10 Biggest TV Controversies Of 2023
7. Basically Everything About It - The Idol
HBO's drama series The Idol was both intensely buzzed about and soundly ridiculed long before it even premiered back in June.
The limited series, co-created by Sam Levinson (Euphoria) and The Weeknd, centers around a female pop star (Lily-Rose Depp) who enters the orbit of a slimeball nightclub promoter (The Weeknd) who becomes her spiritual leader and guru.
Back in April 2022, after roughly 80% of the show had been filmed, it was reported that original director Amy Seimetz had left the project due to creative differences, with Levinson ultimately re-shooting the entire series himself amid a creative overhaul.
According to numerous reports, The Weeknd wanted to tone down the cult-like facets of the narrative and felt that it "lean[ed] too much into a female perspective." Funny for a show with a female protagonist, that.
Crew members claimed that Levinson's reworked vision for the show was more exploitative and filled with explicit content, while Seimetz's version was said to be more focused on a young woman reclaiming her agency in a predatory industry.
Ultimately The Idol premiered to disastrous reviews, with many panning its dull, vapid, style-over-substance storytelling and The Weeknd's performance, though Lily-Rose Depp received a measure of praise for her committed work.
To the surprise of no-one, HBO cancelled the show after a single season, which was probably best for all involved.