from HBO”The idolonce again stunned fans after it was revealed that the former six-episode show would end abruptly after its fifth episode aired.
The Sam Levinson-directed drama series centers on the life of a troubled young starlet named Jocelyn (played by Lily-Rose Depp), who falls into the clutches of a cult leader, Tedros (played by The Weeknd).
Prior to its release, “The Idol” was already receiving intense backlash online due to overly racy scenes and heavy displays of nudity.
Keep reading to learn more.
“The Idol” will end with its fifth episode on Sunday
Fans of ‘The Idol’ were stunned after it was revealed that it would end earlier than expected. The steamy show, which was previously billed as a six-episode series, would air its last episode on SundayJune 2.
Viewers who tuned in to watch the highly sexualized fourth episode of “The Idol” were greeted with a shocking preview of the fifth episode, albeit with the added “season finale” tag. This new development left fans wondering how the show could adequately cover and process all of its various storylines in a single episode.
Fans Theorize What Could Have Caused ‘The Idol’ To Be Shortened
With the sixth episode cut from “The Idol,” fans are now trying to figure out what could have caused the change.
Some have speculated that this was likely the result of showrunner Levinson editing out controversial scenes to help soften the blow from critics, while others have argued that it was due to the total cancellation of ” The Idol”.
A fan wrote on Twitter“I’m starting to think either the idol critics were saying things just to say it to exaggerate or they were really right and sam cut some scenes hence why we’re getting 5 episodes instead of 6 and Episode 3 was only 45 minutes long.”
I’m starting to think either the idol reviews were saying things just to say it to exaggerate or they were really right and sam cut some scenes hence why we’re getting 5 episodes instead of 6 and l Episode 3 was only 45 minutes long. pic.twitter.com/tgKMPseQpe
— crackcoon (@pinksgroove) June 26, 2023
Another said“HBO realized what a mess it was and just decided it wasn’t worth fighting for. Especially after having 3 ratings records such as HOTD, Succession and The Last of Us yeah it there’s no reason for them to renew this shitshow. It’s not a loss for them.”
A third person added, “In my opinion, The Idol will not have a season 2. Until a week ago, most media publications and reputable bloggers were informed that it would be 6 episodes long.” They continued, “I think the powers that be didn’t want to ‘allegedly announce’ the strong possibility that he wouldn’t return, because that would prevent people from completing the now-tagged limited series.”
HBO Shuts Down Show Cancellation Rumors
It has previously been alleged that ‘The Idol’ was canceled amid fan backlash over its nudity-laden scenes and The Weeknd’s “self-centered” attitude on set of the show.
According Page 6a source claimed that “it was never meant to be a long-running show, it was always…a limited series.”
The source also added that HBO isn’t shocked by the negative reviews that “The Idol” was directed by Levinson. They said, “It’s a Sam Levinson show, and you know what you get with a Sam Levinson show.”
After news of its possible cancellation made headlines, HBO quickly took to Twitter to shut it down. They writing“It is incorrectly reported that a decision on a second season of The Idol has been determined. That is not the case, and we look forward to sharing the next episode with you on Sunday evening.
The Weeknd wasn’t surprised by the backlash from ‘The Idol’
By speaking with Varietythe “Can’t Feel My Face” singer revealed he wasn’t shocked by the negative reviews as things were going according to plan.
According to The Weeknd, everything people hate about the show was done on purpose, including its acting, which many deemed “poor” and “grippy”.
“We’re playing with genres with this show, we’re doing exactly what we wanted to do,” the singer said. “And none of this is a surprise. I can’t wait for everyone to watch the rest of the show.
He further claimed that “The Idol” was “almost educational” because it exposed what many famous people tend to go through, which is a stark contrast to the glitz and glamor of Hollywood.
“It’s almost educational that this is what’s come to be incredibly famous,” The Weeknd said. “You’re surrounded by people whose true intentions you don’t know, even though they seem to be good. You never know.