The Idol season 1, episode 1, “Pop Tarts & Rat Tales”, introduces audiences to Sam Levinson’s short-lived 2023 exploration of fame, excess, and sex. When HBO announced Sam Levinson would be returning to the streamer to run a new show after the success of Euphoria, fans of the creator’s hyperrealistic, pop-art, sexually-charged storytelling were delighted. When it was then announced that Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye would also have a big hand in the series, The Idol reached new levels of hype for a TV show.