Editor’s note: The text below contains spoilers regarding Episode 2 of The Idol. Proceed with caution.
Episode 2 of The Idol returned this week, taking the already chaotic Hollywood farce from the premiere to another level. After months of speculation and scandal surrounding the show’s approach to feminism and sexuality in the music industry, Sam Levinson delivers on his initial promises. While the first episode left us cringing as Tedros suffocated Jocelyn in what appeared to be a psycho-sexual rebirth for the young pop star, the second episode, by Levinson’s standards, lacked the shock factor. However, it did conclude with a scene that was more unsettling than sexy or shocking.
In the premiere, viewers were introduced to Jocelyn, a young pop sensation who seems to be a combination of Marilyn Monroe, Madonna, and Britney Spears. We also meet her team, consisting of a heartless manager, a meek best friend and personal assistant, and a Vanity Fair reporter who follows her around without really engaging with her. Jocelyn’s career is in turmoil due to her mental health crisis and the cancellation of her tour. On top of that, she feels she lacks control over her own career—until she meets Tedros.
Tedros, the slimiest man on earth, takes Jocelyn under his wing, promising to help her find her voice. Jocelyn, predictably, believes that a chaotic, psycho-sexual relationship with him is the solution. After a traumatic day on set, which involved countless takes of her music video until her feet bled, Jocelyn invites Tedros and his friends to her mansion. Looking to recreate the creative revelation she had at the end of Episode 1, she asks him to suffocate her again, this time with her custom silk robe.
The scene that follows is stomach-turning, as Jocelyn writhes on the bed while Tedros delivers a monologue filled with what one would expect from adolescent dirty talk. This scene proves to be more nauseating than the shocking scandal Levinson had envisioned.
This scene confirms suspicions that the series takes the wrong stance on feminine sexuality and power in the entertainment industry. Rumors began circulating about extensive reshoots, reportedly requested by Tedros, to shift the focus away from the “female perspective.” Levinson and Tedros refocused the series to center Tedros more, resulting in the worst sex scene ever. Interviews and articles discussing the sexist nature of the content, as well as a toxic environment on set, further compounded the marketing meltdown. Depp even stated in an interview that she avoided Tesfaye when he was in “full Tedros mode.”
The highly anticipated series faced further criticism with early reviews labeling it as “clickbait” and condemning Levinson’s portrayal of women, all while congratulating himself for supposedly groundbreaking content. This revolting scene at the end of the second episode serves as an unfortunate indicator that the series is venturing into a season of male navel-gazing, disguising boring sex as subversion.
Levinson has a history of subjecting the women in his work to humiliating and brutal sexual situations that do little to advance the plot or provide female characters with agency. The scene between Jocelyn and Tedros only serves to humiliate Jocelyn while reinforcing patriarchal fantasies and perpetuating the male gaze in media.
Tesfaye attempts to defend the scene, claiming that it was intentionally uncomfortable and embarrassing. However, given what we’ve seen so far, this defense falls flat. Episode 2 revealed that Tedros is calculated and manipulative, placing his groupies in Jocelyn’s dance team and having another seduce her best friend to have Jocelyn all to himself. This defense of the scene doesn’t hold up when considering the larger context.
The most disappointing aspect of it all is that The Idol had the potential to be a promising series. The concept of a vulnerable celebrity manipulated by those around her could have been explored through a feminist lens, critiquing the industry’s tired tropes. Instead, the show portrays a successful woman being dominated and objectified by a man who merely gives her attention, all under the guise of pushing boundaries and subverting expectations. It would be more shocking if it weren’t so predictable.
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Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
