HBO’s The Idol will be reaching its (very sudden) season finale this week, but one of th stars of the show is already promising a major twist in the finale, which could set up a thrilling Season 2 storyline. That is, of course, if The Idol returns at all.
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To that latter point: Da’Vine Joy Randolph co-stars in The Idol as Destiny, the fierce and fabulous manager of titular pop-star idol Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp). In a new interview, Randolph rebutted the idea that The Idol is going to be a one-and-done “limited series” – a sentiment sparked by backlash to the show and a steep drop and ratings from the premiere.
“I think that everyone’s intention is to have a second season,” Randolph told TV Line. “This was never intended to be a limited series. HBO has been very happy with it.”
HBO has also been on the defensive against rumors that The Idol is a disaster that the network is swiftly canceling. In a tweet, HBO said “It is being misreported that a decision on a second season of The Idol has been determined. It has not, and we look forward to sharing the next episode with you Sunday night.”
The Idol remains an interesting case study in what constitutes “success” in the modern TV industry. In the modern TV landscape, minor ratings and the social backlash may not matter at all in the face of the fact that The Idol has consistently been in the zeitgeist conversation for months now. Like the two main characters at the center of the show (Jocelyn and The Weeknd’s sadistic producer character, Tedros), breaking down industry conventions, shocking, and demanding the attention of the masses may be exactly why The Idol wins in the end, and secures a Season 2.
The Idol Season 1 Finale Twist Is Coming
In talking about the season (series?) finale of The Idol, Da’Vine Joy Randolph had the following teaser for fans:
“There will be a turning [of] the table, and I think a really exciting set-up entering into Season 2… It will be very interesting to see how people respond to this last episode and see how things turn. It’s going to show you something different that we haven’t seen in a while.”
“The man [Sam Levinson created] ‘Euphoria,’” Randolph added to The Wrap. “You really think it’s [the finale] gonna be surface and obvious? No, there’s a spin — there’s a huge, huge spin.”
The Idol surprised viewers when it revealed that Episode 5 would be the Season Finale – instead of a sixth episode, as originally planned. That said, the teaser for Episode 5 (see above) hinted that a lot of the backlash could get turned on its head if Jocelyn takes all the twisted experiences she had with Tedros and channels them into a massive comeback with a game-changing album. If that happens, it would be a Game of Thrones Red Wedding-style fallout, as Jocelyn presumably cleans house and rewards those loyal to her, and sheds those who faltered – including Tedros.
That kind of ending would at least give The Idol Season 2 the more level ground of having Depp officially taken over as protagonist and star, with bold new possibilities for what the show could be.
The Idol Season 1 Finale airs Sunday on HBO.
