This is HBO’s new original series, “The Idol.” A story created by the “sick and twisted minds'' of Euphoria director Sam Levinson and The Weeknd. Set to premiere on Sunday, June 4, The Idol stars Lily-Rose Depp as Jocelyn, a fame-hungry young woman looking to claim her status as the greatest and sexiest pop star in America. When she meets Tedros, a powerful, sex-obsessed cult leader played by Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, Jocelyn’s career expands to unseen frontiers. The official description asks, “Will her romantic awakening take her to glorious new heights or the deepest and darkest depths of her soul?”

Entrenched in erotic teasers and offscreen drama, “The Idol” has already become one of TV’s most controversial shows. Initially a feminist look at how toxic the music industry is, original director Amy Seimetz left after Tesfaye felt that the show was heading too much into a “female perspective.” Rolling Stone has since revealed a shocking exposé, exploring Sam Levinson’s takeover as director and his scrapping of the already nearly-finished project. Rolling Stone states, “With Seimetz out of the picture, HBO handed the reins to Levinson, only to have him weaken the show’s overarching message, dialing up the disturbing sexual content and nudity to match, and even surpass, that of his most successful show, Euphoria.”

When one thinks of “nasty, nasty bad pop-girls”, Britney Spears or Miley Cyrus might come to mind. They’re often regarded as showcasing ugly behavior that is self-destructive, victims of what the media regards as unforeseen “breakdowns.” Whether it's Miley Cyrus’s 2013 transformation or Britney Spears’ shaved head, these breakdowns are not unforeseen but rather inevitable. Female musicians have long been subjected to conflicting moral standards, expectations, and female archetypes-- both sexualization and dismissal. It is not surprising that they crack under this enormous pressure. The nasty, nasty bad pop girl is not a victim of her own self-destruction, but rather of the male-dominated music industry’s obsession with her exploitation.

While HBO’s “The Idol” strives to speak as satire on this upsetting reality of the music industry, the dismissal of its “feminist lens” and the introduction of an infamous, oversexualizing director has turned the series into the very subject it wishes to ridicule. What is considered “feminist” is vast and intersectional, however feminism holds the position that societies often prioritize the male point of view. With the dismissal of Amy Seimetz and the introduction of Sam Levinson, “The Idol” is no longer its original work of feminist commentary. Now with its heavy usage and prioritization of the male gaze, “The Idol’s” disturbing sexually violent scenes become entertainment. It is exploiting female musicians’ stories and their struggles. It is replicating and reliving their trauma in yet another amusing form of pop culture consumption.

There is disappointment when publications such as Vogue express their excitement of “The Idol’s” buffet of hyper-revealing fashion, claiming the series feels like the “narrative encapsulation of indie sleaze.” Indie sleaze is a style from the time period between 2006 and 2012 that channels performatively vintage attire that expresses an erotic undertone. It embodies genuine fun and freedom, and the chattiness of the hedonistic lifestyle it stands for, with embodiments such as Sky Ferriera and Kate Moss.

While “The Idol” may play into these themes of pleasure and self-indulgence, it once again feels wrong to dismiss the adversity the show represents by categorizing it into a fashion trend. As Lily-Rose Depp’s Jocelyn sports low cut, tiny tops paired with strappy, short skirts, “The Idol’s” fashion is not a statement but rather another visual and aesthetic presentation of female bodies. The Idol screams the male gaze, in which its depiction of women presents them as sexual objects for the pleasure of the heterosexual male viewer.

As Rolling Stone’s interview with production members illustrates, Levinson manipulated and misrepresented a story that allowed it to lose its original and overall impact. As one crew member claims, “It was a show about a woman who was finding herself sexually, turned into a show about a man who gets to abuse this woman and she loves it.” “The Idol’s” extremity seeps in a desire to create maximum shock value.

Article by Lucy Kaskie, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Summer Safi, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine

HBO's The Idol: Looking Beyond Its 'Indie Sleaze’ Glam and Towards Its Inherent Male Gaze