The Idol Episode 1 Recap: 6 Most Controversial Moments In The Premiere

Jun 25, 2023

The Idol had a controversial reputation even before the its premiere, but the series is living up to its name with these six intense moments.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Idol's season premiere!The premiere of HBO's The Idol set the tone for what will certainly be a dark and edgy new series from Sam Levinson, and without a doubt, there were some moments that were especially controversial already. The Idol is a drama series following a young pop star as she tries to get her career back on track after a mental health crisis, and while doing so, enters a toxic relationship with a cult leader. The series was created by Sam Levinson of Euphoria fame and Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye.

The Idol's shocking content doesn't actually come as much of a surprise, as director Sam Levinson is known for his focus on disturbing and graphic themes. His first television series, Euphoria, garnered much of its popularity due to its intense, overly-dramatic nature. Furthermore, The Idol's abysmal reviews and controversy have occurred even before the premiere after Rolling Stonepublished a scathing article claiming that the making of the series was disastrous and that it had become "torture porn." Either way, the show has lived up to some expectations as it offers a variety of controversial moments in the very first episode.

The Idol episode 1 begins with Jocelyn participating in a scandalous photo shoot for her new album cover. Clad in a silky red robe, Jocelyn poses for the camera, and at one point, exposes her bare chest. An intimacy coordinator steps in then, informing Jocelyn's team that they aren't authorized to take pictures of that nature. In a strange and aggressive response, Jocelyn's manager Chaim promptly locks the coordinator in a bathroom, demanding that he shouldn't be let out for at least three hours. Although the coordinator argues that he is only looking out for Jocelyn's safety and consent, he is condemned for the rest of the episode.

As Jocelyn's photo shoot continues, her team discusses how she looks. Xander points out that perhaps Jocelyn wearing her hospital bracelet isn't a good choice because it potentially sexualizes mental illness. Nikki argues that Xander is being too sensitive and explains that Jocelyn isn't like normal women, and therefore, is a dream for the men seeing these photos. Nikki notes that Jocelyn may be too hot to consider sleeping with a regular man, but if she has a hospital bracelet on, they'll think they have a chance. She concludes that mental illness is sexy and so the bracelet must stay.

In The Idol episode 1, Jocelyn and her crew go to a club where she has an immediate connection with the club's owner, Tedros. Though it seems Jocelyn and Tedros are going to hook up, they're interrupted by Leia, and end up talking instead. Later, when Jocelyn returns home by herself, she settles on her couch and begins touching herself. The scene turns especially alarming though when Jocelyn begins to choke herself during the act. Despite the violence of the moment, Jocelyn smiles afterward, happy with herself.

Related: The Idol Cast & Character Guide

In the last third of The Idol episode 1, Jocelyn and Leia are watching a movie together when Jocelyn reveals that she has invited Tedros, played by musician The Weeknd, over to hang out. Leia is clearly unhappy with the idea and describes the club owner as "rape-y." Jocelyn responds genuinely, saying: "I like that about him." Leia scolds Jocelyn for saying such a thing, but it's clear that Jocelyn truly means it. Therefore, despite Leia's protests, Tedros comes over to Jocelyn's house, and they spend the night together.

Leia's doubts about Tedros prove themselves right when he finally arrives at Jocelyn's house. When she invites him in, he immediately steps forward and gives her a strange and unwarranted kiss. Leia, awkwardly stepping away, says, "Thanks for that," and explains that Jocelyn is getting ready and he can wait until she's done. In the following minutes, Tedros continues acting strange, sniffing Jocelyn's pillows and talking to himself in the bathroom mirror, practicing how he'll greet Jocelyn.

In the final scene of The Idol episode 1, Jocelyn shows Tedros her new song. She worries that it isn't authentic and sounds too superficial. After playing it, Tedros tells her that he thinks it's good, but she needs to sing the lyrics as if they were true. This exchange becomes more intimate as Tedros begins touching Jocelyn and explaining how she can improve on the song. Eventually, he asks her to trust him and wraps her robe around her head, tightening it until she can't breathe. Then, he pulls out a knife and cuts a hole where her mouth is. He tells her, "Now you're ready to sing."

From the first episode, it's clear that The Idol is not going to be an easy or happy watch. The series will certainly continue to have controversial and graphic scenes that will likely only get worse as the show continues. It will be interesting to see how The Idol is different from Euphoria, especially considering that the former has adult characters rather than teenagers. All in all, The Idol will be a show to watch for as Levinson and Tesfaye toe the line with their disturbing content.