HBO has canceled The Idol after one season that was plagued by controversy from an increasingly puritanical media landscape.
Created by Sam Levinson and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, The Idol starred Lily-Rose Depp as a young singer named Jocelyn who falls under the spell of a domineering manager/producer known simply as Tedros.
Season 1 consisted of five spicy episodes — not six, as has been speculated — though there was some confusion as to whether the show was intended to be a limited or ongoing series.
HBO took its time before coming to a decision, crunching the numbers and looking at internal data before consulting with Levinson, who is a key creative relationship for the network due to Euphoria.
With critics coming down hard on the show and an audience that wasn’t quite big enough to justify the gaudy numbers, everyone agreed that it would be best to simply move on.
“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,” read a statement from the network, which declined to share viewership data following Episode 2.
A24 produced the series, which co-starred Troye Sivan, Rachel Sennott, Moses Sumney, Suzanna Son, Jane Adams, Eli Roth, Dan Levy, Hari Nef, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Hank Azaria.
The Idol made for delicious trash television, and you’re all going to miss hating on it now that it’s gone. I suppose we never ever deserved it in the first place.
So, I hope you’re happy, America! Maybe HBO can make more dragon shows now…
