Let us begin with a little pronunciation. Say “carte blanche” out loud, to yourself, your flatmate, your colleague, your spaniel. I get it: it’s French, it’s hard. How can a language that requires so much… guttural action… sound so sexy and cool? (Maybe because of that guttural action!) Well, in the latest episode of The Idol, Tedros (played by Abel Tesfaye, who once played The Weeknd) bypasses all this trouble when he asks creative director Xander (played by Troye Sivan, who once played YouTube personality Troye Sivan) what he would do if he had “cartay blanchay” over pop star Jocelyn’s (Lily-Rose Depp) stalling career. When Xander hears that pronunciation, he stares back with a twinkle in his eye, holding back a laugh: the face of someone who has clocked he is talking to the phoniest phoney that ever phonied.
This is, I think, the funniest joke in The Idol so far. And HBO’s glossy new drama is pretty funny, with a cast including caring assistant Rachel Sennott and no-nonsense assistant Da’Vine Joy Randolph. (There’s a world in which The Idol – with a few tweaks or yet another creative overhaul – could have been a compelling comedy-drama, but that is not the world Sam Levinson intended us to inhabit.) But rewatching this comedic high – and it’s one of the only moments from the show that has gone viral for reasons bordering on positive – I felt as unsure as Jocelyn about her new single. Is The Idol… in on the joke? Is it, you know, self-aware?
The jury is out. After swathes of viewers and publications declared the sex scene in last week’s episode to be one of the worst in history (it was not), Tesfaye gave an interview to GQ in which he clarified that it was not supposed to be sexy. “How ever you’re feeling watching that scene, whether it’s discomfort, or you feel gross, or you feel embarrassed for the characters,” Tesfaye explained, “It’s all those emotions adding up to: This guy is in way over his head, this situation is one where he is not supposed to be here.” He also said that the show is influenced by Basic Instinct director Paul Verhoeven, whom he calls the “king of ‘90s satire thriller”.
He is not wrong. The Idol works best when it is taking the piss. Whether it’s unhinged record executive Nikki (Jane Adams) explaining why a mental breakdown is sexy, or when Nikki is explaining why Jocelyn should be grateful for her new aforementioned single, or when Nikki just swaps in back-up dancer Dyanne (Blackpink’s Jennie). The best moments on this show are mostly to do with Jane Adams, an accomplished actor.
“Cartay blanshay” relies on two interconnected things: solid character development for Tedros, and a solid acting performance from Tesfaye. The former is mostly there. All you really need to believe is that Jocelyn, in the depths of her fragility, would fall for someone like Tedros. It’s fine, better even, that he comes off as a creep to the surrounding characters (and us at home). The unspecified time jump between the second and third episode, in which Tedros’ grip over Jocelyn increased, certainly heightened that sense of doom.
I no longer know what to say about Tesfaye’s acting. In the quieter moments – like a dinnertime showdown with Jocelyn – there’s a certain chilling hollowness, which works well. That even added some intrigue to last week’s sex scene. But when the show requires a more earnest performance or – and perhaps this is pushing the boat out – hurt, it’s a struggle. Is it unusual that a star who gives convincing performances on stage and in music videos cannot sell that level of drama? A little, but many pop stars have tried to act and failed. I certainly don’t think that Tesfaye, a little press-shy for a star of his stature, can give an interview to clarify his acting choices after every controversial scene.
Not all of The Idol’s faults lie with Tesfaye. The pacing sometimes jars, the tone frequently errs on horrible (even its most ardent defenders – a club of about three people – would struggle to defend some of this week’s scenes). Shame. Those faults only highlight what is great about the show. There are some finely-crafted set pieces, like last week’s music video set and the premiere’s opening photo shoot. Some scenes are brilliantly inventive, like the Voice Memos showdown between Jocelyn and Vanity Fair journalist Talia (Hari Nef). Depp compels. But increasingly one senses that if Tesfaye were a creative influence – because surely the ex-boyfriend of Selena Gomez has some insight into the trials of a vulnerable female pop star – and not also a starring role, the show might be a phenomenon, rather than a punchline.
The Idol airs weekly on Sky Atlantic and NOW
Henry Wong is a senior culture writer at Esquire, working across digital and print. He covers film, television, books, and art for the magazine, and also writes profiles.
