HBO’s The Idol promised a gritty, unflinching look at the music industry’s underbelly-think Euphoria meets Behind the Music. Instead, it stumbled into a confusing mix of shock value, half-baked ideas, and missed opportunities. Let’s unpack why this show fizzled when it should have sizzled.
The Plot Holes: Stories That Went Nowhere
Nikki’s Power Play (That Never Played Out)
Nikki (Jane Adams), Jocelyn’s manager, teased a corporate coup by eyeing Tedros’ cult as a talent goldmine. Destiny and Hayum even whispered about going rogue. But these threads? Dropped faster than a bad single. Imagine Succession without the betrayals-pointless.
Chloe’s Underage Mystery (That Stayed a Mystery)
Chloe (Suzanna Son) lurked in the background like a horror movie extra-underage, wide-eyed, and creepily obsessed with Tedros. But her backstory? Buried deeper than Tedros’ dignity. A wasted chance to explore exploitation in the industry.
Leia’s Vanishing Act
Leia (Rachel Sennott), Jocelyn’s assistant, spent the season side-eyeing Tedros… only to exit stage left without explanation. What was in her note? The show’s writers apparently lost the key to that subplot.
The Cult’s Flip-Flop Loyalty
Tedros’ cult went from ride-or-die to ghosting him overnight. No buildup, no reason-just vibes. Their sudden indifference made the Illuminati look well-organized.
The Finale: A Confused Identity Crisis
Jocelyn’s Villain Twist (That Came Out of Nowhere)
The “big reveal” that Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) was the puppet master all along felt less like a twist and more like a Hail Mary pass. We spent five episodes watching her unravel from grief-suddenly she’s a mastermind? Even Game of Thrones had better foreshadowing.
Tedros’ Unearned Sympathy Arc
After gaslighting, manipulating, and creeping his way through the series, the finale tried to make us pity Tedros (The Weeknd). But watching him cry in a stairwell? Satisfying, not sad. You don’t get a redemption arc when your entire personality is a red flag.
Style Over Substance: Shock Scenes That Added Nothing
HBO loves pushing boundaries, but The Idol confused “provocative” with “pointless.” Tedros’ cringey seduction tactics and Jocelyn’s endless nude scenes ate up screen time that could’ve been used to:
- Explore Jocelyn’s grief (her mom’s death was a footnote!).
- Dive into industry politics (where were the label execs, the contracts, the drama?).
- Explain Tedros’ motives (why cults? Why hair gel? Why any of this?).
Casting Woes: Great Actors, Wasted Potential
The Weeknd’s Tedros: A Swing and a Miss
Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) has charisma on stage, but Tedros needed layers he just couldn’t deliver. His two facial expressions-smirk and scowl-worked for a cartoon villain, not a complex antagonist. Imagine someone like Oscar Isaac in the role-that could’ve been chilling.
Lily-Rose Depp Deserved Better
Depp committed to Jocelyn’s raw, messy vulnerability, but the script jerked her between victim and villain without clarity. Her performance was a diamond in a coal mine of bad writing.
What The Idol Could’ve Been
The ingredients were there:
- Industry critique: Expose the machinery behind fame (à la Black Swan).
- Mental health exploration: Jocelyn’s grief and identity crisis.
- Tedros as a nuanced antagonist: Why cults? What’s his damage?
Instead, we got a show that prioritized vibes over plot-a mood board masquerading as a story.
Final Take: A Cautionary Tale for HBO
The Idol isn’t just bad-it’s frustrating. It dangles brilliance (Lily-Rose’s acting! The industry satire!) but drowns it in poor choices. A tighter script, fewer shock scenes, and a clearer vision could’ve saved it. Instead, it’s a relic of wasted potential.
Rating: 4/10
Points for ambition and Lily-Rose’s wardrobe. Minus points for literally everything else.