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The highly-controversial, star-studded series everyone’s been waiting for has finally arrived. “The Idol” is the newest craze from HBO that features Lily-Rose Depp as America’s hottest pop star Jocelyn, who will front the show’s commentary to expose the exploitation of women in Hollywood’s entertainment industry.
Read on to find out where you can witness Jocelyn and her journey to stardom on streaming services in Canada.
Table of Contents
What Is The Idol About?
“The Idol” centers around its protagonist, Jocelyn, or Joss, a burgeoning pop star determined to be the sexiest and greatest pop star in all of America. After the death of her mother, Jocelyn suffered from a nervous breakdown which forced her to cancel her concert tours. Jocelyn tries her best to get right back on track by recording a new album. However, a sexually explicit photo of Jocelyn started circulating all over the Internet, furthering her mental state and her woes about her career. To clear her head, the aspiring superstar visited a nightclub in Los Angeles where she met its owner, Tedros. The pair was immediately infatuated with each other. Little did Jocelyn know, Tedros is also a cult leader and might just be the key to her claim to fame.
The first episode of “The Idol” had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last May. The series was released on HBO on June 4. The show is currently in its first episode and will have six episodes in total. It has an average runtime of one hour.
Who Are in the Cast and Production of The Idol?
Sam Levinson, who’s also known for his work on the hit HBO series “Euphoria,” created, directed, and produced the series. Pop singer Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye also worked behind the camera as a producer and starred in the show as Tedros. HBO served as the main distributor of the show. “The Idol” also features a star-studded cast of famous young Hollywood stars, including French actress-model Lily-Rose Depp, award-winning recording artist The Weeknd, singer Troye Sivan, and K-pop superstar Jennie Kim. Here’s the entire cast of “The Idol”:
- Lily-Rose Depp as Jocelyn
- Abel Tesfaye as Tedros
- Suzanna Son as Chloe
- Troye Sivan as Xander
- Jane Adams as Nikki Katz
- Jennie Ruby Jane as Dyanne
- Moses Sumney as Izaak
- Dan Levy as Jocelyn’s publicist
- Eli Roth as Andrew Finkelstein
- Rachel Sennott as Leia
- Hari Nef as Talia
What is the Rating for The Idol?
“The Idol” is rated TV-MA, which means that the series is appropriate for adult audiences only as it contains extreme depictions of coarse language, alcohol and substance use, violence, nudity, and graphic sexual content.
How Many People Watch The Idol?
Viewership numbers for “The Idol” are yet to be released since the show only premiered on June 4.
How Are the Reviews for The Idol?
While viewers were thrilled about “The Idol” because of its star-studded cast, the show was already in hot waters with critics prior to its release due to reports of Levinson and Tesfaye’s demand for extreme voyeurism and torture porn scenes. The first screening of the show was given a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival but received a brutal 9% rating on Rotten Tomatoes shortly after. Critics’ response to the show remains negative after its official release on HBO due to its pretentious plot, its themes’ misogynistic undertones, mediocre dialogue, Tesfaye’s poor acting skills, and Levinson’s overly explicit directorial style. “The Idol” scored 25% on Rotten Tomatoes, 24/100 on Metacritic, and 4.6/10 on IMDb. See why critics love to hate the series:
- “The Idol only pretends to expose exploitation, while actually reveling in it…” – TIME Magazine
- “The script seems calculated to fool audiences into thinking they’re observing how Hollywood operates, when so much of it amounts to tawdry clichés.” – Variety
Where to Watch The Idol in Canada
“The Idol” is available on streaming services in Canada.
Is The Idol Available on Streaming?
HBO Max
“The Idol” is available to stream on HBO Max. Unfortunately, the platform is only available in the US and other parts of Europe, so it would require you to use a VPN to access it. To watch the show on HBO Max, sign up for an account and subscribe to a membership plan of your choice:
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Simultaneous streams | Video resolution | Number of downloads |
| Ad-Lite | $9.99 | $99.99 | 2 devices | HD | None |
| Ad-Free | $15.99 | $149.99 | 2 devices | HD | 30 titles |
| Ultimate Ad-Free | $19.99 | $199.99 | 4 devices | HD to 4K | 100 titles |
HBO Max is also compatible with a variety of devices where you can stream its content, such as smartphones, smart TVs, laptops, tablets, game consoles, and media players like Chromecast and Roku.
You can also stream critically-acclaimed HBO originals on the platform, like “Succession,” “Chernobyl,” “House of the Dragon,” and “Big Little Lies.”
Crave
For a more convenient streaming experience, you can also watch “The Idol” on Crave, the Canada-exclusive platform. To stream the series on Crave, avail yourself of any of the following membership plans:
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Video resolution | Simultaneous streams |
| Basic with ads | CAD$9.99 | CAD$99.90 | 720p | 1 device |
| Standard with ads | CAD$14.99 | CAD$149.90 | 4K | 4 devices |
| Premium ad-free | CAD$19.99 | CAD$199.99 | 4K | 4 devices |
Crave also offers a 7-day free trial to new subscribers that you can cancel at any time. The platform is compatible with different devices as well, including smartphones, smart TVs, laptops, tablets, and game consoles like Xbox and PlayStation.
Crave also houses content from various networks like HBO, Showtime, and Comedy Central. “The Office,” “Gossip Girl,” and “Yellowjackets” are some of the most noteworthy shows you can binge-watch on Crave.
Is The Idol Available for Rent (VOD)?
“The Idol” is currently not available on any VOD platforms.
Is The Idol Available on Cable or Free TV?
You can watch new episodes of “The Idol” on the HBO channel in Canada every Sunday at 9 PM.
Should I Use a VPN to Watch The Idol?
You will only need a VPN if you prefer to stream “The Idol” via HBO Max.
Shedding Light or Stirring Sensation?
“The Idol” is a show that attempts to expose the abuse women face in the entertainment industry. While the themes spark important conversations, viewers must still exercise caution and critical thinking, considering the controversies surrounding the depiction of sensitive topics on the show.
You can watch “The Idol” on HBO Max, Crave, and the HBO channel.
