HBO has pulled the plug on the highly provocative show “The Idol,” co-created by The Weeknd and starring Lily Rose Depp, Page Six reported.
A spokesperson for HBO confirmed they will not be renewing the show for a second season, although they sang the praises of those involved in the show. The HBO rep said that they were pleased with the audience response, according to Page Six.
“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.”
‘The Idol,’ controversial salacious HBO show, canceled after one season https://t.co/KkjadqojkX pic.twitter.com/0RsKcer0bD
— New York Post (@nypost) August 29, 2023
The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, also starred in the show, and was the center of several highly controversial sex scenes over the course of the first season. Tesfaye, HBO, and Depp faced scrutiny and backlash over the highly exploitative scenes that unfolded as part of the show, with Rolling Stone reporting that alleged cast members called the direction of the show “sexual torture porn” and “rape fantasy.”
British GQ slammed the show by saying it contained “the worst sex scene in history.”
HBO’s decision not to renew “The Idol” for a second season doesn’t come as a surprise to everyone. Sources close to the situation said a second season was never planned, during an interview in June with Page Six.
“This was never meant to be a long-running show, it was always … a limited series,” the source said, according to Page Six. (RELATED: Fans Are Put Off By The Weeknd’s Sex Scenes In The Idol)
An HBO Max source said the “boundary-pushing content is what audiences look for in HBO original programming, and ‘The Idol’ certainly delivered on that front. [It] was one of the most talked-about shows of the summer and cemented itself in the zeitgeist,” according to an interview conducted Monday, according to Page Six.