Was The Idol’s finale one of the worst in recent TV history? Quite possibly.
WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS FULL SPOILERS FOR THE IDOL EPISODE 5.
Despite being the kind of show you watch in the hopes of it improving as the weeks go by, The Idol didn’t deliver on its much-anticipated finale. Are we surprised? Not really.
But the optimist in myself and many viewers meant that, for the past five weeks, we’ve tuned in hoping that the series – which has mainly been a mixture of sleazy sex, chain-smoking cigarettes and gratuitous torture scenes – would deliver the kind of mind-bending final act we’ve been hoping for.
It’s been teased throughout the past weeks, with the actors and creators claiming that the story isn’t quite what we think it is – but, unfortunately for them, the major reveal was a lesson in how not to conclude a series.
Sure, the plot twist that Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) was the “bad guy” all along marked a turning point, and it should have been the jaw-dropping climax we’ve all been waiting for, delivered with the kind of bone-chilling confrontation you’d want from such a turn of events.
Instead, the moment comes far too late into the episode, as both Tedros (Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye) and the viewers are left to realise that Jocelyn has lied about her childhood of physical abuse – and likely much more.
She’s been the person pulling the strings, and yet the Cluedo-like delivery of the fact (it’s the hairbrush, Tedros) not only leaves much to be desired, but also left a sour taste in my mouth.
Along with Jocelyn, the finale also deals with the subplot of Xander’s ‘friend’ lying about the fact that Jocelyn’s ex-boyfriend Rob (Karl Glusman) raped her.
We knew something was coming when Xander randomly took Rob’s picture at the end of episode four, after being ordered to do so by Izaak and Tedros.
It was yet another act of Tedros’s jealousy, but lest we forget, it was also the only way Xander could escape the electrocution lead that Tedros had put around his neck.
But the notion of women lying about physical abuse and sexual assault is an even odder note to wrap this series up on – and doesn’t bear thinking about as a plot line for any TV series, really.
!["Lily-Rose]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/07/lily-rose-depp-abel-the-weeknd-tesfayethe-idol-finale-98cdcdc.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C411" "\"lily-rose-depp-abel-the-weeknd-tesfaye_the-idol-finale\"")
Aside from that disturbing point of contention in The Idol’s finale, we could at least breathe a sigh of relief that we weren’t subjected to bouts of torture porn or forced heavy-breathing.
While the episode wasn’t home to more sexual fantasies, though, it did revolve around Tedros and Jocelyn’s stark change in power dynamics.
We obviously learnt that Tedros was actually Jocelyn’s muse in the end, and not vice versa, as we were led to believe. While Tedros did pull the strings to meet Jocelyn in the first place (sorry Dyanne), Jocelyn stopped at nothing to get what she wanted.
She wanted a sell-out tour, hit singles and increased fame – and boy, does she have it now. She used Tedros, and you can tell by the changed air about her that she finishes the series triumphant.
Read more: The Idol isn’t just sleazy and controversial – it’s also a wasted opportunity
But what’s even more confusing about this whole mess is the fact she brings Tedros back into her fold. She’s not only ordered Chaim (Hank Azaria) to take care of him and make sure he’s never in her life again, but Chaim has destroyed Tedros.
It’s something Jocelyn’s entourage laugh about but with the help of quotes, evidence and one cutting Vanity Fair exposé, Tedros is outed as a pimp and fraud. So why on earth has Jocelyn invited him back?
You almost want to laugh and squirm when Tedros approaches the SoFi Stadium hoping an artist pass has been left for him – because why would there be?
But lo and behold, there’s one ready for him to collect under his government name. Not only that, but Jocelyn also invites him on-stage in front of thousands of fans as the “love of my life”.
The series creators could’ve surely left the episode on the chilling fact that Jocelyn has manipulated those around her all along, leaving viewers to think about how they missed the signs, what could be next for her and what influenced her to act in such a way.
But instead, the final moments of the series are once again tied up with the sleazebag that is Tedros.
Why does Jocelyn need him anymore when the power dynamics have completely changed? Tedros’s reputation is not only fully tarnished, but he’s useless to her now.
He has a keen ear for music and did help her make some hit singles, but surely Jocelyn must now have the confidence to do all of that herself and realise that the artists she’s now surrounded by have equally helped lift her up?
Read more
Not only was the finale a disappointment and a letdown in itself, but it also emphasised just how much the series lacked as a whole.
A severe absence of character development and too much time focusing on Jocelyn’s nudity means that the “reveal” at the end doesn’t deliver the shock factor it’s intended to – because, well, we just don’t know enough about Jocelyn to care.
She’s not a rounded character, she’s someone who we can’t understand because the writing of the series doesn’t allow us to, and you can’t help feeling that the five episodes are just an example of somewhat lazy writing.
While many will herald this series as telling a story about the time we live in and the music industry as a whole, the season not only focused on entirely the wrong things to teach people, but it was also so unevenly paced that its ending ultimately served as a lesson in how not to wrap things up.
There were no gut punches and no real surprises, proving that The Idol is far from captivating and has been hyped up for no good reason at all.
The Idol is available to watch on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK – sign up for Sky TV here.
Looking for something else to watch? Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
Take part in the Screen Test, a project from Radio Times and the Universities of Sussex and Brighton, to explore the role of television and audio in our lives.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.