Let's Settle This: is HBO's The Idol a Satire on the Music Industry or Not?
The change in perspective can make The Idol a whole new viewing experience.
Sam Levinson's The Idol has aired its third episode, and the reviews for the show don't seem to be getting any better. Audiences and critics continue to bash it for its implausibility, flat characters, and ridiculous dialogue.
But what if all of that is the point of the show? What if the reviewers have been reading The Idol the wrong way?
If you watch The Idol expecting it to be a drama series about the destructive journey of a pop star desperately trying to recover from a mental breakdown and return to stardom, the HBO show is bound to feel reductive, with lots of flaws in the writing, dialogue, direction, acting, and so on. However, if you look at it as a satire of the current music industry, all the things that people have been complaining about will come in a new and nuanced light.
Upon closer examination of The Idol, every scene, line, and character screams satire. The over-sexualization and exploitation often mentioned in negative reviews, the overdramatized Hollywood and music industry tropes, the cartoonish characters, even the performances and songs with cringe-worthy lyrics that are passed off as something deeper than they are — all these details are characteristic of satire rather than straightforward drama.
The phrase 'mental illness is sexy' is uttered in the first 30 seconds of dialogue, and you can't seriously expect that to represent the filmmakers' position, as well as other things said in the show that infuriate dozens of fans. Critics and viewers point out that The Idol sex scenes make them feel uncomfortable, repulsed, and grossed out. Well, that's because they're supposed to.
Satires are meant to be ridiculous and exaggerate things seen in the real world. Characters in satire can be tragic and excessive at the same time, much like Lily-Rose Depp's Jocelyn, who represents many real-life pop stars but behaves and talks in a way that is hard to relate to.
There's no doubt that many people would enjoy The Idol more if they saw it as a satirical dramedy rather than a show that takes things seriously.
The Idol Episode 4 lands on HBO on Sunday, June 25, 2023.