HBO cancels music drama ‘The Idol’ after one season

The Idol

HBO has cancelled its much-discussed music industry drama The Idol after just one season.

The show was co-created by Sam Levinson (Euphoria), Abel Tesfaye (aka musician The Weeknd) and Reza Fahim, with Atlanta’s Amy Seimetz initially set to direct.

She quit orior to production, however, and the show failed to find a sizeable audience.

It was filmed in LA and centered on a self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult, who develops a complicated relationship with an up-and-coming pop idol.

Levinson, Tesfaye and Fahim exec produced alongside Joe Epstein, Seimetz, A24 and Aaron Gilbert from US-based Bron.

HBO said: “After much thought and consideration, HBO, as well as the creators and producers, have decided not to move forward with a second season. We’re grateful to the creators, cast, and crew for their incredible work.”

At the time of the commission in 2021, Francesca Orsi, EVP of HBO programming, said the “subversive, revelatory take on the cult of the music industry” would be unlike “anything HBO had ever done before.”