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HBO has canceled its controversial drama series The Idol after just one truncated five-episode season.
The show debuted in June – nearly two years after it was ordered to series, following director Amy Seimetz and co-creator Sam Levinson taking over as the show’s primary director.
The show’s cancelation doesn’t come as much of a surprise, given both the critical reception and the show’s poor ratings.
While some cast members like Da’Vine Joy Randolph hinted at the possibility of a second season in interviews, Deadline reports that the show’s creative team didn’t have a multi-season arc planned for the series.
The cancelation comes more than a month after Selena Gomez – who previously dated The Weeknd – was reportedly ‘irked’ that her real life was seemingly the basis of Lily-Rose Depp’s character Jocelyn.
Canceled: HBO has canceled its controversial drama series The Idol after just one truncated five-episode season
Poor ratings: The show’s cancelation doesn’t come as much of a surprise, given both the critical reception and the show’s poor ratings
‘The Idol was one of HBO’s most provocative original programs, and we’re pleased by the strong audience response,’ an HBO spokesperson said in a statement.
‘After much thought and consideration, HBO, as well as the creators and producers, have decided not to move forward with a second season,’ the statement continued.
‘We’re grateful to the creators, cast, and crew for their incredible work,’ the statement concluded.
The Idol was ordered to series in November 2021, co-created by Sam Levinson (Euphoria), The Weeknd and Reza Fahim, with Amy Seimetz coming aboard to direct all six episodes.
Then in April 2022, Seimetz left the project amid a creative overhaul, despite roughly 80% of the season being filmed already.
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A Rolling Stone report from March 2023 revealed that Levinson and Tesfaye had taken over the creative direction since they felt the show had, ‘leaned too much into a female perspective.’
The show was originally set to follow Jocelyn (Depp), a rising pop star who becomes enamored with a mysterious figure (Weeknd) who was actually the predatory leader of a cult.
Sam Levinson revealed in a Variety interview that the show’s basic concept hinged on a conversation he had with The Weeknd, where he said his fans were so loyal he could actually start a cult, if he wanted to.
Provocative: ‘The Idol was one of HBO’s most provocative original programs, and we’re pleased by the strong audience response,’ an HBO spokesperson said in a statement
Thought: ‘After much thought and consideration, HBO, as well as the creators and producers, have decided not to move forward with a second season,’ the statement continued
Ordered: The Idol was ordered to series in November 2021, co-created by Sam Levinson (Euphoria), The Weeknd and Reza Fahim, with Amy Seimetz coming aboard to direct all six episodes
Cast: The series also starred Troye Sivan, Dan Levy, Eli Roth, Hari Nef, Jane Adams, Jennie Ruby Jane, Mike Dean, Moses Sumney, Rachel Sennott, Ramsey, Suzanna Son and Hank Azari
The entire series was ultimately re-shot, using The Weeknd’s own mansion to film the show in, reducing the episode count from six to five.
Crew members recalled to Rolling Stone that Levinson’s re-worked story was more of a, ‘degrading’ that emphasized nudity and, ‘sexual torture porn’ ‘like [a] rape fantasy.’
The show was regularly criticized by both fans and critics alike for the many gratuitous sex and masturbation scenes peppered throughout the series.
HBO would only release viewership data for the first two episodes, with the pilot launching to 913,000 viewers across all platforms, with the second episode dipping to 800,000.
The series also starred Troye Sivan, Dan Levy, Eli Roth, Hari Nef, Jane Adams, Jennie Ruby Jane, Mike Dean, Moses Sumney, Rachel Sennott, Ramsey, Suzanna Son and Hank Azaria
