The Idol has been mired in controversy ever since early production when it was abruptly announced that the creative direction for the show - about a troubled starlet falling victim to a predatory industry - had changed and all former work by writer-producer Amy Seimetz (The Girlfriend Experience) had been scrapped in favour of Sam Levison’s (Euphoria) vision.
When the show came out in June on Sky, it was no less dramatic, with viewers pointing to the irony of a show meant to expose the exploitation of female stars being filled with what they see as gratuitous nudity and sex scenes – as well as throwaway experiences of revenge porn and off-hand jokes about the necessity of intimacy co-ordinators. So, whether the show would be back for a second season was never set in stone.
And in the end, the controversy outweighed any praise the show may have received and HBO have pulled the plug after just one season. '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.'
While praise for Lily Rose Depp’s portrayal of main character Jocelyn remains high, many viewers found Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye’s character Tedros hard to watch (he plays a modern-day cult leader grooming Jocelyn).
So rumours of cancellation started as soon as the series came out, with tabloids reporting that any hopes for a second season had been quashed and one alleged reason being Tesfaye's apparent 'egomaniacal' behaviour while in character on set, according to Page Six.
(Lily-Rose spoke of 'steering clear' of Tesfaye while he was in the zone, but also added that she loved him 'so much', adding: 'he was able to melt into this role in a way that is really difficult for anybody to do.')
The news that the show has been cancelled after one season will come as a shock to many people. Even in an interview with Variety, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, who plays Jocelyn's manager Destiny, seemed sure that The Idol 'was never intended to be a limited series'.
'I think that everyone's intention is to have a second season,' she added, teasing that 'nothing is official, but HBO is quite happy' with the show.
And yet, even the first series was cut short, with episode five becoming the last despite the show originally being commissioned for six episodes. Why the change? Reports state that it was due to Sam Levison’s creative overhaul during production, which significantly shorted the series length.
The Idol’s cancellation will likely mean that Sam will shift his attention to Euphoria’s third season, which has been the subject of much speculation and will have to factor in the tragic death of one of the show's breakout stars, Angus Cloud.