The Idol's 'Secret' Episode 6, Explained: Does It Actually Exist?

HBO, which also now offers shows through its streaming service Max (HBO Max outside the US), doesn't often make genuinely bad shows. Most HBO shows are loved by audiences and lauded by critics.

Succession, The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, and many other productions are held up as shining examples of top-quality TV. But even the best of us will have the occasional misfire from time to time.

Produced by Abel Tesfaye, known as The Weeknd, The Idol was hyped up to high heaven in the run-up to its release on 4 June. The show pretty much revolves around the toxic relationship dynamics between Jocelyn, an up-and-coming pop star portrayed by Lily-Rose Depp, and her producer/cult leader Tedros, portrayed by The Weeknd. At its core, it's your run-of-the-mill cautionary tale of an aspiring star getting exploited by the music industry turned on its head. However, the story is presented in such an explicit and repulsive manner that many viewers have found it hard to watch.

The show aired its fifth and final episode a few days ago, but when news broke that it was the season finale, it came as a surprise to many people as they had expected The Idol to comprise six episodes.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Idol was officially announced by HBO in November 2022. The show was given the go-ahead as a six-episode series to be directed by Amy Seimetz and produced by Joseph Epstein alongside creators Reza Fahim and Sam Levinson. Things didn't go according to plan, however.

First of all, Seimetz stepped down as director, and Sam Levinson took over, ending up directing all the episodes. It is also said to have been his decision to reduce the episode count to five. So the show's finale that we all saw is an amalgamation of what was initially supposed to have been two episodes. That's probably why some viewers say the fifth episode felt rushed and ambiguous.

Furthermore, rumour has it that Max or The Weeknd might release a special sixth episode before long. A photo has been shared from a scene that wasn't in any of the aired episodes, in which Jocelyn is sitting next to Tedros (seemingly in his lap), and the two are holding hands.

Now, the likelihood of another episode getting released is fairly low. The leaked photo predates Joss's Instagram story, which was a while ago, and it would be weird to revisit it now. But then again, assuming The Idol won't be getting renewed for a second season, HBO Max may release a special episode comprised entirely of cut scenes to further explore the characters and wrap up their story arcs.

Anyway, at this point, there are more questions than answers. In the meantime, you can stream the entire series on Max.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter.