HBO’s The Idol television series asks a lot of questions. Just what is the price of fame and fortune? What would happen if HBO just made a straight pornographic feature and stopped hiding such work in their “prestige” stuff? Why can a somewhat talented musician and a nepotism baby not act and, perhaps most importantly, just how many episodes of this thing will there finally be?
To answer this question, you have to realize it ultimately depends on just how you look at it. While the show has not been cancelled (at least, contrary to the hopes of some, for now), it has not received a renewal order from HBO as of this story’s filing either. Its initial batch will consist of six and while shows with this short of a stream at first are either something a network does not have faith in (Seinfeld was loathed by NBC executives at the time except for one who had faith in it and worked to help it grow to what it is today), a British venture or a limited series. In the lead up to the premiere of The Idol, it was not marketed as a limited project that we can recall, and, so, in the event it is not cancelled, one would need to look to HBO’s past for how long it could go.
On the other side of the network’s seedy looks at Hollywood filled with lots of sex and famous people acting even worse than they normally do, Entourage lasted for eight seasons, 96 episodes and wrapped things up with a feature film. Unlike The Idol, people liked it out of the gate before it lost steam with its sixth season, and, right now, The Idol is 48 percent lower on Rotten Tomatoes.
So, in short, anything could happen. It could get cancelled, it could go on and against all odds, it could pull a reverse-Entourage. For now, audiences will just have to wait and see, and, if you want to watch, The Idol’s first possible season finale is set for July 9. Though, there are plenty of alternative ways to see similar content if you do not wish to feel as bad and like you are an enabler. Read a book, spend time with your significant other, draw pictures or pretend the show never existed. All are truly viable options.
After all, if you look to long into the abyss, it does stare back at you, etc.