The Idol, HBO’s controversial drama starring Abel “the Weeknd” Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp, is ending one week sooner than initially deliberate, Yahoo Entertainment has confirmed. The community hasn’t commented, however a supply near the state of affairs explains that after Euphoria‘s Sam Levinson “took over and made significant changes,” the story only required 5 episodes. HBO initially picked up the present, co-created by Tesfaye and Levinson, as a six-episode collection.
One group comfortable concerning the shortened season is the Parents Television and Media Council. In an announcement on Monday, the group known as on HBO to cancel the present solely “given the program’s extreme content — nudity, sexual abuse, torture — that can be harmful to young viewers.”
The Idol has been marred by drama, each on- and off-screen.
Reports of bother first surfaced in April 2022 when Deadline reported the almost accomplished present was set to bear a artistic overhaul. Original director Amy Seimetz was a kind of who exited. One supply claimed Tesfaye was sad that the collection was leaning an excessive amount of right into a feminine perspective, one thing he he later denied. Levinson in the end took over as director and even moved into the “Starboy” singer’s mansion.
In March, Rolling Stone revealed an exposé labeling Levinson’s model as sexual “torture porn.” A dozen members of the solid and crew participated within the report and known as the rebooted set a “s***show” and claimed the content material was disturbing. When The Idol premiered in Cannes virtually three months later, critics largely agreed.
After the second episode aired, British GQ declared The Idol “just gave us the worst sex scene in history.” Esquire known as Sunday’s torture scene “a new low” and The Daily Beast proclaimed the episode “the worst one yet.” Audiences appear to agree on one factor: a few of the scenes with Depp begin out promising, however when Tesfaye enters, issues get very cringey. However, the famous person has maintained in numerous interviews amid the criticism that is all on objective. (“This is just make-believe,” he informed Variety. “It’s make-believe!”)
Although Page Six reported The Idol wouldn’t be renewed for a second season, HBO denied that in a uncommon, public assertion.
“It is being misreported that a decision on a second season of The Idol has been determined. It has not, and we look forward to sharing the next episode with you Sunday night,” a tweet learn final week.
The remaining episode of The Idol airs on Sunday, July 2 on HBO and Max.
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