HBO's controversial new drama series "The Idol"

 

HBO's controversial new drama series "The Idol" drew around 913,000 viewers for its premiere on Sunday night.  That's around 17% lower viewership than the premiere numbers for co-creator Sam Levinson's previous series, "Euphoria." "The Idol" also came in slightly behind the premiere of "The White Lotus," which was seen by around 944,000 viewers on its debut night. Both "Euphoria" and "The White Lotus" benefitted from strong reviews and positive word-of-mouth, while the reception of "The Idol" from both critics and audiences has been more divisive. The series stars co-creator Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye as an enigmatic club owner and guru in Los Angeles who takes an aspiring pop star (Lily-Rose Depp) under his wing.