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“The Idol” HBO’s Controversial Series Cancelled
“The Idol” – HBO’s Controversial Series Produced by Sam Levinson and Abel “The Weekend” Tesfaye – Cancelled After One Season
“The Idol” was one of HBO’s most thrilling original programs, and we are thrilled with the positive reception from the audience, according to a spokeswoman for the network.Following much thought, HBO and the show’s writers and producers have opted against making a second season. We are grateful for their incredible work in bringing the show to life.”
The conclusion of Season 1 – shortened from originally planned six episodes to just five – was announced on July 2nd. The decision to cancel the series was made recently after a lack of clarity between the audience and the creators on whether to continue the series.
In a candid interview, star Moses Sumney stated that he signed on with the understanding that it was a limited series, while star Dr. Devine Joy Randolph told Variety she felt “everyone had intended to do a second season.” When rumors circulated that the show had been canceled, HBO’s ex, then known as Twitter, posted that there had been no status update yet.
Produced by Levinson and The Weeknd, who also acts alongside Lily-Rose Depp in The Weekend, “The Idol” had already started generating headlines before its debut. In April 2022, news broke that director Amy Semetz had exited and would be replaced by Levinson as the series underwent significant reshoots.
Then, a March 2023 Rolling Stone report detailed serious allegations about a toxic set, to which The Weekend responded with a deleted scene post, wherein his character deemed Rolling Stone “irrelevant.” At the Cannes Film Festival, Levinson stated that the script made him feel the show would be “the biggest show of the summer.”
Overall, with a 19% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, “The Idol” received negative feedback. Variety’s review described the series as “a nightmarish male fantasy.”
The series had a moderate rating. Its premiere garnered 913,000 viewers – 17% fewer than the launch of “Euphoria” in 2019, another HBO show by Levinson that targeted young adult audiences and had less celebrity involvement upon release.
However, the number increased to 3.6 million after a full week of episode availability, and now stands at 7 million. Episode 2 garnered 800,000 viewers on its first night.
During the course of the remaining episodes, HBO denied sharing viewership data.
Alongside Levinson and The Weeknd, Reza Fahim worked as a co-producer on “The Idol.” Kevin Turen, Ashley Levinson, and the trio of Drake, Sev Ohanian, and Aaron L. Gilbert of Bron Studios all served as executive producers. A24 also had a hand in production.”