The Idol Season 1 Episode 4 Stars Belong to the World

While fighting for the upper hand in her relationship with Tedros, Jocelyn becomes determined to introduce her new persona to the world. Later, Jocelyn’s team discusses her increasing involvement with Tedros and his inner circle.

The Idol, from Euphoria creator Sam Levinson, has been in a downward spiral like its lead character since episode one. That said, this episode does start to right the course if even just a little. It’s no secret now that Tedros (The Weeknd) is an egotistical and paranoid abuser. Shaping Jocelyn and her entire house into a palace for himself, The Idol Episode 4, titled “Stars Belong to the World,” is halfway between satire and drama, and it has no idea where it fits when a famous producer comes to help Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) make her new music. Despite the brewing tension between her and Tedros, Jocelyn is determined to introduce her new sound and look to the world and is putting herself through anything Tedros says in order to do it.

Jocelyn’s first recording is probably the best-shot scene of the season as she sings about wanting to be controlled with Tedros’ arms around her. It’s done eerily well in a series that has such a tonal disconnection between the narrative, cinematography, and characters that it’s hard to tell what any given scene is meant to elicit from the audience.

At this point, I can’t keep reviewing The Idol while saying the same thing, which is that Jocelyn and by that token, her actor Lily-Rose Depp is a prop for everyone else. It’s well-established at this point that she is a thing to be saved, controlled, moved, and manipulated. She has no agency or voice yet again. But instead of continually talking about this one point, there are elements of The Idol Episode 4 that work, and that’s where Destiny (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), Jocelyn’s manager, is concerned. She is the voice of reason, a protector, but at the same time, she’s helpless to change what she sees.

In the show’s most voyeuristic moments, those watching the scene are just as uncomfortable. While moments of this disgust played to the camera work in small doses, it’s the elongated elements that the show loses any of the messaging. The strongest episode of the series thus far, the commentary around stars belonging to people and the dehumanization of them for art claws out from under The Weeknd’s terrible acting. The abuse is centered in the episode, described by Destiny as she reports back to Chaim (Hank Azaria), but everything flows into Tedros, sucking the gravitas from moments that should have an impact.

The Idol

Season Number: 1

Episode Number: 4

Episode Title: Stars Belong to the World

Air Date: Jun 25, 2023

Language: English

Subtitle Language: English

Source: The.Idol.S01E04.1080p.WEB.h264-ETHEL

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