What You Need To Know Before Watching the Idol
We at SSEDITORIAL are avid fans of the HBO television programme Euphoria. The Idol debuted in 2023 during the 76th Cannes Film Festival. Sam Levinson and well-known pop and R&B singer, The Weeknd, created the show. The programme has finally arrived on our TVs and streaming services after great anticipation before its debut.
For those unfamiliar with the show, it became popular because Sam Levinson and The Weeknd directed it. And because of the stellar acting talent on the cast. The show will be led by Lily Rose Depp, who you may recognise as Johnny Depp’s daughter.
Other well-known individuals include Jennie Kim, the rapper and vocalist for the K-pop girl group BlackPink. Also, we can find Troye Sivan, a former YouTuber who has become a well-known pop icon.
It centres on the lives of aspiring pop star Jocelyn, who battles to succeed. But she is controlled by her management team, who frequently opposes her. She later encounters a club owner who promises to manage her and make her a celebrity properly.
The Idol Controversy
Despite being well-liked before the start of the show, it has encountered much criticism for several reasons. The Idol contains several sexual references and scenes that viewers might find uncomfortable to see. The public is unsure if it is raising awareness of sexual abuse or just glamorising it as one of the show’s recurring themes.
The behind-the-scenes production was equally controversial. The Weeknd and Amy Seimetz, the former The Idol director, parted ways. That was because he thought that the show’s perspective was more skewed towards women than his own. By abandoning the nearly completed project to reshoot all the episodes, Sam Levinson would play a larger role and cause delays to the show.
According to Rolling Stone’s exposé, the hostile atmosphere on set caused numerous conflicts among the crew members. However, The Weeknd and Lily Rose Depp refuted these allegations.
The Premiere
The Idol premiered the first two episodes at Cannes Film Festival in May, following the cast’s appearance on the red carpet and after-party.
On the Cannes red carpet, Lily Rose Depp wore an archival piece from Chanel’s autumn/winter 1994 collection. The small black bardot sequin minidress had a lace trim at the top, a metallic blue flower on the chest, buttons at the waist, and a black bow at the bottom. She wears matching sheer black tights and sheer black gloves that cover the length of her arms. She accessorises with matching silver floral earrings and black-heeled pumps.
House Ambassador Jennie Kim wore one of my favourite outfits at the premiere after-party. She sported a black and white tweed Chanel waistcoat and a black satin wrap skirt with a slit that showed off her slim legs. She wore strappy black heels to keep things simple.
She additionally wore a Chanel dress from their Haute Couture spring/summer 2020 collection. The black translucent fabric draped across the arms of the white laced bardot hourglass dress to create contrast.
Troye Silvan and Hari Nef at the Premier
Troye Sivan appeared in Alexander McQueen at both the after-party for The Idol premiere and the Cannes red carpet, but it was the latter that attracted my attention. In addition to black high-waisted pants and Derby shoes, he wore a vest with a flowery cutout and sequin embellishments that accentuated his figure.
Hari Nef wore a classic Fendi dress from their spring/summer 2023 Haute Couture line. Their skin is visible through the champagne nude thin gown that drapes her from their shoulders to the floor. To add texture, the high neck is gathered straight down behind them, exposing the back. The satin skirt half is floor length and completely opaque.
The Idol First Impressions
After viewing the first two episodes of The Idol, I can say that it has a lot of dark humour and satire and is shot similarly to Euphoria. The show’s tempo first appears fairly slow, but given that it has been expanded beyond the original six episodes, I think it will soon speed up.
The overt sexual connections, in my opinion, are a way to gain attention to keep viewers interested. Still, they also represent what might be the hidden truth of the music business. I can’t wait to watch how the plot develops and how each character changes over time. The programme is available to stream on NOWTV, HBO, or Sky Atlantic every week.
