@@thiswillnotdo6027 exactly the idea is there, it's definitely not theirs 😂 it's the previous female producer for sure but they destroyed it( it's the weeknd cuz the script was changed when he intervened)
I'm just hoping that they made the first 2 episodes terrible for publicity and that the rest will get better its so sad that all the potential for this show went down the drain
I am a woman but women getting on this hate train of demonizing men the last few years specifically is so cringeworthy to watch. Like if you don't like men all of you can just huddle up in a feminist lesbian island somewhere and go away. You cry and cry about sexism when you guys are the biggest sexists out there. Also the idiocy behind the reasoning for blaming men; all of these roles are played by WOMEN who AGREED to play these roles. Lily Rose Deep is not some upcoming struggling actress- she does not need this role. If she played it, it's because she liked the script and wanted to play all of those scenes. Also, many, many women have and enjoy (consensual) rape fantasies, watch rape porn, etc etc etc. This show as not 'made worse' by men.
@@ladydiana004exactly like tedros character is so unnecessary. If they wanted to deal with the taken advantage part tho they can do it for an ep or two cus they didn’t need to make it the main plot. Or what they could of done is make one of her staff doing that on the side and we get to know that later. Tedros really just a character for the weekend to do stuff with Lilly ATP
ireally wish this was only about jocelyn and how exploitation in the music industry can deshumanize a person, specially a woman. What a missed opportunity,at the end is like everyone says, torture porn.
I feel like if The Weeknd wasn’t there it would a different and better how. I’m a huge fan of The Weeknd ! I’m talking about since the beginning (house of balloons era). This honestly feels like his weird dream that he wants to play out in the show.
@Yaz Teondra you're just not looking at it for what he's trying to portray and if you're a fan since house of balloons you should know how dark some of his songs were during that period, The Weeknd also being Abel's character
@@demi8890 at the end of the day he’s just a bad actor, it’s not coming off as commentary on the toxicity because the acting is so subpar. There are also plenty of ways to show sexual exploitation without listening to a monologue about a fat tongue and tight p**** that sounds like a 19 year old girl writing her first shot at fifty shades fan fiction. Abel is not charming enough of an actor to make it believable a woman like Jocelyn would go down this path with him. he has zero charisma in this role which makes you question “how is this dude running a hardcore sex cult if I can’t even listen to him try to dirty talk without laughing” if he was a good actor with on screen charisma people would be more in the mindset “I hate that character but it’s sooooo good” instead everyone’s just “I hate that character”. I think his music is banging but this just wasn’t a role that needed to happen.
No literally like I actually kinda love everything abt their commentary on the industry and the way it’s shot and everything but whenever that character comes on screen I’m not having a good time
@@joeertmanI think that's the point of the character People seem to say they hate Tedros and the show is glamorizing creeps But I have yet to hear anyone say they love him 😂 They all feel creeped out as they should be a out him Tedros is meant to be creepy and scary
The mom moment was so good and Lily’s acting was powerful. If the show had focused more on Lily’s mental health and the exploitation of her as a celebrity the show would’ve been better instead of the Tedros plotline and all the unnecessary sex scenes.
My main problem with the show is that Jocelyn is still a spectacle at the end of the day. We don't get see her mind and hear what's it's like to be a female celebrity being exploited in the industry straight from the horses mouth. Instead we either see her objectively or from the point of view of others. I really like hearing your breakdowns because they make it easier for me to understand Jocelyn and that's what I want.
Right on the money. We see how she is used and abused or exploited, but we can’t really comprehend how she feels or what is going through her mind psychologically. It only shows how she is treated from a third person’s perspective, the experience isn’t through HER eyes.
Such a shame. This a young woman's story of breaking under pressure that most of us can't even begin to imagine and the male audacity just had to take it away from us. This could have been a masterpiece
We keep seeing glimpses of what this show could’ve been , and it’s so saddening that we’ll never see it complete becuase there is a gem of a show hidden in this concept , actually the crew said that they shot almost all episodes with the old , initial director , with a giant budget before scrapping it , I hope it gets leaked someday
I know this is just a small thing but when she said that Joss was “talking to things in outer space” a thought came to my mind. You know how when people are kids, sometimes they are told that people who die go to the sky? I feel like maybe Joss was talking to her mom in the sky because she was grieving but no one understood and thought she was crazy…
This show definitely had potential and makes me wish for the original version. It feels like the weeknd and sam levinson only studied cults so they could recreate the most horrific experiences instead of portraying how people get recruited into cults.
I really love the dynamic between Jocelyn, Destiny and Chiam. I wish the show just focused on Destiny’s role in protecting her, Chiams role in protecting her while at the same time keeping her career going and Nikki being the heartless bitch who keeps the money coming in. Why do we even need the Weeknd storyline?!?!
I think it’s because Abel really wanted to add in the cult storyline and show how toxic people like that prey on those who are already damaged and lonely. Without nasty tedros the show would definitely be much better and would focus on her grief but the cult storyline (which I’ll admit I find super interesting) would be scrapped
I am truly turn off by the overt se*ual scene and the amount of them. Not only is it unnecessary, but it distracts the viewer from the struggles that celebrities faces in the music industry . The only thing I hear about this show is how explicit it is, yet it contains excellent scenes about the emotional distress of Jocelyn, how no one truly care about her, how far she is pushing herself to portray a perfect image, etc Overall this series had so much potential, but I believe that the director ruined it with the excessive amount of se*** scenes.
There were literally only TWO within two episodes one that was literally 3 seconds the other you see nothing but a breast for 20 seconds 😂 did you say the same to fifty shades ? game of thrones ? Succession ? Y’all and the fake outrage is ridiculously hilarious
@zymir5494 There was a lot of outrage towards the excessive nudity in Game of Thrones. Especially after actress Emilia Clarke spoke out about being pressured to show skin to not disappoint the fans of the show. Just so you know. No comment towards 50 shades, though, as that movie was known to be trashy.
Your explanation about grief really helped me feel more validated. My mom passed in 2007 and I was suffering from prolonged grief until diagnosed with major depression only about a year and a half ago. Grief really does affect everyone so different.
I lost my mother in July 2022, I feel you. I "moved on" quite well already, but when I go back to what I felt 2-3 months after her death, when I started realizing what actually happened, this was a fucking nightmare. Stay safe everyone, the bad times will pass eventually.
Honestly your analysis would make me like the show, if the graphic nature (ie the weekend) weren’t so cringe. I genuinely care about Jocelyn’s journey and think Lily Rose is doing an amazing job with a flawed script
I really like how you pointed out the reoccurring aspect of how celebrities or millionaires are told be be grateful no matter how severe their situation is. Society values mental well-being so much, until a celebrity or privileged individual is added to the conversation. Therefore I think it’s safe to point out that, no amount of money or fame can save you if you’re truly broken from the inside. Celebrities and millionaires are also human at their core, behind all that wealth or glitz and glam is just another human being.
@@yassslay8269 does it even matter who they are? Doesnt change the fact that they're still human. Celebrities can be millionares, and millionaires can become celebrities too. So my point still stands. Suddenly, spilling the truth = meat-riding now? Funny.
I hate how this show takes a actual traumas, abuse, and mental health crisis and fully distorts it and sexualizes literal abuse. More in the third episode but it’s so disgusting to me. Real people go through physical abuse and rather than bring awareness this show uses it as some sort of weird torture porn. Your videos have been so great in breaking through that noise ❤
This show would be so good if they just pulled back on the sex and replaced the weeknd (i don’t think he’s a compelling enough actor to pull off tedros)
@@whycaninotfindagoodi think he acts the way a person who is not skilled in the nuances of acting thinks a cult leader would act. He said in an interview he’s supposed to be pathetic but I feel like it boarders on parody
I think the job does a good job to set up Tedros as the antagonist, to hate him as much as they can. At the same time, the nudity and sex could’ve been showed in a more graceful manner, instead of being left in such crude way for the sake of shock value. I don’t understand a lot of the criticism saying how they’re portraying what they want to criticize in a fetishized manner, because they are clearly showing this is not good, that Jocelyn only wants this because she’s being manipulated, and she’s in a vulnerable state. I do find the way it is shown a bit superficial tho. Like when she starts calling her mom, there was so many good direction and creative ways to portray that in a deeper manner, but I guess they wouldn’t have gone with it because they don’t want a deep look into Jocelyn’s perspective, and more in a objective realistic observer perspective?
i think most of the fetishizing criticizing is towards the writers/showrunners themselves. Levinson is known for putting female characters in bad sexual situations, like every female character on euphoria has been seem nude, been involved in porn, has been sexually assaulted expect for rue, and The Weeknd himself has said he didn't like the focus on the female perspective the show has. So basically these two men, one of which has a history of portraing women badly, took this story and put shock value explicit sexual scenes where the main character is abused and likes it. It lacks sublety and it's voyeuristic to the point I can only imagine it's the writers themselves fulfilling their checklist of a idealized woman.
It's supposed to make you uncomfortable like "this isn't right, this guy is a douchebag." Abel did an interview with GQ last week or this week, I believe. It's not for everyone. It's supposed to be campy, uncomfortable...draws influence from Neon Demon and Black Swan movies.
Originally The Weekend's character was supposed to be HOT and was created for the female gaze to the point where the female lead falls for him and ignores all of the manipulation and dangerous Red Flags because he is charming in an iconic way but then Sam L and The Weekend butchered this character by rewriting him as an obvious creep + terrible acting. We could have had an ICONIC character with a really really good actor to be able to pull it off if HBO didn't ruin it all by firing a female director Amy. 😒
I really love your professional analysis on this horrific show,it’s the only way I’ll watch it. This episode was so good in the beginning giving us an inside to Jocelyn’s mental state, Lily really did incredible job. That sex scene at the end was purely for shock value & it drowns out the entire message. Made me realize a woman’s perspective would’ve made this so much better.
My heart broke when she called out for her mom because I could glimpse this layered, complex relationship where Jocelyn always relied on her mom protecting her from the demands of other people, even though she wasn’t protected from her mother. I could feel how she hadn’t developed the ability to assert her own safety and was desperate for her mom to assert it for her. It didn’t help that my own mom died about two and a half years ago.
This second episode definitely showed more of... a lot of things🤨I liked that they showed more reality of the backstage life of someone who is struggling and in the limelight, and the ending just got to be... well you'll see my reaction 😳 Please let me know your thoughts about both my reaction and the show overall! If there is something missing from this episode that you'd like me to comment on let me know and I'll try and answer it in the comments or in next week's video. Thank you for being here! 👇
I don't know if I'm overthinking things but the scenes with Isaac along with what he told the assistant makes me wonder if Isaac may be gay and Tedros wants to convert him to straight so he can be more of a star. I dont know just the "he transformed me" statement and how Tedros was tasering him and telling him to make it seem real that he desires those women. Sorry if its a bit of a stretch but I wonder what your thoughts on this may be ☺️
So glad that this trash show allowed me to find your channel today. I just finished my therapy session and all I need was psychology concepts apply on media. As a AuDHD, your Wednesday's series helped so much!! Thank you for your work and keep providing 🔥🔥
Too much hate on The Weeknd, he actually managed to portray what he wanted to, a villain, a pathetic narcissistic cult leader that wants to control everything, I even feel like there aren't a lot of good people in the show, compelling into the music industry story, everyone wants to get something from you, every time he shows up it gives you a really bad feeling, I get the part about the sex scenes but that makes him even worse, he's just a weird guy and he's luring Jocelyn into his cult
I think the reason behind the hate is his and Sam Levinson's rejection of the initial script because it was "too female centric". People have that context and when they see him on screen being a creep, it doesn't feel like solely an artistic choice anymore. It feels like a vanity project where he can be as gross as he likes.
The problem is that it seems like The Weeknd's dark fantasy coming true, and given the fact that he can't act it feels like this is his personality, and if you listen to his songs it all adds to the creepiness, I'm a woman and I don't know a single woman that said at some point in her life something like "I like his r@pey vibe" never, that seems something out of the mind of a very sick individual who seems to think that women want to be r@p3d underneath....
@Sally Reynoso I don't think Jocelyn's character wants to be raped, but yeah, it's more like a fetish, some people are into different things, The Weeknd is also a character made by Abel Tesfaye and I don't know which of his songs are you talking about that promote raping even if The Weeknd is also a dark character.
@@cristixo8027 I didn't say his songs talk about rape, but his songs are about toxic individuals, I thought he was just inmature and that's not bad just not enticing, but seeing this series is like this is a trip to a male sick mind, like he wants to be this person who can seduce u into doing nasty things, but it can only seduce Joss because its scripted. We create characters and sometimes they're just that, our way to express something like a feeling or an idea that's deep inside, and other times they're reflections of ourselves; since The Idol was created and written by him, and in the light that he fired the other director (a female director) because he felt the series was leaning too much on the female perspective, and seeing that LRD can act, and her acting comes up as disconnected from a female mind, I dare to say that this is his Dark twisted fantasy that he thought was so original, that will make a good fanfic at best, but not a good series, I thought the cinematography was excellent tho
This is the most disturbing show I’ve ever watched. I find myself yelling at the screen, and yet, I can’t stop watching because I need to see how this mind **** plays out! I genuinely hate it, and can’t wait to watch your review of episode 3 because it was absolutely traumatizing!!
I didn't expect to get emotional with this show but I did. What Jocelyn is going through is so messed up, like...... She REALLY needs help. I think Lilly is actually doing a great job portraying the pain her character is going through. I felt kinda guilty when you mentioned that she keeps telling herself that "it's not a big deal" because I'm doing the exact same thing all the time 😅 And honestly? I don't think most of the show is bad at all. The only thing I reeeally don't like about it is Tedros! He makes me uncomfortable every time he is in any scene, like wtf? 💀 I'm also glad someone else noticed the cult-y aspect in this episode. I kept wondering if I was reading too much into it. 😂😂
I don’t want to watch this show, but I’d love to watch your version of it. A show actually dealing with this character and how she’s manipulated through her eyes and her lens would be fascinating. I want so badly for the show to be what it has the potential to be rather than what it actually is.
I feel like his next big move is gonna be to isolate her from Leah. She seems like she actually cares for Jocelyn and also she keeps asking questions/is a little more cautious.
Anyone think there’s any chance they’re gonna get this show to a Britney level where she’s taken away from the situation? I really feel this show is capable of this.
Dr thank you so much for the run down of this series. I watched it & was traumatised & very drawn to it. The abuse is something I relate to the most. I was crying for Jocelyn & how vulnerable she was...it was like looking at myself, through past experiences. Since a child being abused, then being abused all the way through to an adult. Now becoming a hermit as I have zero trust in the world. I had this same experience watching Marilyn the Netflix film. The abuse some of us go through that leads us to wrong decisions after wrong decisions is so vast in this sick world we live in. When I lost my mum I would call out for her. I still do, it's a deep desperate longing, as though calling out for her and her hearing how desperate you are will bring her back.
It has been a pleasure to discover your channel, I am from Mexico and I practice my english listening to you, I am also a psychologist and I like to go along with you exploring this show. Thank you.
Tedros is definitely being set up to be this Svangali type character. Getting Jocelyn to a point where she can't perform without him and needs him. And I like that you see her psychological anguish and how that is his tool. We see people pointing out all these indicators that she isn't doing well mentally but no one is actually stepping up or intervening because at the end of the day, they are all there for her career. Those who care are trying but is it enough? I'm interested in how this show is developing. Also I love your analysis. I'm qualified in clinical psychology so I love seeing reactions like this.
I would love to see flash backs of joss with her mom and find out more about that relationship and the one with her dad who we have heard nothing about episode two gave a lot more info into the characters and it showed us viewers that joss is still struggling with the lose of her mom and is clearly not okay. I think the next coming episodes she will appear to better because tedros is taking on that role for her
It happens in the design industry too. I was a commercial interior designer for 10 years specifically focusing on space planning and design (you can be an ID but only focus on project management or QC or production, being on the design side is a little less common for commercial IDs) and I left my industry last year to take a career break because the pressure to constantly be “on”, design on command and never being able to afford a bad creative day because if I don’t design this whole thing quickly today, I have two more projects to design tomorrow, and another one coming soon and another one time and time and time again was just overall draining. I’m now finally ready to go back to work but I’m only looking for a retail low pressure job (so not Starbucks, but maybe world market or something where I’m not gonna be going nuts) because mentally i am NOT ready to go back to that pressure yet
My comment on your video is that you should get hired by HBO because your analisis definitely boost the show! Amazing job doctor! ✨ Please keep doing it with every episode! I watched the second episode today wishing so bad you did another video about it after the first one, so I was so happyit poped up on my RU-vid recommendations!
Such a shame the previous director Amy was scrapped...it's a story about a female seen from the male perspective/gaze, which is a shame. I don't know who wrote the story/script, but there are some pretty awkward lines. What keeps me intrigued is the sprinkling of details which do hold up. When a parent dies, we are very vulnerable and often fall for someone who says what we want to hear...it happened to me.
She was just a director, she wasn’t involve in any of the writing. The original did have 2 female writers, None were fired, they are still part of this version
"theres a powerful voice inside you, I wanna reach down and pull it out"; this is quite literally what Tedros wants to do, pull her voice and sense of self so she's stripped of her own identity and thoughts.
Thank you, "The Idol" is interesting considering your psychological expertise. Unfortunately most people are watching the series just superficially, criticizing the sex-scenes, etc. Consequently, the critics are bad, even despite the performance of the actors and the music is great. But this story really might not be far away from reality, what can happen to a person with mental disorder. Not only in Hollywood, could also happen in common circles. And maybe it becomes thrilling at the end? Maybe Jocelyn's assistant is somehow involved with Tedros, who uses her to get into contact with unstable and destroyed Jocelyn, whom he had chosen as his victim to derive a big benefit from her?
First time commenting 😊 I just had to say that your breakdown of this series is so interesting. We really get a deeper understanding of these characters' mental states. Can't wait for the next episode.
I personally like this show. Soon as I saw the first episode it reminded me of Brittney, Amanda Bynes, Lindsey Lohan and many more celebrities and how they all went through some sort of psychotic breakdown from the pressure of being a celebrity. It shows the manipulation in the industry and how easy it is to stir a person into the wrong path without the right guidance from people who actually cares about them. The partying, smoking, sexual encounters and her wanting to show her body during the photo shoot is a normal way to cope with grief, stress and being essentially alone in the world when we reach our breaking point. She can’t be a normal person who can grieve and understand what is happening to her because she’s an “idol”. If she steps out of the limelight then she will be forgotten just like other celebrities who never made a “comeback”. Also, her acting is amazing!
Thanks so much for posting the analysis to this series, hope that you will make them for the whole series! As a big fan of The Weeknd's music, I have been watching The Idol to support him but it's really hard to watch sometimes. But with your analysis I could see the episodes in a totally different light and learn a lot from them!
I love hearing your analysis of this show because it gets a lot of shit (a lot of it very justified), but even though there are serious problems with the way it's framed, there are so many important and interesting things going on that deserve to be discussed without getting stuck on the show itself. Jocelyn's relationship with sex for example is shown in a really gross and exploitative way which I think completely overshadows how interesting that side of her character is. I've never seen sex as self harm portrayed in a more relatable way to be honest, even though the creators of the show sadly turn it into disturbing attempts at porn. I've seen people dismiss the way she actually seems to enjoy these potentially dangerous and degrading things (and the perfectly normal kinks) as the male director's fantasy because it's uncomfortable to watch. I think it can be both an inappropriately filmed male fantasy AND a scarily accurate depiction of how seductive self destruction by proxy can be, all at the same time. I'd love to see more nuanced talk about that
I am SO in love with your reactions! Really, I think you’re one of not so many who actually analyzes the main characters, and not just talk shit about the show. Which I’m not saying it’s a good show, but God this is tiring to hear one opinion talked by different people who don’t even want to see further than “oh it’s too sexual and stupid”🙄 I think this episode was really dark, psychologically. It was hard to watch music video scene. And also the very last scene by the piano too. I got chills all over my body because I almost could feel Jocelyn’s emotions. Lily is a fantastic actress. But also, you see so many little things that other people don’t see or maybe don’t mention in their reactions, which is sad tbh, because there IS a lot of interesting details. So, I wanted to say how much I enjoy your videos, thank you so much for your time 🤍
The show is definitely not stupid, the only bad thing is that it's way to nudy and that she likes he's r*pey comment other than that this is pretty much all real unfortunately, celebrity's especially female singers are expected to deliver every time, like to serve looks, vocals, choreography, facial expressions... Etc (men aren't) or else they're replaced by a new one, like the nicki minaj and cardi b situation.. Etc
I appreciate you reviewing and observing the show that was made and not the show you wish was made like most reactors are doing in my opinion. There are many cringeworthy aspects, but i feel they are purposeful to elicit certain feelings and responses. But thank you for looking beyond.
I feel like I'm watching 2 different shows when I watch you react and when I watch the show by itself, I think that they really try to show everything you're talking about but fail and than when I watch your reaction and you explain everything it just make sense and makes this show more deep like idk i think I'm gonna be watching just you react from now on instead of just the idol 😂
I'm really enjoying your take on this series! I'm facsinated and hooked on the Jocelyn scenes and her character - the music video shoot this episode was so well done. It was heartbreaking. I'd love to see a flashback episode where we learn more about the kind of relationship she had with her mum, although I'm doubtful we'll get an episode like that. It's super interesting listening to you dissect it all and explain the different types of grief and grief disorders, it actually helps me better stomach this show because it is uncomfortable to watch at times, but there clearly was so much thought put into the psychology of Jocelyn's character. Definitely sticking around for her and Lily's portrayal of her more than anything else🙌 and I'll be here every thursday for your expert take on it!
Here's hoping they deliver🙏 I only discovered your account last week when you released your review of episode 1. I have since watched all your Wednesday videos and more! I found the 3 different types of empathy super interesting, had no idea there was more than just what many of us consider empathy to be in general. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and insight with us❤️
great analysis. this is how we should see the story and the character/dynamic development through the lens of the show, instead of dismissing the show entirely, like most of the internet is doing lol
Ever since I saw your first reaction/analysis of this show, I've been looking forward to seeing your videos every week. Even though I think that The Idol is far from perfect, there are a few small things that keep me interested enough to continue watching; with this episode being the prime example, you gave a wonderfully detailed description of how certain "highlights" are portrayed from a psychological view as well as give informative perceptions about the characters. Besides the fact that I'm curious to see how it ends, you actually give me a reason to finish the show because I'm so intrigued to see/hear your thoughts about the remaining episodes.
16:00 this was the point where I got emotional. Seeing people who love her be there for her was so powerful and really highlighted how important that kind of friendship is. If the show had more of these moments, it actually could've said something about mental illness and made a positive impact.
I appreciate your professional reaction. We, the audience, already speculate many things about what could be a possibility throughout the show. But entering your professional plea gives a lot of perspective to the viewers. Thank you, amazing breakdown of your thoughts and potentially reality.
first off...I'm an XO fan, who's never seen Euphoria. Jocelyn, as a character, has my back in this. The 'family' dynamics between the star and her team and the one forming between her and her new 'team,' + the grief of losing her own mother (with no mention of a dad), makes me want to just hold her....or maybe just listen. Thank you for looking into the deeper psychology beneath her struggles and relationships. I really appreciate looking at the characters and how their relationships and surroundings impact them, rather than judging the acting and writing skills of the show, or the surrounding hype. I feel like I'm learning here, and will love to keep your videos as a companion throughout the series...assuming I'm able to get through it. My instinct tells me it may shift to horror and be too much for my sensitivity...🤣 This is often a barrier in watching things I'm otherwise interested in.
Tedros having the same first and last name gives me beetlejuice and Bloody Mary vibes. Like if you say his name three times in the mirror with the lights off he will show up and ask you to dance
I adore you channel ! I just find you, i love your thoughts ! And you have a very kind aura, it's relaxing to listen to you ! :) I'm curious would you do a serie on The Queen's Gambit : Elizabeth Harmon?
Lillys acting is definitely the highlight of this show, plots kinda wack the script is insufferable (and cringe), the weekend is there (but his acting skills arent) and the pacing is so slow. But, Im still interested in seeing if itll get better strictly because of Jocelyn and how well shes protrayed.
id love if you continued this series ! i definitely cant watch it with out somebody’s commentary/interjection every once in a while, anyways love your vids ☺️
That whole scene reminds me of moments from my old job, where I'd have had a really long shift where I'd had hours of people yelling at me making me go over what I'd already done because I hadn't done it correctly (I have a learning disability known as Dyspraxia or Developmental Coordination Disorder). And I'd be walking home from work, and I'd just literally start shaking and crying to the point that it felt like I couldn't breathe. Let's just say I'm very glad I quit that job and got the help I need.
I love your analysis! I saw the second episode and ran to your channel I couldn’t wait for your breakdown. I love getting an in depth look from a more psychological perspective because it makes me see things in a different light. I agree that it’s way too graphic and hard to watch at times but Lily did so well during that music video scene. I felt so bad for her.. as for mr cult leader I’m sick and can’t wait to see how this unfolds. Great job! Def subscribing so I can see your next one asap! ❤❤
Thank you for these reactions. I believe your expertise and maturity make it so that you can look at difficult content like this and still see a worthwhile story. Most other reactors have had an overly emotional, visceral reaction to the show. Your balanced and insightful reaction helps me as a viewer appreciate the story that is being told.
I was ready to hate this show but something about it has me wanting to come back to see it out. I feel that while yes it’s exploitative to a fault but also what Tedrous and everyone else is doing to Jocelyn is also exploitative so I think for the most part it’s fitting. It’s giving us the darker side of fame in a way we aren’t used to seeing.
I only watched the 2nd episode and my heart broke so much for Jocelyn that I was crying during the mv scene. im not famous but I resonate with this pressure and perfectionism 💔
I love your work so much,I love the way you speak so much, it’s so calming and captivating! Makes me feel so safe and secure when watching your content! Thank you for existing! You deserve everything amazing and positive in your life! 🥰❤️
I genuinely think The Idol could be a great show. I actually found myself sobbing along with Jocelyn, having lost my own mother a while back. And it was intriguing to see how that grief rose to the surface under that feeling of intense pressure. The show has an intriguing plot and themes...and then Tedros Tedros comes in and stinks up the whole thing. Him and everything involving him is 100% the only truly awful thing about this show and it just reeks solely because of him
Loved your reaction and the way you analyze the reactions and actions from a real phycological fundament, not just what you think or believe. I do have a pair of questions, How can we tell or determine if a person really cares for you as a person or just cares about what you can give to them (talking about Jocelyn’s managers and people around her)? and Do you think Dayanne is part of the system to recruit more people into joining Tedro’s cult, if so, does that makes her a victim too? And lastly, What would be the healthiest way to deal with a situation like Jocelyn’s where there is deep grief and a lot of stress to pull through? I’ll wait to see what you have to say when the next episode drop. Thank you so much, and take care.
Thanks for the questions! 1. You could stop giving the things to the person and see what happens. 2. Yes, and yes, Dyanne is likely a victim, too. 3. A serious break until real healing is happening. I’d love to know what she was doing for the past year!
I think we are supposed to react as you did when you said "Say no" to Tedros when he wanted to move in. As observers, we are supposed to want to reject him, and he is supposed to make us feel uncomfortable. It's the same with the "sex" scene. They need to make everyone uncomfortable with them. I don't know how the show will continue but I always felt it wasn't meant to be a serie, more a film. But then, at the same time, it allows space for discussion between each episode, and that can be quite interesting too. That's why I'm excited to watch your reactions each time 😊 I'm really curious where it is going...
I'm one of few people who enjoys the show apparently, and your commentary makes the experience even better. I think you are bringing part of what the show could have been if the woman director stayed. I like Sam Levinson's cinematography, but just like everyone else, I was very disappointed by the second season of Euphoria, so as happy as I am that he is involved in the project, I would have preferred for him to collaborate with the other director instead of with the weekend.
Based on the reviews I’ve heard about the show, and the response from Levinson and The Weeknd, I don’t feel at all comfortable supporting this show and watching it myself. I’m glad you’re reacting and analyzing this show, because I think there are a lot of interesting concepts you bring out and I relate a lot of them to communications studies. It’s a bummer that the original idea for the show may never come to life, but I’m hoping something positive like your analyses comes out of it
I have an honest question... I see so many comments on social media about how this show rejects the female point of view and how they wish this was from Jocelyn's POV only. What I really want to understand is- in what ways could the show put more of an emphasis on the female point of view? So far I think the show is doing a good job of keeping everyone's perspectives at an even level- leaving room for some mystery to build about their inner psychology to tell a compelling story. So, do you wish the show only focused on Jocelyn and no one else (no management, no outside influences like Tedros, etc), keeping it focused on her and her experiences alone? Or does female version mean that you'd like to have seen this same story told, but just told by a woman filmmaker? I see this said a lot about the show and no one ever really give thought provoking examples or details to back it up- other than the Rolling Stone article, of course. Not trying to upset anyone, just trying to start a productive conversation. :) Anyway, thanks to whomever answers this. lol
Hey Steve, what I understand by "the female perspective" is that there's this social concept called "the male gaze" where media / entertainment is created based on what aesthetically looks sexy/appealing with men in mind as the target audience. For example, Jocelyn's outfits are meant to be sexy even when she's dressed casually outside of performing/rehearsals/work, she's put into sexual situations right away with a male character who recently met her, and she fawns over Tedros and shows a lot of interest in and inspiration by him as though his influence on her is life molding her into being more true to her musical aspirations (at least that's the read I'm getting from episode 1-2) and pushing her out of her comfort zone. It feels like Tedros taking control of Jocelyn's narrative vs. Jocelyn intentionally seeking out Tedros and exploring why she did that - what's motivating her? The female perspective would illustrate these same concepts by showing more of the relationship between "How our culture and media want Jocelyn to be portrayed" (which caters to the socialized male gaze) vs "How Jocelyn caters to or resists that mold" *and* "How Jocelyn feels about herself and what she wants for herself." We haven't gotten a lot of character work about Jocelyn's personal sense of intimacy with herself and how she feels about the industry she's in and the company she keeps, apart from the lens of her work and the lens of dealing with her mom's passing. So far the character work that builds her personality arc has been centered around other people's impact on her. The audience wants to see a self-actualized approach of Jocelyn having a more developed intrinsic personality and then we see how that "core" of who she is responds to influence. It feels more like Jocelyn is being filmed like a pawn than her own person. What the audience was hoping for by having a female director more involved is that they would have a better understanding of and research in female celebrities in the entertainment industries and how they stay connected with their real selves in the limelight. Jocelyn's "reasons" for why she is so invested in Tedros, her smoking, her musical tastes, her style, her grief, private thoughts and wishes, all of that is pretty unexplored so far. If you have more questions feel free to add them, this will probably be my only post but others can chime in too to add feedback. Thanks!
Well you're a man so understandably its hard for you to understand the female perspective i assume since youve never been a woman, never lived as one and haven't experienced what women go through. The character of Jocelyn isnt even a womans woman to be considered a female perspective when we get to see her "thoughts and feelings" in the show. Its how men think and want women to be. Its what weird overly sexualized and fetishized Levinson and Abel wanted to create. As for the female perspective you ask of, we wanted a female director, the one before sam took over, that knows exactly what the pains and struggles of being a woman especially in an industry like that of entertainment and music. A man can't fully grasp or emulate that in his works. Its like telling a white person to make a film about how black people experience racism yk?? Get it...
Thanks for the response! Okay, so, Yes, I understand the differences between the basic male/female gaze. And yes, it’s about how various visuals can be manipulated in order to please a certain gendered audience- female gaze movies are things from Magic Mike to Fifty Shades of Grey and male gaze movies are things like Transformers (Megan Fox) and the gauntlet of every other example in every movie ever lol However, its not something that’s solely used to tell the story, it’s only really applied when you need to put the audience in a specific POV. (Being an audience member in the crowd for Magic Mike- the camera will show the men in positions that mimic that experience for the folks watching, enhancing it) I think you may be confusing the term with Female Perspective. A “Gaze” has to do with the audience looking or watching, a “perspective” is used as the framework to build and tell the story, which you can then apply a “gaze” to while filming. So you think having the female gaze applied to Tedros would be better? I don’t know…. Showing his manipulation in a glamorous way cause that’s how Jocelyn is experiencing it? that rubs me the wrong way- cause Tedros is predatory and is purposefully taking advantage of her. He literally runs a cult. To me, making him sexy for the audience defeats the purpose of making him so disgusting to us, yet desirable to Jocelyn. And what leader of the variety of cults that were caught were actually sexy and charming? Especially to outsiders. Just look at Leia’s reaction at the end of this episode. To me, what it seems like you’re saying is you’d rather see Jocelyn in a position of agency over her choices instead of Tedros and her management team constantly taking them away from her and her not realizing what’s happening cause of her trauma- and hopefully that’s where the show will head. A story needs to built up it. And if that’s all what people want from the show I think it’s clear that’s not the story they’re telling. So why are people forcing themselves to be traumatized by watching it? Sorry if this is totally off base, I’m just trying to better understand what people are actually bothered by with this show and how it could be changed for the better. It’s super important to discuss this stuff openly. But everything that seems like an answer dilutes the story, the characters, the message and most of all the conversation starting themes that the show is clearly setting out to spark up.
It’s a valid question- and it takes some nuance to be able to interpret. To be clear about what male gaze is also, the concept of male gaze is based in the combined understanding that gaze is charged (not neutral), and that the medium of film is inherently voyeuristic (we look at without being seen). It’s a matter not only of understanding of the ethics of gaze in this format but also the social and political implications not of the gaze itself but of the assumption of straight male subjectivity. Male gaze can be used intelligently in film if it is complicated or contradicted (either by the horror of girlhood, growing up into a world that is dominated by degrading male fantasy, or by the film makers self awareness / self critique / or by foregrounding the woman’s inner world and experience of inappropriate, violent, or dehumanizing gaze). I haven’t watched the show but I’ve seen enough to know that the film makers aren’t applying any of the aforementioned strategies and the result is a piece of media that is not only crass but unintelligent and misogynistic. We see Jocelyn as viewers from the outside, tuning into the spectacle of her self harm and self abandonment through the lens of our pleasure, without being implicated for our participation.
Personally, I would’ve liked it to be done by a female director, especially when it comes to sex scenes. When I watch shows that are more provocative (P Valley and The Deuce) for instance, it focuses on how the woman is feeling during sex or in sexual situations rather than making it fetishizing for men to watch. I would also like to say in these said shows, there is clear plot and the characters are complex and we get to know them. It doesn’t FOCUS on the sex, drugs, alcohol, whatever. It focuses on how the characters interact and feel with these elements. I’ve seen it done better with women behind these types shows because of the subject matter (stripping, the prostitute to porn pipeline, etc). I feel like they know how to do it without making it fetishistic porn, but at the same time, I feel like any writer or director who was just better than Nepo Sam could’ve made this show better.
