“The Idol” is HBO realizing their most maximalist self. A cast of hyperstars in a story about bringing back the extreme excesses of pop music, which is also set in Los Angeles, is the prestige network’s most hyped show in years. Only the last season of “Game of Thrones” can match the energy around this show.
Jocelyn (Lily Rose Depp), the pop star on the verge of sky-high fame, is entranced by Tedros (Abel Tesfaye, The Weeknd), a club owner and cult-like figure in the show. It’s very clear that he’s going to play a central hand in turning Jocelyn into an even more famous version of Britney Spears, which was not hard to miss. Once Britney’s “Gimme More” drops, it could only have been about one thing, and Troye Sivan’s character in the show didn’t mince his words: “When was the last truly-f******-nasty, nasty, bad pop girl?”
But, the star-making journey for Jocelyn and Tedros is anything but straightforward. The two will descend to the lowest rungs of Los Angeles and pop music in order to find fame’s mountaintop. And, this being 2023, social media will play a major role in creating Jocelyn’s superstar persona. A Britney-like star with a penchant for going live? There’s going to be chaos.
With Sam Levinson helming the whole project, replacing Amy Seimetz, it’s clear that he brought the “Euphoria” vibe over. And if that show’s overabundances are any indication, “The Idol” will top that and some more.
The highlight of the show’s young life so far, however, is the promise of Jennie Kim of K-Pop supergroup BLACKPINK, and her first acting role. She could not have been thrown a bigger project to handle in her debut as an actress, and people have yet to see or read anything about Angel, her character and Jocelyn’s best friend.
Suzanna Son, Ramsey, Dan Levy, Moses Sumney, Jane Adams, Eli Roth, Rachel Sennott, Hari Nef, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Mike Dean, and Hank Azaria round out the rest of the star-studded lineup of the show.
“The Idol” will have six episodes and will premiere on June 4.
