The Way The Idol Shows How Cults Work is All Wrong and Unrealistic
It looks like 'cult' is nothing but a catch-word for the HBO show.
Without a doubt, HBO's The Idol is the most popular series of this summer, but for all the wrong reasons. After Sam Levinson and The Weeknd decided to put every aspect of The Idol under their creative control, the once-promising show turned into a half-baked borderline porn extravaganza, and most people hated the series the moment the first episode aired on June 4.
And what's worse, it looks like The Idol has failed to make one of its most important narrative points believable.
With three episodes already released, The Idol is officially more than halfway through its first season, but The Weeknd's Tedros still seems rather one-dimensional, to say the least. The series' official synopsis boldly stated that Tedros was the leader of a modern-day cult, but that aspect of his personality hasn't been explored in the show at all.
Moreover, The Idol paints a rather unbelievable picture of modern cults, as Levinson apparently didn't even bother to research this problem before writing the script. First of all, The Weeknd's character simply doesn't look like a person capable of starting a cult, as this sleazy jerk has nothing magnetic about his personality. Tedros is shallow and unrealistic, so even the idea of Jocelyn falling for his lies is ridiculous.
Second, Tedros' treatment of Jocelyn also seems unrealistic, although the emotional, verbal, and physical abuse shown in The Idol checks all the boxes. The fact that he allows Jocelyn to hang out with people who hate him and his ideas is just weird, especially since all cults normally try to alienate their targets from their previous lives and people they knew before joining.
Moreover, Tedros seems to have no ideals or any real ideology, which is quite strange for a cult leader who is supposed to invite people to join him by making bold promises and such.
It looks like HBO and Levinson just decided to use the word 'cult' to get more people to watch the show, without really putting any thought into making this story believable and compelling.
The Idol Episode 4 will arrive on HBO on June 25, 2023.