One of the most provocative television shows in 2023 was HBO’s ‘The Idol’. The series was already in trouble due to the claims of hypersexualization and borderline pornographic narrative. There were many changes made to the script; the original director was replaced by Sam Levinson. Things were looking up as the series inched closer to the release date, but everything went downhill after its release.
‘The Idol’ tells the story of Jocelyn, a struggling pop star who wants to re-invent her career. During the process, she meets Tedros, who becomes a muse for her to create music through provocative actions. The series starred The Weeknd, Lily-Rose Depp, Troye Sivan, and others. It received a heavy backlash due to the ill-portrayal of the female lead and the half-baked narrative with arousing scenes, flattening the story successfully. Now, during an interview, Troye Sivan reacted to the backlash.
Troye Sivan’s Experience With ‘The Idol’ Left Him Sad
‘The Idol’ affected the careers of the individuals who starred in Sam Levinson‘s venture. The audience has brutally criticized the series for the hyper-sexualization of women and for using pornographic s** to drive the narrative. In the series, Troye Sivan played Xander, the creative director for Lily-Rose Depp’s character, Jocelyn.
Currently, Troye Sivan is on a promotional drive for his upcoming album, ‘Something to Give Each Other’. During an interview with The Guardian, the ‘Rush’ crooner addressed the backlash and failure of ‘The Idol’. Troye said, “Sometimes those experiences had left me feeling great, sometimes they had left me feeling really sad.”
Troye Sivan added, “It probably comes from childhood [feelings] of not feeling like enough, and then seeing these guys that I’m like, ‘I don’t know if I want to be you or be with you, but I’m completely ‘hearteyes’ for you’ … I found that a lot of the time after these experiences, I’d be kind of selling myself short or allowing myself to be the secret. It’s a bit self-deprecating.”
In Case You Missed: “We’re Still Supportive”: Sydney Sweeney Comes to Sam Levinson’s Defense Amidst ‘The Idol’ and ‘Euphoria’ Controversies
The Show Was Canceled After Season 1
‘The Idol’ will not be revived for a second season after the disastrous season one. The audience did not respond to the HBO series in a very positive manner. After the first episode, the viewership started dipping and remained low throughout the season. They even axed one episode and made the series into a five-episode show.
Now, HBO has decided to scrap ‘The Idol’ completely. A spokesperson for HBO said, “‘The Idol’ was one of HBO’s most provocative original programs, and we’re pleased by the strong audience response. 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.”
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