When we watch The Idol online tonight, we look to see how the Euphoria universe is expanded with HBO's latest salacious show. The Idol, though, arrives one week after one of the network's most critically-acclaimed shows (Succession) of all time. And the reviewers aren't nearly as positive.
U.S. date and time: The Idol episode 1 airs today (Sunday, June 4) at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on HBO, the same time it hits Max.
U.K. release date: Monday (June 5) at 2 a.m. GMT on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
AU release date: Monday (June 5) at 1 p.m. AEDT on Binge and Foxtel Now.
The Idol gets a lot of attention, primarily, because of its famous co-creators: Euphoria mastermind Sam Levinson and musician Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye. As for the titular idol herself? Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) is a pop star who's been trying to recover from a world tour that went down in flames.
Levinson has heard those critics' slams, and admits that the show plays into some stereotypes, but Tesfaye told The New York Times that you need "just need to see the whole show" to understand. The Idol has just a 25% score so far on Rotten Tomatoes with 16 reviews, so you've been warned.
Here's the official episode description from HBO:
As Jocelyn preps for her triumphant return, a leaked photo sends her team into crisis mode – just as a journalist arrives to do an in-depth profile on her. Later, Jocelyn has a chance encounter with nightclub owner Tedros.
Here's the trailer for The Idol, which may wind up becoming one of the best Max shows, even if the critics say otherwise. We've got all the details about how to watch below.
How to watch The Idol online in the US
HBO and Max are the two ways to watch The Idol online in the U.S..
The Idol episode 1 arrives today (Sunday, June 4) on HBO at 9 p.m. ET. It also goes live on Max at that time, which you can watch here.
Scroll down for the full schedule.
How to watch The Idol online in the UK
The Idol is going to air on Sky Atlantic (the normal home for HBO and Max Originals in the UK) and NOW in the U.K. So, look for it at 2 a.m. BST on Monday (June 5).
Visiting the UK and can't find it either? Try one of the best VPNs to log in back home to use the apps you prefer.
How to watch The Idol online in Canada
Crave is the home of The Idol in Canada, and episode 1 will air at its normal time, just like it does in the U.S.. So, get ready to watch The Idol at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday (June 4) on Crave's HBO channel.
Of course, those on vacation in Canada who want to stream it live with their friends in the U.S. or U.K. will need one of the best VPNs to log in back home to use the service you prefer.
How to watch The Idol online in Australia
Binge is the place you want to go to watch The Idol online in Australia. So, on Monday (June 5) look for the new episode at 1 p.m. AEDT.
Binge is free for the first 14 days, and starts at $10 per month for one screen and SD viewing. It's also on Foxtel Now.
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