The Idol episode 1 recap: The life of a pop star is war

Episode 1 of The Idol gave us a clear idea of how stressful and draining the life of a pop star can be at times. There is this constant pressure that consumes a person from within. In this show's case, the victim is a young woman named Jocelyn. She is famous, rich, and universally loved, yet unhappy and anxious all the time.

The first episode of The Idol was titled Pop Tarts & Rat Tales. It was directed by Sam Levinson and written by Abel Tesfaye, Reza Fahim, and Sam Levinson. It aired on HBO on June 4, 2023.

Disclaimer: Major spoilers ahead.

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The Idol episode 1 recap: How did Jocelyn and Tedros meet?

The episode began with a focus on our young heartthrob, Jocelyn. She was in the midst of a photo shoot, which gradually kept turning provocative, by her own accord, as she was not asked to go that way.

Viewers then learned that Joceyn is a world-famous pop star who had recently lost her mother. Her life was unstable as she had gone through a severe mental breakdown. Her new single was going to be launched in a fortnight but her confidence was at an all-time low.

It was then revealed that a couple of hours ago, a s*xually explicit picture of hers had been leaked on the internet. Every one of her representatives present at her home began panicking and wondered how to break the news to her. After her dance practice, all of them sat in the living room and broke the news. Surprisingly, she took it extremely well. In fact, it felt like she just shrugged it off.

Later that night, she and her friends, Dyanne and Leia (also her assistant) went to a nightclub to dance and have fun. It is here that she met the club's charismatic owner, Tedros. Tedros invited her to dance with him and it was almost like love at first sight. Jocelyn instantly connected with him and things soon escalated, leading to a kiss and ultimately culminating in the two of them sneaking off to another room. They even had a heart-to-heart conversation, and it became evident that Jocelyn was falling for him.

The next day, she and Leia were watching TV when she revealed to her friend that she was inviting Tedros to his place. Leia didn't like the sleazy nightclub owner but Jocelyn reassured her, asking her not to worry. After a while, Tedros made his grand entry.

A disgusted Leia unwillingly welcomed him. He and Jocelyn also drank and spent some quality time together. It even felt like Tedros had taken a strong interest in the pop star. She then invited him to listen to the rough mix of her unreleased single.

The two then made it to a room that looked a lot like a mini recording studio. She played the song and although she didn't like it herself, Tedros visibly enjoyed every bit of it, and even assured her that it was good. The episode ended with the two speaking some more before getting intimate.

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What is The Idol about?

Directed by Sam Levinson, The Idol showcases the life of a pop idol, Jocelyn, and her mysterious boyfriend, Tedros.

The official synopsis of The Idol reads:

"After a nervous breakdown derailed Jocelyn’s (Lily-Rose Depp) last tour, she’s determined to claim her rightful status as the greatest and sexiest pop star in America. Her passions are reignited by Tedros (Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye), a nightclub impresario with a sordid past. Will her romantic awakening take her to glorious new heights or the deepest and darkest depths of her soul?"

Executive producers of The Idol are Sam Levinson, Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, Reza Fahim, Kevin Turen, Ashley Levinson, Sara E. White, Joe Epstein, and Aaron Gilbert.