A recent episode of HBO’s series “The Idol” has sparked a significant online discussion, with social media buzzing about a controversial scene involving The Weeknd.
In the episode titled “Double Fantasy,” Abel Tesfaye portrays Tedros, a nightclub owner and cult leader, who attracts the romantic attention of Jocelyn, played by Lily-Rose Depp. The show has raised concerns among fans online for depicting abusive power dynamics and promoting misogynistic themes. One particular scene from the episode has garnered considerable attention. It portrays the characters engaged in a sexually charged exchange, with Jocelyn progressively undressing and subjected to explicit directives from the singer.
The use of graphic language and explicit demands, such as the statement “Fkin’ stretch that tiny little psy,” has left viewers feeling uncomfortable and critical of the scene. This performance has ignited a flurry of reactions on Twitter, with many expressing their concerns and discomfort.
me watching the weekend makin a damn fool of himself tryna act sexy #TheIdolHBO pic.twitter.com/K3Dml8wNOY
— Zaire🥱 (@Zaire29154748) June 12, 2023
I’m honestly really sad we didn’t get the original show we were supposed to that focused more on Jocelyn and less on Tedros. The first half of this episode was so much better than that last half. Let’s see how it ends #TheIdolHBO pic.twitter.com/uLydXGboGS
— Luis (@Heythatsluis) June 12, 2023
One viewer expressed their opinion about “The Idol” by saying, “I really enjoyed the parts of the show that focused on Jocelyn’s life, but the presence of The Weeknd and the overly sexualized dialogue felt cheesy and ruined the experience.” Another viewer highlighted their intense emotions while watching the show, stating, “In just 40 minutes, I felt more disgust and shame than ever before in my life.”
https://twitter.com/cursedmilfs/status/1668307338397351938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1668307338397351938%7Ctwgr%5E51c795a04f647e9c6ea8c47e97fa0618187cbea3%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rap-up.com%2F2023%2F06%2F13%2Ftwitter-reacts-to-the-weeknds-sex-scene-in-the-idol%2F
I would like to ask the actors who filmed this show how it feels to live without a single grain of discomfort because I experienced the nastiness and shame more than ever in my life in just 40 minutes #TheIdolHBO #TheIdol pic.twitter.com/Yj820Iq4gk
— marija (@holysasmaz) June 6, 2023
“The Idol” is a collaborative project between The Weeknd and Sam Levinson, the creator of “Euphoria.” The show also plans to release music alongside its weekly Sunday episodes.
Although the viewership numbers saw a slight decline from 913,000 for the first episode to 800,000 for the second, the overall reach of the show continues to expand. The pilot episode, titled “Pop Tarts & Rat Tales,” received 3.6 million views in the week following its premiere, as reported by Deadline. This surpasses the first-week viewership of Levinson’s previous works, “Euphoria” in 2019 (3.3 million viewers) and “The White Lotus” in 2021 (3 million viewers).
The episode that has generated extensive discussion has propelled the interest in “The Idol” to new heights. The inclusion of sexually explicit dialogue, along with the artist’s performance and the series’ raw realism, has left many eagerly anticipating the show’s future direction.
While opinions on “The Idol” remain divided, their impact on pop culture is undeniable. The show has managed to captivate its audience, emphasizing the strength of unpredictable storytelling and compelling performances.
