Pratik Handore
HBO’s ‘The Idol’ is a dark and gritty look at the ins and outs of the music industry. The story follows Jocelyn, a pop star trying to reinvigorate her career, who finds herself in a relationship with Tedros, a self-help guru. The series is arguably the most divisive one to premiere in 2023 and has generated online discourse thanks to its depiction of sex and nudity. Some viewers have called the series “torture porn” for its creative choices regarding the depiction of sex. As a result, viewers might be curious to learn more about the debate surrounding the show and whether it is truly “torture porn.”
The Idol’s Highly Controversial Content
‘The Idol’ has found itself in the eye of the storm, surrounded by controversies. Aside from a mostly negative critical reception, the show’s overwhelming focus on sex scenes has drawn a divisive reaction from most viewers. Moreover, given the tumultuous nature of the relationship between Jocelyn and Tedros, the two main characters in the show, which often borders the depiction of manipulation and abuse, viewers have questioned whether the series can be considered torture porn. The highly controversial subgenre does not have a specific definition but mostly includes a depiction of sex with violence or abuse, both components present in ‘The Idol.’ However, the term is rarely used in reference to a television show.
The torture porn subgenre mainly intercepts with the horror or its splatter subgenre. It is important to note that while ‘The Idol’ features sexual scenes with almost no direct or indirect censorship, they do not include elements such as gore or violence for the most part. While some scenes suggest the sexual relationship between Tedros and Jocelyn is also abusive, the characters mutually consent to these interactions. ‘The Idol’ is co-created and directed by Sam Levinson, who has already proven a divisive figure due to his depiction of sex scenes featuring underage characters in HBO’s ‘Euphoria.’ The teen drama also features sex scenes in tandem with emotional, verbal, and physical abuse, but these elements rarely intersect in a singular scene. The same description can be extended to the sex scenes in ‘The Idol.’
However, most viewers have questioned the need for such a graphic depiction of sex and an overwhelming amount of nudity. One scene in particular features Tedros engaging in a sexual act with Jocelyn while those present in the recording room watch on. The scene perfectly captures the sentiment of some of the show’s crew members who spoke about its tumultuous production. “It was like, ‘What is this? What am I reading here?’ It was like sexual torture porn,” a crew member is quoted by Rolling Stone about Levinson’s iteration of the series after he took over directorial duties from Amy Seimetz, whose version was reportedly entirely scrapped.
“It was like any rape fantasy that any toxic man would have in the show — and then the woman comes back for more because it makes her music better,” another crew member also told Rolling Stone. However, some of the more disturbing sexual scenes seem to have been scrapped during production. Moreover, co-creators Sam Levinson and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye have defended the show’s depiction of graphic sex and nudity. Similarly, actress Lily-Rose Depp and other cast members have defended Levinson’s work on the show and behind the camera. In a broader context, some viewers have taken objection to the depiction of sex scenes as they do not elevate the “horror” of the situation nor provide any shock value as is intended with torture porn.
In contrast, viewers feel the sex scenes are uncomfortable, poorly conceived, and only elevate the characters’ misery. Thus, the show’s sex scenes go against the nature of torture porn and enter a territory that can only be described as provocative. Ultimately, whether or not ‘The Idol’ is torture porn seems to boil down to the characters’ reaction to the sexual situations, which hardly seem to be discomfort, let alone be ones of horror or mistreatment.
One might argue about the need for such scenes, the makers’ intention behind them, and their overall execution, which all seem to have generated a mostly negative reaction. However, when viewing these scenes in the narrative context, they can only be called provocative. Simply because the depiction of sex is unsavory and unappealing does not equate it to torture porn. As a result, we advise viewers uncomfortable with an overwhelming amount of sex and nudity to stay away from the series or proceed with caution.
Read More: The Idol: What Is Tedros’ Real Name? Why Did He Go to Jail?
