Simultaneously one of the most hyped series and one of the most hated, it’s not a surprise that HBO decided to cancel “The Idol.” But yet, it’s still news because of just how this show was such a trainwreck.
READ MORE: ‘The Idol’ Review: Sam Levinson’s Crude Provocation With The Weeknd & Lily-Rose Depp Is Gross & Sexist [Cannes]
According to Variety, HBO has canceled “The Idol” after only one season. Again, this isn’t surprising, as the show had some of the worst reviews of the year and low viewership. And honestly, this is about as perfect of a way to close the chapter on this show, as it goes out with a whimper and not a bang. 
READ MORE: Sam Levinson Believes ‘The Idol’ Will Be The “Biggest Show Of The Summer” Thanks To Reports Of On-Set Drama
“The Idol” stars Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd and tells the story about a pop star who becomes involved with someone who clearly is bad and off the rocker. The plot is almost secondary to the drama that surrounded this series in the lead-up to its premiere earlier this year. The show was plagued by delays after the series was nearly completely reshot due to the dismissal of director Amy Seimetz. Her vision for the show was flipped on its head when Sam Levinson took over and worked closely with The Weeknd to overhaul everything. This led to reports of ludicrous spending and behind-the-scenes drama. The series was then cut from six episodes to only five. Eventually, the series was released to the aforementioned terrible reviews and dismal ratings. 
READ MORE: ‘The Idol’: Abel Tesfaye Says “There’s Nothing Sexy” About His Character’s Sex Scenes: “You Feel Embarrassed For The Characters”
A lot of the reviews pointed out the over-the-top sexual nature of the series, with many calling it gratuitous or misogynistic. Then there were folks who pointed out how The Weeknd’s acting wasn’t great. Of course, there were some who just felt sorry that Depp was even involved in the mess. 
As we approach the fall and end up looking back at what 2023 has brought us, there’s no doubt “The Idol” will be one of the biggest misses of the year.