Easily the most controversial release of the year thus far is The Idol. This was the brainchild of The Weekend’s Abel Makkonen Tesfaye. The synopsis for the Max series focuses on Jocelyn – played by Lily-Rose Depp – a pop star who’s looking to reclaim her top spot following a nervous breakdown. She begins a complex relationship with Tedros, a self-help guru and the head of a contemporary cult.
Sam Levinson is no stranger to controversy. Levinson is also the creator of Euphoria – which is a hot topic that’s usually criticized for its abundance of sex and drugs. Still, Euphoria is actually a profound series that puts you into the mind of a drug addict. The show does a good job of tackling its compelling subject matter with style and intellect. The Idol more so feels more like an ego-centric project meant to highlight Tesfaye as an actor, nothing less, nothing more. It misses the opportunity to tell a story about how shady the music business is and the exploitative nature that resides within it.
Jocelyn’s Story About Abuse and Perfection Should’ve Been Told Better
Rumor has it that Amy Seimetz – the original showrunner – was forced off the series because Abel wasn’t a fan of the focus being on Jocelyn. Whether this is true or not, it’s clear that there was more of a story to tell about Jocelyn. From abandoning her potential rivalry against Dyanne (Jennie Ruby Jane) to the forced twist that indicates that Jocelyn was in control the entire time.
Jocelyn’s story doesn’t make much sense. We heard countless times from different artists about how corrupt the music industry could be. The Idol could’ve been a compelling satire that focuses on the behind-the-scenes politics that hampers a music career. Whether it’s the need to have a sexy image to the industry exploiting a painful past for profit, there was so much potential to tell a compelling and thought-provoking story.
It feels like the twist only exists to shock and trick audiences. Jocelyn rarely comes off as someone who’s manipulative. There are hints that she’s more than meets the eye, especially during the violent torture session with Xander (Troye Sivan), but Levinson barely spends any time exploring that avenue and Xander oddly becomes a servant to Tedros following that dramatic scene. The Idol failed to do anything interesting with their characters despite all the elements handed to them.
Tedros Never Comes Across As A Believable Cult Leader
The Weekend is a talented musical artist. Sadly, his acting skills just aren’t on par with his musical ability. However, Levinson doesn’t particularly do a great job of writing Tedos as an effective cult leader. He comes across as a jerk, who’s quick to temper, and not all-too inviting. Cult Leaders are typically charismatic and likable leaders who are able to trick their followers through a false sense of kindness.
Tedro’s character is billed as someone with a checkered past and the show explores Jocelyn’s team trying to figure out who he is. Instead, Destiny (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) simply gives him a warning – despite knowing his past – and allows Tedros to continue his relationship with Jocelyn. Tedros comes off as the type of guy who would be better suited on an island far away from Hollywood.
He doesn’t come across as a likable creep. I’m no expert on cult leaders, but The Idol doesn’t do nearly enough to justify why Jocelyn would even deal with Tedros in the first place. Sure, she has two screws loose as well. But why is Jocelyn spending so much time on a man who has little impact within the industry? If Tedros was a big name that had the power to help (or ruin) Jocelyn’s career, then it would make sense why she dealt with him in the first place.
The Idol Was A Boring Missed Opportunity
The biggest crime that The Idol commits is that it’s boring. We spend five episodes meandering through a collection of ideas that are never given more development beyond the surface level. The series wants to shock you with the amount of graphic sex and sleaze, but there’s no voice behind these moments. The show has nuggets of truth about the industry, but the continued focus on the lackluster relationship between Jocelyn and Tedros is its ultimate downfall. The Idol had all of the potential in the world, but it stumbles hard because of its lack of focus.
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