The Weeknd’s Divisive New Series The Idol Ends
On Sunday, The Weeknd’s controversial series will air its final episode. The Idol garnered massive media attention and was widely criticized by viewers.
HBO has been in the spotlight ever since the release of The Idol. The series intrigued many viewers due to The Weeknd and Sam Levinson’s involvement in creating and producing the narrative. Sam Levinson is the director of the hugely popular Euphoria.
The series, starring Lily-Rose Depp, attracted attention even before its release. The previous director, Amy Seimetz, left the production abruptly. It was reported that Seimetz parted with the series as it took on a new creative direction. However, there are also speculations that some of the crew may not have been happy with how the story played out.
Upon the release of the first episodes, viewers were left unsatisfied. Many were concerned over the narrative presented, including the treatment of sexual intimacy. Moreover, others criticized The Weeknd’s acting and the series’ storyline.
When The Weeknd spoke about “The Idol”, he pretty much said that he wanted to make his character toxic to the point where all the viewers would be “disgusted” by him
— Jah Talks Music (@JahTalksMusic) June 26, 2023
And he did that damn near perfectly, his character in the show is the definition of that pic.twitter.com/9oq3t3GDOm
To many viewers, the outcome of the production seemed like a waste of potential. The star-studded cast included major names such as, Jennie Kim of BLACKPINK and Troye Sivan. According to some publications, the controversy of the series has led to Jennie receiving backlash in South Korea.
Fans are also concerned that The Weeknd may be using his narrative to reference other celebs. According to some viewers, one scene from the series may reflect Selena Gomez’s relationship with her assistant.
The Weeknd’s #TheIdol references Selena Gomez’s friendship with her assistant Theresa Mingus via Jocelyn’s friendship with her assistant, as they collaborate on a business venture. pic.twitter.com/qrBo3Ns2fp
— Pop Faction (@PopFactions) June 26, 2023
Now, The Idol is reaching an early end. Rather than running for the original six episodes, the fifth episode will be the last. This has many wondering about what is going on behind the scenes of the production.
To see The Idol for yourself, click here.
