You Say Controversial, We Say Captivating: HBO's The Idol Deserves Better
Does The Idol really have this unparalleled shock value that makes it unwatchable?
Sometimes the things that make people angry are not really all that bad. It's actually our own psychology and the hive mind that causes us to latch onto negative emotions and opinions, jumping on the hate wagon for a public figure or show. And that is exactly what's happening with HBO's new series The Idol.
Although only one episode of Sam Levinson's The Idol has been released, thousands of dismissive reviews, videos, and comments have already flooded social media. Is the pilot really that shocking and horrifying? Or are users being overly nitpicky and dramatic? Let's try to find out.
The show follows Lily-Rose Depp's Jocelyn, a pop star desperate to get her career back on track after a nervous breakdown, and The Weeknd's Tedros, a nightclub owner with a dark past and present. Indeed, Jocelyn's arc feels unsettling because of the bad decisions she makes, the influence Tedros has on her, and the plethora of sex scenes she participates in.
Because of all the nudity, sex, and shock value, there are many one-star reviewers who find the show unwatchable. But isn't that exactly the effect the producers wanted to achieve?
The Idol is a big social commentary that focuses on the harsh side of the modern music industry. Jocelyn is an average pop star, affected by fame and the lack of it, while Tedros is a sinister opportunist who exploits others. How can a theme like that survive without a dash of shock value?
And to be honest, The Idol is not that graphic. HBO's Game of Thrones, for instance, is full of wild scenes of incest, group sex, abuse, torture, and death, and yet it is one of the most popular shows in modern pop culture. Netflix's You, Amazon's The Boys — the list of graphically violent shows goes on and on, and in each of these shows, shock value is perceived by viewers as something natural and driving the plot. So why are The Idol critics bashing even an innocent masturbation scene?
Looks like the answer is simple: they bought their ticket on the Sam Levinson hate train and nothing can stop them now. But there seems to be only one question left — why join the backlash when you can watch The Idol and see for yourself if it deserves better than its reviews say?