The Idol premiered back in June as part of HBO's summer lineup in the 2023 TV schedule, and there was no shortage of hype before and after its debut. Unfortunately for those involved with the show, the hype wasn't entirely positive, and included a viral report about a toxic set. The show, which starred Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd, ended its first season back in early July. Given the current level of cancellations during the strike, HBO finally announced the cancellation is not a surprise, but I'm still interested in what the network had to say.
The series centered on Lily-Rose Depp as young pop star Jocelyn and Abel Tesfaye – a.k.a. The Weeknd – as nightclub owner/talent scout Tedros. While the show didn't quite conclude on a life-or-death cliffhanger, the ending was open-ended enough to allow for a second season from series co-creator, executive producer, director, and writer Sam Levinson (who Depp defended as the "best director" she ever worked with).
Now, in the final days of August, an HBO spokesperson explained why the show has gotten the axe, kinda sorta. In a statement to THR the network said:
The Idol was one of HBO’s most provocative original programs, and we’re pleased by the strong audience response. After much thought and consideration, HBO, as well as the creators and producers have decided not to move forward with a second season. We’re grateful to the creators, cast, and crew for their incredible work.
The surprise note that the decision was made with "creators and producers" suggests that Sam Levinson, The Weeknd, and their fellow co-creator Reza Fahim may have given the stamp of approval -- or at least been given a curtesy heads up -- to end The Idol after just one season, but it remains to be seen if any of the three will confirm that.
The WGA writers strike presumably means that Levinson at least will not be issuing any public statements for the foreseeable future. The five episodes of what is now the first and only season of the divisive show are still available streaming via Max subscription.
I doubt that anybody would argue with the HBO statement's description of The Idol as "provocative," as critics had strong opinions about the series from the start, and a closer look at the five-star reviews by the end of the season even suggests that many of them may have been faked. The show was divisive to say the least, and while I guess it's not surprising HBO chose to stick with a short statement on the matter, many fans probably saw the news coming.
The network did take some time before making the final decision to cancel, with THR reporting that the call was only made recently and there was no plan for a story that would span multiple seasons that will now go unfinished. That certainly wasn't the case when HBO axed Westworld after four seasons, as the Westworld team had planned to finish their story with five seasons!
The SAG-AFTRA actors strike may mean that stars won't be commenting on the cancellation, although only time will tell on that count. Lily-Rose Depp did celebrate The Idol wrapping Season 1 in early July, still more than a week before the SAG actors in Hollywood joined the writers in striking against the AMPTP.
Fans of the Idol may be disappointed to have waited almost two months to get the official news about the future of the series, although it's far from unprecedented for shows to have to wait some time after their season finales to find out if another season is coming. In fact, for all that premium cable and network television are extremely different, ABC has several shows that have been in limbo ever since the end of spring TV finale season.
For now, you can always revisit the highs and lows – such as they are – of The Idol streaming with a Max subscription and find some upcoming viewing options on our 2023 TV schedule.
