, The Idol remains a massive topic of cultural conversation:Reviews have been poor, reports like Rolling Stone’s about chaos on set and the jarring tonal shift continue to circulate, and the series’ lurid sex scenes have drawn substantial criticism.
In a June 13 interview with GQ, The Weeknd said that the much-discussed sex scene between his character Tedros and Lily-Rose Depp’s rising pop star Jocelyn from the second episode wasn’t meant to be titillating for viewers, and that Tedros is “a douchebag,” who is being played with a certain level of “camp.”
“When we use Basic Instinct as a reference, we’re using Verhoeven. Verhoeven is the king of ‘90s satire thriller—yes, there’s moments of ‘sexy’ in his films but there are other moments that are very cheesy and hilarious. However you’re feeling watching that scene, whether it’s discomfort, or you feel gross, or you feel embarrassed for the characters,” he said. “It’s all those emotions adding up to: This guy is in way over his head, this situation is one where he is not supposed to be here.”
The second episode of the series had 100,000 fewer same-day viewers than the premiere, per Variety, although the first episode’s total viewership after one week was stronger than pilots of Euphoria and The White Lotus. For comparison, news of Euphoria’s second season renewal came after its fourth episode, while White Lotus was renewed after the fifth episode.