The Idol Season 1 Episode 1 Review: Pop Tarts & Rat Tales
Denis Kimathi
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Well, that was intriguing.
The Idol Season 1 Episode 1 introduced the main protagonist, Jocelyn, fresh off a sabbatical after a nervous breakdown. Even after all she had been through, she still had the "it" factor that made fans around the world adore her.
Even before it premiered, the show was already marred with controversy because of the people involved in making it and what it was supposedly depicting.
Most of the early reviews were not so positive, but most couldn't tune out the noise and tell us what the show was really about and why it was supposedly bad.
If at all it is bad, the reasons given were not what we saw.
Jocelyn was impressive as a person. She felt like she was in control of most things around her and did not get pushed around by anyone. Or that was what she would have loved to believe about herself.
Her ability to switch between emotions almost instantaneously was impressive but concerning on a deeper level. One moment she was this expressionless blob; next, there was the Marylin Monroe smile, and nearly a second later, she was crying.
I have seen Lily Rose-Depp in one movie, and it was probably the worst movie I've ever seen. The movie was so bad it overshadowed everything about the performers, so it was impressive how much range Ms. Rose-Depp had.
The Idol trailer painted an inaccurate picture of Jocelyn. Joss was not a damsel in distress and could hold her weight if need be. But her weight was not the main issue. It was everyone else's.
She felt like she was carrying the problems of entire groups of people just by existing.
A myriad of things constantly barraged her life. Every morning her assistant would unceremoniously wake her up even when she would rather stay in bed longer. But she did want to disappoint Leia.
A problem would arise during a photoshoot, and everyone would be giving their input. Jocelyn sided with people on her team and claimed she was comfortable showing her breasts, but you couldn't tell whether that was true.
Her unending schedule marked her for dance practice despite spending the morning working.
As the day progressed, her house, which is otherwise supposed to be a private place, had turned into a busy set with people who depended on her trying to get a hold of things.
After a failed practice, she looked at all those anxious faces, shed a tear, maybe for them or herself, wiped off her tears, and went to work.
After a private photo leaked, her team tried to shield her from it, and when they couldn't do it any longer, they told her. As she stared at all their faces, she knew what they wanted to hear, so she said it.
I mean, I feel like it could be a lot worse.
Jocelyn
It was concerning that this was who Joss had become after so many years in the spotlight. She had learned to tune out her concerns to accommodate everyone else.
The big event on The Idol Season 1 was that Jocelyn would drop her new single after being away for so long. It had to be perfect. She felt like it was lacking. Yet everyone she talked to said it was perfect.
And listening to it, it was perfect -- for TikTok. It had all the makings of a viral TikTok sound but for how long? It would make the conversation for a moment, but then she would fade into the obscurity of "made for TikTok" singers.
Jocelyn: Can I play you my new song?
Tedros: Are you desperate to put this specific song out?
Jocelyn: No, I'm not desperate to put anything out; my team is. 'Cause everyone in my life is, like, telling me that it's really great. but I don't believe them.
Tedros: Why?
Jocelyn: 'Cause when you're famous, everyone lies to you.
Tedros: And you trust me?
Jocelyn: I just think you're enough of an asshole that you might tell me the truth.
Meeting Tedros was freeing in its own way. He didn't work for her, and he didn't have a filter. He was everything she had been missing from her team.
Since she appeared smart, she must have been aware that she was a commodity to everyone, and none of the people on her team were her friends.
The closest she had to a friend was Leia, but she was more of a yes-man than an actual friend.
An encounter with Tedros introduced Joss to someone she'd never met and needed.
But there were blinders.
Tedros was much more sinister than he appeared. He was sneaky, and from the moment Joss entered his club, there was a plan. Tedro gave strong Nate from Euphoria vibes if Nate was a club owner.
Her team was kept busy and drunk while Tedros seduced her. Leia appeared to be the only one concerned about her whereabouts, but that concern melted as soon as a ripped hunk pulled her to the dancefloor.
Whether Tedros was a real person or a performance is quite unclear. It was scary either way. He must have been doing something right because he earned an invite into her house.
Under that significantly hard exterior, Joss had developed a mechanism to relinquish the control she felt she had to have every time to please people.
It manifested in the sort of sexual activities she enjoyed. No one would take a selfie with semen on their face and think keeping it is a good idea. When ordinary people masturbate, they don't asphyxiate themselves.
That was a weakness anyone malicious enough could manipulate, and Tedros seemed the perfect person.
Jocelyn was feeling the pressure. Her management was breathing down her neck, the media wanted a piece of her while she was relevant, and she had expectations for herself, with this being her comeback.
Jocelyn: Look, I think five years ago when people would tell me that it was important to comment on something publicly, I would buy into it. But now I just know that I'm being hustled.
Talia: Yeah, I mean, obviously, my editor is breathing down my neck, gun to my back, trying to get me to get you to talk about this photo.
She was increasingly becoming vulnerable, and no one who was supposed to notice noticed.
Besides Lily Rose-Depp's performance, Abel Tesfaye's performance was also surprisingly good. He didn't overdo it but also kept the eeriness that was supposed to make the viewer understand that he was bad news.
The rest of the cast didn't stand out, but that could be partially attributed to how short the premiere was.
"Pop Tarts & Rat Tails" was not perfect, and more was expected for the noise it made pre-premiere. And by more, I don't mean gratuitous sex.
It didn't feel like they went big enough with everything.
The leak scandal could have been bigger, the club scene could have been bigger, and the episode longer.
Some of the dialogue wasn't as convincing, but, having watched Euphoria, it wasn't surprising. It lacked the pull that makes you want to binge the full season, but it created enough intrigue to warrant dedicating your 9 pm on Sunday to it.
If you live in Sioux City, Iowa, you are never gonna meet a girl like Jocelyn. She's not walking down the street. She didn't go to your high school. She doesn't work at the bar or the diner. And she did not marry your best friend. And if, on the off chance, she did, she is still never, ever gonna fuck you. Unless, she has some very, very serious mental problems. And that right there is why mental illness is sexy.
Nikki
It also made subtle references to some of the most memorable female stars in Jocelyn's shoes, such as Marilyn Monroe, Britney Spears, and Miley Cyrus, which was a nice touch.
Being a show about a singer demands a lot from Lily, and she delivers at every turn, but Jennie was so good with the choreography. Her character was the most likable. I hope we see more of her.
Music is integral to the narrative and the show's main vibe. Having a multi-platinum talent like The Weeknd on the cast, you expected the music to be great, but there was nothing worth noting musically.
Well, over to you. What did you think? Were you disappointed by the show? Are you going to be tuning in for new episodes?
Let us know in the comments section.
Denis Kimathi was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He has watched more dramas and comedies than he cares to remember. Catch him on social media obsessing over [excellent] past, current, and upcoming shows or going off about the politics of representation on TV. Follow him on X.
