One Season and Done for HBO’s ‘The Idol’

HBO's 'The Idol'
HBO's 'The Idol' (Image credit: HBO)

Drama The Idol will not see a second season on HBO. The show, from Sam Levinson, debuted June 4

Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and Reza Fahim created the series alongside Levinson. 

The Weeknd and Lily Rose-Depp were in the cast. 

Depp’s pop star Jocelyn sustained a nervous breakdown that ended her tour, but she is determined to come back as the biggest, sexiest star in the nation. The Weeknd plays Tedros, a dodgy nightclub impresario. 

Troye Sivan, Dan Levy and Da’Vine Joy Randolph are also in the cast. 

The Idol was one of HBO’s most provocative original programs, and we’re pleased by the strong audience response," HBO said in a statement. "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.”

Executive producers are Levinson, Tesfaye, Fahim, Kevin Turen, Ashley Levinson, Joe Epstein, Aaron L. Gilbert for BRON, and Sara E. White. Levinson, creator of HBO hit Euphoria, directed all the episodes. 

Reviews were mostly unkind. Rolling Stone called the show “twisted torture porn.” NPR described The Idol as “stylish yet oddly inert.”

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.