‘The Idol’ has been cancelled after one season
HBO’s highly controversial show The Idol has been cancelled after one season.
The show was created by Euphoria’s Sam Levinson, The Weeknd, and Reza Fahim. While Euphoria is one of HBO’s most popular shows, The Idol drew negative criticism before it even aired.
Ahead of its release, the show was dubbed “sexual torture porn” in an article published by Rolling Stone, which compiled quotes from anonymous sources that worked on the show.
After director Amy Seimetz dropped out of the project and Levinson took over, with Tesfaye arguing that the show prioritised a “female perspective” too strongly, one crew member explained how the show took a sharp turn.
“What I signed up for was a dark satire of fame and the fame model in the 21st century,” Seimetz said. “The things that we subject our talent and stars to, the forces that put people in the spotlight and how that can be manipulated in the post-Trump world. It went from satire to the thing it was satirising.”
Upon its release, the show was further criticised, ending after five episodes instead of the intended six. HBO have released a statement on the show’s cancellation, describing The Idol as “one of HBO’s most provocative original programs,” adding, “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.”
