Is HBO's "The Idol" Worth The Hype? Twitter Sounds Off On The Weeknd's New Show

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"The Idol" Photocall - The 76th Annual Cannes Film Festival
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 23: Sam Levinson, Lily-Rose Depp and Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye attend "The Idol" photocall at the 76th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 23, 2023 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Dominique Charriau/WireImage)
From Joycelyn's excessive cigarette habit to The Weeknd's acting chops, here's what social media had to say about the first episode ofHBO's "The Idol."

The criticism surrounding HBO’s The Idol was loud, even before it debuted at the Cannes Film Festival. And the show’s debut seemingly reinforced it for audiences. Although fans were understandably excited for the all-star cast, including The Weeknd as Tedros and Lily Rose-Depp as Jocelyn, the absurdity of the show hasn’t necessarily won fans over just yet. The Sam Levinson-co-created endeavor finds Jocelyn attempting to repair her image after a mental breakdown before being swooped into Tedros’ cult-like world.

The first episode of the show debuted on HBO on Sunday night, leading to plenty of mixed reactions from fans. Some feel as though it’s an excellent debut that will have them returning week after week while others have sided with critics. Plus, many felt some type of way after it replaced Succession on HBO's weekly scheduled. “oh the idol is BAD bad i cannot believe this monstrosity is replacing succession sunday,” one fan wrote on Twitter following The Idol’s debut.

Read More: The Weeknd's Biggest Hits

HBO’s The Idol Mixed Reviews

Besides the premise of the show being incredulous on its own, the actual acting was a point of critique among many viewers. Between The Weeknd’s hairstyle and his general acting chops, fans were quite disappointed in what he had to offer on screen. Evidently, he’s a far better musician than he is an actor. However, BLACKPINK’s Jennie Kim earned unanimous applause for her efforts in the series, specifically her dance break.

Overall, it seems like The Idol will continue to draw reactions episode after episode, even if people aren’t entirely enthusiastic about the first episode. The Weeknd’s formal foray into the world of television is undoubtedly controversial and polarizing but it seems like it’s an interesting starting point for what could be the next chapter in his career. After formally changing his stage name to Abel, perhaps, he has more television scripts in store for the future.

Read More: “The Idol” Praise: Sharon Stone Applauds The Weeknd & Lily-Rose Depp As HBO Series Slammed For Nudity

The Reactions 

We’ve gathered some of the best reactions following the first episode of The Idol. Check them out and let us know whether you agree or not. Is The Idol worth the hype? Sound off in the comment section below. 

About The Author
Aron A.
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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