Where do you even begin with The Idol, which has already proven to be one of the most hotly-contested televised talking points of the year despite its first episode premiering less than 48 hours ago?
The rampant tales of debauchery may have been widely debunked by the people who worked on Euphoria creator Sam Levinson’s latest series, but that hasn’t stopped it from taking an utter pasting online. It’s entirely deserved, too, with the “shock value” feeling so transparent and manufactured that it’s more laughable than profound, something that also applies to the latest stop on the hate train’s worldwide tour.
Anyone familiar with Mia Goth’s staggering turn in Pearl will be fully aware of the end credits, where the actress breaks down in full view of the camera, and it didn’t take social media long to notice that Levinson was blatantly aiming for the same thing with star Lily-Rose Depp.
Whereas Pearl was widely lauded for one of the most memorable endings to come along in a while, The Idol did not generate the same response. While some can claim it isn’t a direct like-for-like facsimile, the majority of the replies outline that piggybacking off something so popular and well-known doesn’t yield identical results.
The Idol is going to continue throwing out debate and talking points for the entirety of its run, but unless the hate-watching stops after being urged to not even begin in the first place, don’t rule out the possibility of a second season quite yet.
