It's difficult to tell what Sam Levinson wants. Is a show like Euphoria an earnest attempt at dissecting the life of the modern teen? Is Assassination Nation a worthwhile examination of cancel culture and social media? Is his most recent project, HBO's The Idol, co-produced with A24 and shepherded by pop superstar the Weeknd, a genuine look at the plight of the modern popstar? The answer is complicated. The Idol, which premiered its first two episodes at Cannes, received pans from critics amidst a firestorm of behind-the-scenes controversy that dominated the pre-release conversation. It's certainly not as bad as some have made it out to be, but it's by no means the masterpiece that the Weeknd and Levinson have touted in retaliation to the controversy surrounding it. The Idol, for all its flashy marketing and headline-grabbing controversy, is actually just boring — there's an intriguing story lying underneath its facade, but it's buried by vanity and superficiality.

https://screenrant.com/the-idol-review/