The Idol - General Discussion

[SlovakPrincess]

My goodness what a train wreck.  I needed a good laugh and this episode didn’t disappoint… but, uh, I am laughing AT the show not with it.  

Again, poor Lily Rose.  She is honestly trying and Jocelyn’s obsessive behavior and anxiety during the video shoot was the one interesting part of the episode.  We see glimmers perhaps of what the show was supposed to be before it got reworked into this laughably “aren’t we so edgy?!” cringe fest.  Of course, it gets ruined by the eye-rolling call out to her dead mom - can we be subtle for 2 seconds, show?

Rachel Sennot and Da’Vine Joy also had some good moments - anyone behaving like actual concerned humans for 5 seconds on this show is nice!

Someone needs to tell Levinson what he’s creating is not sexy or dramatic— we’re dying laughing at the ridiculous dialogue and he’s making sex look extremely unappealing lol.  And because we’re supposed to believe Tedros’ sex appeal is what’s drawing Jocelyn in, his stupid wardrobe and pony tail, godawful dialogue, and aggressively laughable and gross approach to sex undermine the whole thing.  Jocelyn looks like an idiot for falling for this try-hard weirdo who she has just met, and who is very obviously scoping out her place and testing her boundaries so he can take advantage.  Real life cult leaders are far more subtle than this.  

The whole thing is a juvenile, deliberately repulsive, and wrongheaded take on why someone would become burned out in Hollywood and vulnerable to a cult leader.

 

 

[sadie]

I think this episode had a glimpse of what could have been an interesting story. Distressed pop has been meets a Svengali that invades her life when most vulnerable and he builds her career back up but at a price as he takes over her life. Problem is The Weekend has none of the charisma needed (whoever said Jared Leto was spot on!) and the overly ick sex scenes make it cringey. I think Depp Rose shows some potential as her anxiety ridden video shoot literally gave me anxiety but then it just delves into stupid and they lose any good will they built up. And how much side and under boob do we really need? 

[luckyroll3]

49 minutes ago, sadie said:

I think this episode had a glimpse of what could have been an interesting story. Distressed pop has been meets a Svengali that invades her life when most vulnerable and he builds her career back up but at a price as he takes over her life.

Definitely agree with this. Also the "All About Eve" aspect of how the industry is all too ready to move on to the next best thing when their stars break (or age out) and the fickleness or fakeness of friendships when you're a star. There could have been parallel storylines juxtaposing Joss's fall with Dyanne's rise. 

Speaking of, I just knew last week that Dyanne was involved in the vampire cult! (I'm gonna just keep pretending that they're vampires for my own enjoyment! 😆) Glad to see I was right.

[cmfran]

19 hours ago, sadie said:

I think this episode had a glimpse of what could have been an interesting story. Distressed pop has been meets a Svengali that invades her life when most vulnerable and he builds her career back up but at a price as he takes over her life. Problem is The Weekend has none of the charisma needed (whoever said Jared Leto was spot on!) and the overly ick sex scenes make it cringey. I think Depp Rose shows some potential as her anxiety ridden video shoot literally gave me anxiety but then it just delves into stupid and they lose any good will they built up. And how much side and under boob do we really need? 

Yeah, her clothing is barely clothing. Why not just be naked? How different would it be?

I've also had that awful song in my head since they've played it 100 times between both eps. And one of the random background songs in ep 2 was definitely performed by the Weeknd. The whole production is clearly all about him, which is not a great way to make good TV.

[Sheenieb]

On 6/13/2023 at 3:47 PM, luckyroll3 said:

Definitely agree with this. Also the "All About Eve" aspect of how the industry is all too ready to move on to the next best thing when their stars break (or age out) and the fickleness or fakeness of friendships when you're a star. There could have been parallel storylines juxtaposing Joss's fall with Dyanne's rise. 

Yup. That's why I found episode 2 interesting. We got some more background about Jocelyn's breakdown, and the A&R exec was ready to replace Jocelyn expeditiously when she didn't deliver. 

I was ready to dislike this show and only watch it to fill the timeslot, but shamefully, I'm not hating it as much as I expected to. It's a mess, but it can be salvaged. 

Likes

• The show is a throwback erotic thriller. The visuals look very 90s to me. Even the creepy, shrieking chord that pops up whenever Tedros is mentioned and comes around sounds like something from a classic thriller. 
• There's a kernel of a story here. Jocelyn isn't a pop star with a bad attitude. She isn't unpleasant, she's just at a low point. If her manager is covering half the mortgage, given how huge that house is, I'm wondering how big she used to be, and how long has she been out of the spotlight. 
• Da'Vine Joy Randolph is the standout for me, but overall, the acting isn't terrible.*

Dislikes

• Lack of clarification about everyone's role in Jocelyn's life. We know Hank Azaria is her manager, and Rachel Sennot is her best friend/assistant, but that's it. I don't know what Da'Vine Joy Randolph's job is (although she's awesome), I'm assuming Jane Adams is an A&R exec, but the rest are muddled. They're all just there. Are they hanger-ons? There was the guy at the music video shoot who said that no one listens to his ideas, but I didn't even know his name. 
• The sex dialogue is cringy as fuck. I wrote that this show is an erotic thriller set as a series, but what Basic Instinct had was sensuality. I wonder how many takes Lily-Rose Depp had to do during that "seduction" scene with The Weeknd. Did she have to stop one too many times out of embarrassment? You could tell a man wrote that. How dreadful. 
• *The Weeknd is not believable as a charismatic cult leader. He isn't unfortunate looking, and maybe I would take him seriously without that stupid wig. Did House of the Dragon eat up HBO's wig budget? Or was the hair and makeup department sacrificed during the HBO/Discovery merger? I want answers. 

 

It's only episode 2, so I'm hoping that we'll get more answers about what this NXIVM-inspired cult is all about. So far, we have Isaac (the actor is striking, so if he were the cult leader, I could see it) and the other cult member who gave me Squeaky Fromme vibes, as singers, Dyanne is a dancer, and apparently, Tedros has a label? Does he collect entertainers and usurp their talent? Squeaky Fromme was making herself too at home in Jocelyn's house. Acting like she's never been anywhere before. 

[SHD]

On 6/12/2023 at 8:46 PM, marny said:

We gave it one more episode. I found myself feeling sorry for Lily-Rose Depo that this is the project she chose as her breakout role. I’m done. 

Same. I'll read a good book for that hour instead. Or even a bad book. Anything's gotta be better.

[realityplease]

If I continue to watch, it'll only be hate-watching to see how low the show sinks.  I don't know what's worse - the trite story line, the ridiculous dialogue, the stupid characters, the awful clothes.  Or maybe Hank Azaria (as Chaim?) who can be a decent actor, but here, struggling with his accent - sometimes faintly Israeli, sometimes a bit Yiddish, sometimes entirely gone.  Or that reporter - who just can't act.  Or Jane Adams barking out nonsense direction & opinions - with attitude & scraggly gray hair. (Meaning what? Experience? No mirror?)  Or The Weekend - not very attractive here, much less Svengali-like.  As some TV critic wrote, Lily-Rose Depp's best acting came & went in the first episode when she tried to land 5 or 6 emotions for the photog  - though the critic thought she expressed all of them - and I think she - maybe - had 2 or 3.  A big waste of that Blackpink singer & Da'Vine who aren't given much to do yet (or maybe ever.) 

I suppose it's a tale of an insecure "talent" & the useless hangers-on, handlers, agents, & employee/friends who need a meal-ticket & inhabit the world of a star in limbo - and how the talent comes under the spell of an unsavory influence - who either helps or ruins her career & life.  But they all seem so aimless, useless & bored - so what a bore for all of us!

Edited June 15, 2023 by realityplease

[ASpring1900]

On 6/14/2023 at 10:56 AM, cmfran said:

I've also had that awful song in my head since they've played it 100 times between both eps.

I have had the song stuff in my head too, and I hate to say it, I kind of love it. I know, I'm basic.

I'm kind of surprised that it hasn't popped up on SiriusXM's Tik Tok radio-- they seemed to play "All For Us" a lot when Euphoria aired new episodes. Maybe that shows that The Idol isn't hitting Gen Z as they hoped it would?

[heatherchandler]

On 5/24/2023 at 12:25 AM, Snazzy Daisy said:

The double-dose the festival screened felt nasty, brutish, much longer than it is, and way, way worse than you’d have anticipated.

That’s a great description!

This show is so bad, and so boring.  What was that song at the end?  The music is all so bad.

 

On 6/11/2023 at 9:30 PM, SHD said:

I thought I might’ve been too harsh, so I gave this show a second shot. Nope. I usually say I guess this show’s not for me, but honestly, I don’t know who this show is for.

I don’t think it would’ve helped, but I would’ve cast someone like Jared Leto as the creepy, cult leader Svengali. At least he can act.

 

Jared Leto would have been great.  The Weeknd is supposed to be hot, we are supposed to think he’s hot?  I think he’s repulsive.

That dirty talk was so weird.  And then the guy who was maybe trying to poop?  And getting zapped?  And the piano player “watcher?”  What’s even going on?

[heatherchandler]

On 6/14/2023 at 4:21 PM, Sheenieb said:

He isn't unfortunate looking

Oh but he is, I think he’s ugly.

[skotnikov]

Can they kill The Weeknd off in the next episode? He makes this show unwatchable. 

On 6/14/2023 at 4:56 PM, cmfran said:

I've also had that awful song in my head since they've played it 100 times between both eps. 

I'm obsessed with it, and I wonder why it's not in top 5 on Spotify. Is it because it is actually a parody of a pop hit (though I don't think The Weeknd  knows that it's a parody)? 

[Lethallyfab]

If I were Hank Azaria and I got dragged to filth for doing such a cartoonishly offensive accent on ‘The Simpsons’ that I left the show, I would maybe not do such a cartoonishly offensive accent for my next show.

As a viewer, I guess the redeeming quality is that I don’t exactly know where this accent is supposed to be from?  
 

Per HBO, sorry, ‘Max,’ this season will be only 5 episodes, rather than the six initially reported.  There were also rumors that the show will not be returning for a second season and then Max was all “a second season is TOTALLY possible!”  
 

Uh huh, a series that costs $15 million dollars per episode, can’t even average a million viewers per episode and has been critically lambasted is *totally* going to get a second season.

I feel like this show is trying very hard to thread the needle between a straight-up satire and a “gritty” take on the industry and is failing.  
 

Like, if you want to present Jocelyn as being an artistic genius disguised as a pop tart who is stymied by her handlers and the industry…maybe you actually have to show that she’s a genius?  
 

Does The Weeknd IRL think that Jocelyn’s songs are pop trash and it’s only due to him remixing them that they’re good?   Again, trying to thread the needle.
 

Dude, you played the Super Bowl, your first major hit was a banger about doing so much cocaine that you could no longer feel your face, you are Pop as Hell.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E03: Daybreak

As Tedros inserts himself into Jocelyn's life by offering input on her wardrobe and collaborators, Leia brings her growing concerns to Chaim and Destiny. But when her team suddenly begins to soften toward Tedros, Jocelyn becomes even more emotionally tethered to him.

Premiere Date: June 18, 2023    HBO    9pm

[DiabLOL]

I’m repulsed beyond recognition and I can’t stop watching.

[Lethallyfab]

Vulture goes deep as to why The Weeknd’s performance is such a failure: 

“Tesfaye, however, plays all his scenes in the same register, with the same tone, the same cadence, and the same body language. This man sure does love to tilt his head to the side to deliver an emphatic message!”

[luckyroll3]

6 hours ago, Lethallyfab said:

Vulture goes deep as to why The Weeknd’s performance is such a failure: 

“Tesfaye, however, plays all his scenes in the same register, with the same tone, the same cadence, and the same body language. This man sure does love to tilt his head to the side to deliver an emphatic message!”

All of this! In an episode full of cringe, the cringiest was when Tedros confronted and threatened the guy who worked in the store. He was not convincing at all, but more credit to the other actor for looking fearful and not laughing in his face. 

[realityplease]

It was pretty terrible - sex in the convertible's backseat with a trite overused shot of the Beverly Hills palm trees, more sex & shopping, the dopey assistant trying to "warn" Chaim (who once again failed to maintain his weird semi-Israeli accent though he tossed out his Star of David necklace from under his t-shirt to give us a clue), the hot guy getting fired, dumb crap about a hairbrush.

Halfway through the episode Tedros mumbled something with the words "carte blanche" in it.  The "e" at the end of each word is silent but he pronounced it "cart-ay blanch-ay" - so for the rest of the episode all I could think was, "What a dumb-ass!" and "Why didn't SOMEBODY correct him & re-shoot that?" Or are we're supposed to think he's a reader who saw those words in a book but never heard them actually used?? Not bloody likely!  Took me right out of the scene (not that I was really in it) and sent this show even further down in my already low estimation of it.  This episode even worse than the first two.  Can't look away from the train wreck - but if there's anything better on. . .   At  least there's only 2 more to go.

Edited June 19, 2023 by realityplease

[MrWhyt]

On 6/17/2023 at 12:23 PM, Lethallyfab said:

If I were Hank Azaria and I got dragged to filth for doing such a cartoonishly offensive accent on ‘The Simpsons’ that I left the show, I would maybe not do such a cartoonishly offensive accent for my next show.

 

Azaria didn't leave The Simpsons, he just stopped doing Apu.

this show? well it's certainly an hour(-ish) long TV production.

[skotnikov]

12 hours ago, DiabLOL said:

I’m repulsed beyond recognition and I can’t stop watching.

I may stop watching it after the 3rd episode. It's just bad bad  awful now. How much does Weeknd pays HBO to be in this? I'm sure there's a catch.

Edited June 19, 2023 by skotnikov

[Snazzy Daisy]

“I’m running the show now.”

Dude, it’s so hard to take you seriously when you dress like this!!!   
 

[luckyroll3]

1 hour ago, realityplease said:

Halfway through the episode Tedros mumbled something with the words "carte blanche" in it.  The "e" at the end of each word is silent but he pronounced it "cart-ay blanch-ay" - so for the rest of the episode all I could think was, "What a dumb-ass!" and "Why didn't SOMEBODY correct him & re-shoot that?" Or are we're supposed to think he's a reader who saw those words in a book but never heard them actually used?? Not bloody likely!  Took me right out of the scene (not that I was really in it) and sent this show even further down in my already low estimation of it. 

Noticed this too. But I assumed it was to show how smart he thinks he is. Like asshat teenagers who think they're smarter than everyone else, including the adults, because they have a thesaurus, but they don't realize the word they chose is not right for the context in which they're using it in. 

59 minutes ago, skotnikov said:

I may stop watching it after the 3rd episode. It's just bad bad  awful now. How much does Weeknd pays HBO to be in this? I'm sure there's a catch.

If there are only 5 episodes, you might as well finish....Or end up feeling like Tedros left alone in the changing room.

Remember, you're not allowed to say no to Tedros. Cause you might miss out on life, or whatever bullshit they were spewing. 

[Sheenieb]

This episode justified the terrible press. 

Tedros telling the creative director, who barely looks older than Jocelyn, that he chose money over Jocelyn's well-being didn't land for me. I'm not saying that he couldn't sound the alarm, but the line would've made more impact if it were said to Chaim. 

Staying on the creative director for a minute, another thing that didn't make sense was when he said that Jocelyn's mother was a rare breed. Does he really think that Jocelyn's mother was the first abusive stage parent to exist? Did everyone forget about Joe Jackson, Gypsy Rose Lee's mother, Brooke Shield's mother, etc? Why is this unique to Jocelyn? Why would she think this isn't relatable to anyone? 

I don't even want to get into the whole "the abuse made her a better performer" conclusion. 

Chaim and Destiny dismissing Leia was shitty. Yeah, they acknowledged that Jocelyn's in trouble, but they didn't notice the interlopers who moved in? And why is World Class Sinner being shelved? Jane Adams said that the label wasn't going with the remix, so why wouldn't they move forward with the original version? I didn't think Jocelyn had a say in the matter. 

[SHD]

I kept my word to myself and abandoned this show after giving it two episodes.

What was the most unintentionally laughable thing I missed? Let’s just say The Weekend’s acting is a given.

I did see the last few minutes, and it seemed like Lily-Rose Depp’s acting was a little improved.

[skotnikov]

2 hours ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

“I’m running the show now.”

Dude, it’s so hard to take you seriously when you dress like this!!!   
 

I mean, his character is  extremely unrealistic; sex scenes are cringe; and gosh! no woman in a sober mind would sleep with a man who dresses and acts like Tedros (although I realise that Jocelin is on drugs and pills, so maybe that's why...)

[SHD]

Every outfit Jocelyn wears would be the losing look on Project Runway.

[sadie]

How many bad cliches can one cram into an hour of television? Just when I think this show can’t get worse, well, here we are. I feel dirty just watching this poor girl get abused. The Weekends character, in addition to being a horribly written character, also can’t act which just compounds the awful. This is almost playing like a bad SNL skit at this point. I’m gonna go to the end as it’s only 5 eps, but gosh what awful thing is left. We’ve already had him going down on her in an open convertible, dressing room sex, him wiping his hands on some expensive clothes in said fitting room, him firing any man that dares comes near her, him making her disclose her deepest pains and then using that on her, her incompetent managers. Ugh. At one point I thought he was gonna have her throw the hair brush in the fire as a way to let go of her past, nope, he just picked up beating her where her dead mother left off. I can only imagine the final scene of this mess will be a mass suicide.

[cmfran]

My plan after the first 2 eps was to hate watch this one, but it's honestly so bad I can't even hate watch it. For a proper hate watch, the show has to actually be trying, and this one isn't even doing that.

[luckyroll3]

13 hours ago, SHD said:

Every outfit Jocelyn wears would be the losing look on Project Runway.

Probably, but I actually liked 2 of her outfits from this past episode. I loved the tube top with the high-waisted black shorts, although they were waaaaay too short. I also really liked the sheer black dress she had on at the dinner. Again waaaaaay too sheer, or they good have kept the sheerness and had her wear a body suit underneath. Everything else though, has been quite awful!

[dwmarch]

Well, I didn't hate episode three but it was not my favorite either. The one bit that stood out to me as strange was when Hank Azaria's character insisted that his partner hand him a gun. Is he Jocelyn's personal security? If she's in danger does he just come in and start blasting? It didn't make a lot of sense other than to introduce a gun to the story so that it can show up again later.

I find Tedros obnoxious but I think he's supposed to be that way. He barks at the guy who works at the clothing store and that guy doesn't feel threatened so much as confused. He mispronounces carte blanche to see if anyone will dare correct him. He gets what he wants just through being the loudest, most aggressive character he can be. Any number of other characters should see right through this but I guess there has been a bit of setup to establish that these folks are pretty sheltered and live in a whimsical world of their own making. He says a famous producer is coming over. Well, that's amazing! He says his coke doesn't have fentanyl in it. What are the odds? But things are going differently now that he has arrived and some people's fantasies are sort of coming true so they are cutting him way too much slack.

I agree they should have thrown the hairbrush in the fire but I think Tedros using it on Jocelyn is supposed to be a reference to Scientology and other cult behavior. I vaguely recall that cults will get you to admit something terrible about yourself and then use that thing to keep you in line. It was interesting to see the other members of Tedros' cult saying yes to everything but having some clearly defined lines they won't cross as regards Tedros himself.

[ahpny]

Quote

I kept my word to myself and abandoned this show after giving it two episodes.

I intended to do the same, but left the third on as I tending to some other stuff and waited from The Righteous Gemstones. But that's it for me. There's nothing compelling about any of this. But it's more than indifference the turned me off, it's offense and disgust. No character is sympathic - despite how sadly realistic some may be. The whole enterprise is an embarassment and in sea of bingable content, this isn't anywhere near making the cut. The troubles of an overindulged, borderline talentless entitled and scanky brat hold no interest for me. And the music sucks too (whether its supposed to suck or not), so there's that.

[skotnikov]

The Idol in a nutshell: 

 

Edited June 22, 2023 by skotnikov

[SlovakPrincess]

On 6/20/2023 at 10:25 AM, cmfran said:

My plan after the first 2 eps was to hate watch this one, but it's honestly so bad I can't even hate watch it. For a proper hate watch, the show has to actually be trying, and this one isn't even doing that.

It’s such an obviously cynical enterprise that it doesn’t merit even a hate watch.  Even the gawk-at-a-car-crash fascination of how badly this thing turned out wears off quickly.

And it’s because the showrunners and MAX truly do not care.  Throw together some titillating scenes and themes, cast a famous musician and a young pretty actress with a famous, controversial dad, throw out some deliberately obnoxious retorts to early bad reviews to generate more press, and viola!  Instant controversy equals instant buzz and clicks and even hate-watching equals $$!

They know the storytelling is absolute crap.  They have to.  Nobody involved in the final product could have possibly believed “yes, we have made a thoughtful and compelling exploration of abuse within the music industry!”  or even “this is a sexy and dark new take on the fame-is-dangerous genre!”  This script is on the level of a bad Lifetime movie but they get to swear and have nudity.  

Tedros is an obvious, unappealing scammer and manipulator and everyone falls for his crap and allows him to dominate Jocelyn within a matter of *days* because the thin plot of this mess requires it.  MAX is simply chuckling all the way to the bank as they get away with having The Weeknd act out sexual sadism on a constantly under-dressed woman who plays an absolute nincompoop.  

[cmfran]

4 hours ago, SlovakPrincess said:

It’s such an obviously cynical enterprise that it doesn’t merit even a hate watch.  Even the gawk-at-a-car-crash fascination of how badly this thing turned out wears off quickly.

And it’s because the showrunners and MAX truly do not care.  Throw together some titillating scenes and themes, cast a famous musician and a young pretty actress with a famous, controversial dad, throw out some deliberately obnoxious retorts to early bad reviews to generate more press, and viola!  Instant controversy equals instant buzz and clicks and even hate-watching equals $$!

They know the storytelling is absolute crap.  They have to.  Nobody involved in the final product could have possibly believed “yes, we have made a thoughtful and compelling exploration of abuse within the music industry!”  or even “this is a sexy and dark new take on the fame-is-dangerous genre!”  This script is on the level of a bad Lifetime movie but they get to swear and have nudity.  

Tedros is an obvious, unappealing scammer and manipulator and everyone falls for his crap and allows him to dominate Jocelyn within a matter of *days* because the thin plot of this mess requires it.  MAX is simply chuckling all the way to the bank as they get away with having The Weeknd act out sexual sadism on a constantly under-dressed woman who plays an absolute nincompoop.  

I agree with all of this. It's amazing what 2 men (the Weeknd and Levinson) with tremendous egos can accomplish. They got HBO to throw a pile of money at them to make this garbage after redoing everything because Mr. Weeknd didn't think it focused on him enough.

And I doubt HBO will see any profits off this show. I'm not sure how money is made for the network in the modern TV industry, but I'm guessing this one will be an expensive write-off.

[heatherchandler]

On top of the show being gross and cringey, The Weekend’s songs are really bad. 

Are the sex scenes supposed to be hot?  They are really not.  

[SHD]

I thought Vinyl was highly flawed, but I’d have taken 10 seasons of that over whatever this show is supposed to be.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E04: Stars Belong to the World

While fighting for the upper hand in her relationship with Tedros, Jocelyn becomes determined to introduce her new persona to the world; Jocelyn's team discusses her increasing involvement with Tedros and his inner circle.

Premiere Date: June 25, 2023    HBO    9pm

[Something weird is going on, there may not be an Episode 6. I am going to keep looking into it and see what I can dig up.]

[Lethallyfab]

Despite initial reports, there is not an episode 6, according to HBO’s most recent press, next week is the season (series?) finale.

I guess The Weeknd dropped a song with Madonna recently — I wonder if she gave him tons of tips on how to waste a bunch of a studio’s money on an ill-conceived vanity project.

I am really not feeling this “I’m Just A Jealous Guy” song from this week’s opener but if you still can’t get World-Class Sinner out of your head, Vulture has a musicology-based explanation (hint: it’s the exact same chord progression, in the exact same key as The Weeknd’s “I Can’t Feel My Face.”)

[Maurina]

54 minutes ago, Lethallyfab said:

Despite initial reports, there is not an episode 6, according to HBO’s most recent press, next week is the season (series?) finale.

Considering there was almost zero plot development in this episode, I have no idea how this is supposed to be wrapped up in one more episode. My guess is they're going to kill someone off.  Or something.

None of this makes any sense even if you buy some of the premises. Such as Jocelyn being completely under the spell of (the most un-enigmatic un-magnetic, uncharismatic) cult leader, and yet she invites her ex over to have sex (almost) right in front of said cult leader.

Still I wonder how many people involved in this mess of show might actually have a sense of humor -- Jocelyn's sad sex scene with her ex includes a zebra-striped rug in front of a fire, while wearing red freakin' shoes.  That's like three huge cliches of 90's era soft-core Cinemax at Night crap.  Red Shoe Diaries and all.  Sigh.

I'd be laughing if it weren't so boring.

Edited June 26, 2023 by Maurina

[realityplease]

Well, there was stuff going on.  Unfortunately, not interesting stuff.  Just kinda weird stuff - a little torture of the "creative" guy, some sex in front of the group, some drinking, some drugs & bong gurgling, a squat-looking Tedros strutting around & shooting orders, Joss squeezing out some tears, some dazed out hangers-on, & some awful music. D spying for Chaim but not being around for everything (like the torture) so maybe she was too busy catching dinner? (Yes, I'll spy on them but don't expect me to miss dinner!) Oh yeah, and Leila gets a squirt gun to the face.  Supposed to be edgy but really just boring.  Thank goodness there's only one more episode.  This is killing brain cells for every minute of viewing.  

Edited June 26, 2023 by realityplease

[Lethallyfab]

24 minutes ago, Maurina said:

I have no idea how this is supposed to be wrapped up in one more episode. My guess is they're going to kill someone off.  Or something.

I hate to say that this show of its caliber merits having *more* episodes, but, yeah, it probably could use another episode or two to develop Tedros’s seduction of Jocelyn and everything else.  I guess the show may kill Joss off in the finale but HBO claimed upon cancellation rumors that a S2 could totally happen - which, what, it’s just  Tedros seducing a different star each season?  

Centering this show even more than it is already centered around The Weeknd is legitimately crazy pants.

I will reluctantly give this episode credit on three points:

I actually liked the ex-sex scene and thought Joss and her ex’s sex scene felt genuinely sexy to me as opposed to literally every other time this show has portrayed sex.  But that could be due to the fact that the dude was a thousand times hotter than The Weeknd.

I also liked the joke of being in a superhero movie and only showing his face 5% of the time because of having to mask up.

This episode also had the great gag of Destiny honing in on a performance’s musicology and giving great notes within thirty seconds of hearing someone sing as opposed to Tedros’s “constructive” “criticism.”  

I’m going to say it — and I had this problem with the *infinitely* better shot and directed ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ around hour 2 of 3 — watching people on-screen do drugs for hours on screen isn’t as inherently interesting or cinematic as the filmmakers think it is.  I’m sure Levinson was all “we have a Tequila Squirt-Gun…how cool and daring, right?”  Is it, though?

Didn’t HBO/Max make a second season of ‘The Vow?’  Were they just like ‘we need a show about the least sexually appealing cult leader since Keith Ranniere but set to terrible pop music?’

This show is terrible but the discussion is fun, so, here I am.

[snarts]

Was the torture scene of Xander trying to show that Jocelyn is just as bad as Tedros?

So far, Destiny is the only one worth rooting for. "Should we kill him?" YES!

 

Edited June 26, 2023 by snarts
Xander not Zander

[Pike Ludwell]

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Edited June 28, 2023 by Pike Ludwell

[luckyroll3]

15 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

[Something weird is going on, there may not be an Episode 6. I am going to keep looking into it and see what I can dig up.]

It's been reported that they're only doing 5 eps, so don't look too hard!

 

11 hours ago, Maurina said:

None of this makes any sense even if you buy some of the premises. Such as Jocelyn being completely under the spell of (the most un-enigmatic un-magnetic, uncharismatic) cult leader, and yet she invites her ex over to have sex (almost) right in front of said cult leader.

1 hour ago, snarts said:

Was the torture scene of Xander trying to show that Jocelyn is just as bad as Tedros?

I think that scene with Xander was to show that Jocelyn knows exactly what she's doing. Notice he said "Ask Jocelyn" why he no longer sings. She knew all the shit her mother did to Xander, but pretended not to because her mom is the evil one, not her. She's been watching Tedros treat everyone like shit and backing him up. You'd think that when it actually came to him torturing her best friend, someone she's been BFFs with since childhood who has been through everything with her, she'd actually put a stop to it, but she enjoyed that shit. 

Loved Destiny this entire episode. From the "we should just kill him" to her giving actually great advice on vocal and life to her great people watching with the stoic face when her brain is all, this is bat shit craziness! We also found out that she's also Jocelyn's manager (why does she have to 2 managers??). 

Also loved the maids totally trashing Tedros and then ending the scene casually with, "we need to find another job....with sane people." Lol!

I need my hiphop card taken away cause I did not realize Mike Dean was a real ass person until I watched the behind the scenes. (According to Wikipedia he's one of the pioneers of the Dirty South sound of the late 1990s-early 2000s! And I'm from Miami, and was in HS/college at that time so I basically grew up partying to that shit! Shame on me! he also was Selena's musical director and producer?!?!? I now need to do an entire deep dive....). I was very worried he and his people weren't getting enough oxygen with all the weed they were smoking. But they were really cracking me up with all the WTF! looks getting thrown back and forth between each other during the recording sessions, plus Mike Dean playing the piano accompaniment to Tedros vs Ex-boyfriend all while smoking his weed and shaking his head, like "this is real dumb, but I'm just gonna mind my business and play my music."

 

10 hours ago, Lethallyfab said:

Didn’t HBO/Max make a second season of ‘The Vow?’  Were they just like ‘we need a show about the least sexually appealing cult leader since Keith Ranniere but set to terrible pop music?’

To be fair, several indictments and trials happened as they were airing the first season, AND they had convinced that crazy Nancy Saltzman, as well as several of the other followers like Nicki Clyne, to interview. They had to do the second season at that point. 

Now for this show, they have no damn reason cause only the 5 us are watching this shit!

[sadie]

Please tell me someone is gonna beat the crap out of Tedros in the finale or I’m gonna be pissed. The kitchen scene and Tedros karate kid moves was pure comedy. 
 

I know I’m giving these people a lot of credit but this ep maybe made me think the final ep will be Jocelyn kicking Tedros to the curb and saying “thanks for the music”, she then hops a plane with her seemingly nice ex boyfriend, getting a couple of hits, and the final scene is Tedros living under a bridge somewhere alone because everyone figured out what a fake ass user he is. That’s the only interpretation I have of her calling the ex and having sex with him under Tedros’ nose. The ultimate “I'm in charge here, not you, and long after you’re gone I’m still the true star here and you’re a nobody “.
 

Tedros thinks he been the user but Jocelyn is the ultimate user. It’s either that or Tedros just gets shot, I’m okay with it either way. 

[MrWhyt]

Destiny is the only one of these people I like.

[SlovakPrincess]

According to IMDB Dan Levy only appeared in one episode.  Did he ask to be edited out of the rest lol?

[Snazzy Daisy]

“It’s the complex of a short man.”

🤣🤣🤣

[Snazzy Daisy]

The Idol: HBO’s Controversial Drama Is Ending One Week Early — Here’s Why (Exclusive)

An HBO rep declined to comment, but a source tells TVLine, “The season ended up being five episodes when it was all said and done after Sam [Levinson] took over and made significant changes. The story only ended up requiring 5.”

 

Episode 5 Preview | The Idol | HBO

 

[Pike Ludwell]

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Edited June 28, 2023 by Pike Ludwell

[Aim123]

Tedros rolling up looking like Luis Guzman in Boogie Nights in every scene. This guy is not attractively styled. 

Edited June 27, 2023 by Aim123