The Weeknd’s big jump to acting in The Idol has heads and hips turning.
Seems like everyone has been talking about the new HBO MAX show, The Idol, and not for the right reasons. But as the saying goes, any publicity is good publicity. The show is currently the most talked-about TV show on the internet. The Idol covers a troubling time of massive pop star Jocelyn, played by Lily-Rose Depp, and her new relationship with modern-day cult leader, Tedros, who is played by the real-life pop star The Weeknd. The Weeknd had a hand in writing and creating the show.
It is also directed and written by Sam Levinson, who is known for creating another HBO show, Euphoria. Sam Levinson was brought on later in production after creative differences with the original show runner, Amy Seimetz.
The Idol is making insane headlines with its graphic sex scenes, something Sam Levinson came under fire for in Euphoria. Unlike Euphoria, which has above-average ratings, The Idol is getting slammed by critics. What I have found the most interesting is how, throughout the show, there are these diamond-in-the-rough type moments. It seems like sometimes one of the writers on The Idol seemed to know what they were doing.
Don’t get me wrong, the music in the show is phenomenal, The Weeknd has been dropping music every week for each episode, and each week we are getting treated with some gems. The cinematography is phenomenal, and the grit and uneasiness of the show are in full force in these intense scenes. I find it hard to look away, like a car crash on the side of the road sometimes.
I believe everything bad about The Idol has been said online already, such as the awkward stale dialogue, strange character choices, and an unfocused plot. I believe we can find a few gems in The Idol yet.
Lily-Rose Depp is showing the talent and grit of a leading lady. There isn’t a second where I don’t believe she isn’t a mega pop star and dealing with a whole lot of pain under the surface. The Weeknd has good acting chops for his first starring role; he plays a Charles Manson-like cult leader very well. I feel his unpredictability in every scene.
The storyline about being more than a star is something I feel the Weeknd is trying to get across. How stars suffer for their art, they get treated like a horse getting whipped and beaten along the way. But that’s the price to pay to be larger than life. This is when the show is the best, when it’s focused on these big ideas.
I think The Idol is just that, larger than life. It might be corny at times, cringey at others, and a little too horny for its own good. But at the end of the day, it’s massive risks are entertaining as hell to watch, even if they don’t always land.
