The Idol: Lily-Rose Depp addresses finale’s baffling, controversial twist

This article contains major spoilers for episode five of ‘The Idol’

Provocative HBO series The Idol drew to a close on Sky Atlantic in the early hours of Monday (3 July), with a twist that saw Lily-Rose Depp’s pop star Jocelyn turn the tables on Abel Tesfaye’s cult leader Tedros.

***Warning: this article contains major spoilers for episode five of The Idol***

The fifth instalment, titled “Jocelyn Forever”, attempts to convince viewers that Jocelyn actually held the power all along, despite the first four episodes making it seem as though she was being ruthlessly victimised by Tedros.

As the episode opens, Tedros is spiralling after being booted out of Jocelyn’s crew. Jocelyn tells her tour promoter (Eli Roth) that she has been nurturing numerous artists that Tedros discovered, and that they will play as her support acts when she tours.

Jocelyn’s manager Chaim (Hank Azaria) tries to pay Tedros off to leave Jocelyn’s life, but at the end of the episode, he arrives at her concert at SoFi Stadium. Jocelyn appears to leave an artist pass for him and she welcomes him on stage at the gig as “the love of her life”, to the bafflement and anger of her management team.

“I have the opportunity to introduce you to the love of my life,” she tells the crowd. “The man who pulled me through the darkest hours and into the light. Tedros. Will you please join us? I want you to meet my family.”

A mystified Tedros walks onto the stage and the pair kiss. “You’re mine. Forever. Now go stand over there,” she says to him, as the crowd chants “Jocelyn, Jocelyn”.

“I think a lot of the audience will watch maybe the first few episodes and think that this guy is taking advantage of her,” Depp said, according to Deadline. “By the end he realises that she knows exactly what he’s doing and she knows exactly what she’s doing.”

She added: “Jocelyn is a very calculated and strategic person. She knows exactly what she wants and she’ll stop at nothing to get it. Tedros was her muse and she got what she needed out of him.”

Creator Sam Levinson said: “Throughout the season, Jocelyn has been searching for inspiration. She’s looking to go to an uncomfortable place, and it’s just ultimately looking for that next song, that next album. Tedros becomes the conduit for that creative unlocking.”

Jocelyn “needs to devour those around her to feel like she has something to say”, Levinson claimed, adding that Tedros has actually “become the victim”.

Lily-Rose Depp as Jocelyn in HBO series ‘The Idol’ (HBO)

Viewers were not impressed. “The s***tiest thing I’ve ever seen in a show,” posted one person on social media.

“This f***ass ending,” added another.

“Horrible and boring waste of time,” said a third.

Over its run, The Idol has been lampooned by viewers for its “atrocious” dialogue and the questionable actions of its lead characters.

All episodes of The Idol are streaming on NOW.