With the uncalled and rushed finale knocking at our doors, we can only assume that all The Idol controversies have made people rethink their OTT platform choice alongside what kind of content is art, with all its darkness and uncomfortable moments and, what just sells because there is nudity and sex involved. Although this series has a strong story to tell at its core, there have been multiple controversies since the production days of this show and, we can very well understand why.
This HBO series is created by the music world icon- The Weeknd, Reza Fahim, and Euphoria’s Sam Levinson and has been the talk of the town for a while now. The drama is directed by Levinson under the production company banners of The Reasonable Bunch, Manic Phase, Little Lamb, People Pleaser, Bron, A24 and HBO Entertainment.
The cast for the series includes Lily-Rose Depp as Jocelyn and Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd as Tedros, in major roles. The show features a considerable support cast that includes Suzanna Son as Chloe, Troye Sivan as Xander, Jennie Ruby Jane as Dyanne, Moses Sumney as Izaak, Jane Adams as Nikki Katz, Dan Levy as Jocelyn’s publicist, Eli Roth as Andrew Finkelstein, Rachel Sennott as Leia, Hari Nef as Talia, Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Destiny, Hank Azaria as Chaim, Melanie Liburd as Jenna, Kate Lyn Sheil as Amy alongside Tunde Adebimpe, Elizabeth Berkley, Nico Hiraga, Anne Heche, Maya Eshet, Tyson Ritter, Liz Caribel Sierra, Karl Glusman, Sophie Mudd, Charly Summer, Mitch Modes and more.
So far, four episodes of the show have been released. Initially, the show was designated to have six episodes in total. However, after facing backlash and tons of calls being made for the series to be cancelled, the fifth episode will mark the season finale. Ahead of that, let us go through all The Idol related controversies so far.
Also Read: Amid The Idol Cancellation Rumours, Here are 5 Shows That Got Cancelled Due to Controversies
List of The Idol Controversies That Made Us Do a Double-Take
The Exile of the Female Gaze
There is no doubt that The Idol is a show written from the male gaze. We even think it is written for the male gaze and, it all boils down to the first controversial moment during the making of the show: Director Amy Seimetz walking out due to creative differences. Before Levinson stepped in to direct all the episodes, Seimetz was the one on whose shoulders this duty rested. It was revealed much later that The Weeknd was not happy with the creative direction of the show and thereafter a new approach was taken following Seimetz’s exile.
Following Seimetz’s exit, Suzanna Son (who plays the significant role of Chloe in the show) left the project. A number of episodes had been shot by then. However, Son’s exit really messed a lot of things up and the show had to go through heavy reshoots.
Uncomfortable Viewing Experience: Torture Porn, Sexual Abuse & More
It was not until the series aired that one really understood what it meant when the critics at Cannes dismissed the show under the labels of torture porn. After four episodes one can confidently say that the viewing experience has been extremely uncomfortable. There is an excessive use of sex and nudity in the form of abuse. The Idol feels like a rape fantasy born to live. There are moments between The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp that depicts a form of violence that is intolerable. There is a sort of sexual trade going on between these two characters, who are the leads that just fail to impress us in any way.
The Alleged Toxicity on Set
Although Lily-Rose Depp, The Weeknd and Sam Levinson have repeatedly noted how the shooting of the series was done with clarity, safety and good creative intentions, an investigative expose by Rolling Stone suggests otherwise. The American Monthly magazine interviewed over 13 cast and crew members and noted how there was pure toxicity brewing on the sets of The Idol.
To counter the detailed expose article by the magazine, Depp went on record to praise Levison as a director and focused on how a safe space was created for her during the shooting. The Weeknd, on the other hand, called out the magazine through his Instagram post.
Ludicrous Portrayal of the Music Industry
This show was surely aiming to be a satire but, it did end up becoming amusing for all the wrong reasons. One of the prime reasons is how the music industry is portrayed. Black Mirror’s Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too featuring Miley Cyrus did a better and more hardcore job at giving us the reality of the fame game than this show has over the course of four episodes. It is completely unthinkable how sexual abuse is being equated to the creation of better music and the message the show is giving to the world out there.
You can watch The Idol now streaming on Max. To read our review for the same, click here.