The Idol

[Folge 01+02] Mit Sex gefüllte Glamour-Freuden und -Leiden der Showbusiness-Vertreter des Musik-Hollywoods. Eine reichhaltige Intimität und eindrucksvolle Videoclip-Musikszenen, eine ultraluxuriöse Designvilla und Depps Tochter Lily-Rose, die sich anstrengt. Die Handlung hat bei mir keine Sehnsucht nach weiteren Folgen ausgelöst. Als Booster einer sexy Stimmung bei einem Date mit einem prima Heimkino ist es aber super. [Cannes FF] (23.05.2023)

Not as good as Euphoria, but still pretty hot, unconventional and twisted. The interesting thing about this series is that it hardly leaves the luxury mansion, 90% of it, really takes place there, where we get a peek behind the curtain of how the music industry works and that pop starlets certainly don't have it easy. Lily-Rose Depp is portrayed as a sex symbol-goddess, her ass and often bared boobs are nice to look at, and in every episode she sets new fashion trends that must be driving women crazy in America right now. The Weeknd also does a good job, playing a cult leader, a proper sleazeball and a manipulator all in one. The whole concept kind of evokes the Oscar-winning Parasite. The music is perfect, the whole soundtrack is great (The Weeknd himself plays in the background). Visually it's also classy and I enjoyed the dialogue. The ending even has quite an unexpected twist. It's nothing groundbreaking story-wise, but it's quite distinctive, it has its own angle, it's sexy and kinky enough (there’s plenty of sex and drugs), and I liked the way the managers work in such an industry. 7/10. (08.07.2023)

Sensually shot sexual tension and action, with visual aspects and a harmony of sound and image on such a high level that I can't take my eyes off it, no matter what is happening at the moment. Unfortunately, from approximately the third episode on, things lose believability, get ridiculous, and in the final episode, even completely stupid and insulting to the viewer. It doesn't matter who performed, is performing, or will perform and with whom, in the end, not a single likable character will remain at the center of events. Lily-Rose Depp is far more fascinating after the first signal, while The Weeknd loses hard in terms of acting. I can't see the outcome of the backstage drama with HBO and the canceled episode, massive rewriting of the storyline, and all the surrounding controversy, but hopefully someone will make a series about it someday that's better than this one. (07.09.2023)