There is one storyline in The Idol that, like a chart-topping ear-worm, I cannot get out of head. Not the controversial sex scenes, in truth more tiring than out right despicable. Nor the changing room romp last episode, in which Tedros (played by The Weeknd’s Abel Tesfaye) masturbated into the corner of a changing room after canoodling with crisis-struck pop star Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp). It is instead the upwards trajectory of Dyanne (played by Blackpink’s Jennie), a dancer who is set to replace Jocelyn on the set of the music video for her new song (and certified bop?) “World Class Sinner / I’m A Freak”. While the logistics of this storyline are unclear – can an unknown dancer really replace an apparently successful pop star? – the substitution inside the show offers a solution for a problem which surrounds the show: replace The Weeknd with someone else (anyone else?).
Since the show was announced, Tesfaye has been inseparable from The Idol. He is responsible for the show’s story (Euphoria’s Sam Levinson takes on the more exact teleplay for each episode) and music, which includes a haunting score and an upcoming soundtrack. He is also an executive producer. His fingerprints are everywhere, from the vibe (the attempt at glamorous sleaze is sometimes successful) to the depiction of sex (likely unacceptable but sometimes compelling). None of that is a major problem – in some cases, it’s a good thing: who else would know about a pop star’s trials better than an actual pop star? – though it’s beyond debate that a female or queer presence in charge would have been good for the show (the easiest fix of all would be to rehire Amy Seimetz as director). But Tesfaye’s failings as an actor, easy to conceal in the first episode, are now difficult to ignore. Even if you do buy into his performance, it’s hard to deny how much the show’s component parts might sing with a more skilled actor leading things.
Imagine the sleazy charm Alexander Skarsgård would bring to this role (though it’s entirely possible, with his history of playing manipulative douchebags that the reliable scene-stealer would pass on this opportunity). What about Christopher Abbott? Or LaKeith Stanfield? Stephen Yeun, who recently revealed a grubbier side to his acting in Netflix’s Beef, would excel. Would it be wild to suggest a female actor? Nicole Kidman has form as a cult leader; Dakota Johnson has a witchy energy; Aubrey Plaza could have checked out of The White Lotus and dropped her bags in The Weeknd’s Los Angeles mansion.
Or perhaps, we just do away with this storyline completely. The most fascinating storylines have been to do with everything outside of the Tedros plot. The cult (or sex club, or talent management pyramid scheme, or whatever) he’s running is dull as a boyband B-side: familiar beats, shallow personalities, big yawn. If the purpose of the show is to highlight the exploitative forces in the entertainment industry, I’m not sure you need a cult leader for that. The average label exec is likely sordid enough. If this show focused on the minutiae of a pop star’s life – the stress of magazine interviews, dance rehearsals, label fights about new singles – it would already be scooting down the highway to cult favourite.
Maybe this whole discussion is null. Will The Idol be back for a second season? Last week, Page Six reported that the show would not be renewed, quoting two sources close to production (aren’t they always?) who said that The Weeknd’s “egomaniacal” behaviour on set as well as negative reactions to the show were the nails in its five-episode coffin. The whole situation sounds like a mess, though one wonders if HBO is happy that at least it’s being talked about (in 2023’s TV labyrinth, that’s a rare outcome). One source explained that it was “never meant to be a long-running show” but a “limited series”. This is a neat way to save face – it was only ever meant to be one season, promise – but it would be a shame to confine the show’s promise to a single outing. There’s a lot of great stuff here, it’s just that The Idol, like the female pop stars it honours and rips off, will need to reinvent itself to stay relevant.
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.
