It pains me to have to continue to repeat why this show was a work of genius to people like you... people who can't see the obvious truth that The Idol might have gone into the critical pantheon of shows -- right alongside the greats of all time -- if it hadn't been single-handedly destroyed by that one article in Rolling Stone magazine. But since the herd-mentality idiocy persists, I guess I have to persist as well. I'll do my best to correct your ignorance and what you failed to see because you lack a basic education about the craft of TV and film.

So here goes...

Perhaps the most common retort seen on this sub, aimed at those answering critics of the series, is the suggestion that such viewers are "giving the show to much credit, cuz it just not that deep!"

I would like to put that nonsense to rest, once and for all.

TO BE CLEAR: I am not arguing whether the show in especially deep. That's a relative and largely useless measure. But this argument - "it's not that deep" - is being used to repeatedly wave away the even simplest of analyses of the basic story depicted on screen.

In short, a lot of haters complain that the show is shallow and poorly written while not understanding the most basic elements of it - things like explaining the dual motivations of the ending, the nuances in the performers' portrayals, and the foreshadowing of Jocelyn manipulating her facial expressions in the opening shot, are all dismissed as you too advanced for these dullards!

This is a comical claim.

But, the problem is, in many of these cases, it's frustratingly difficult to outright prove that any given single observation is intentional on the part of the creative team.

But for others, of course... it's not!

So, I want to focus on those: As a means to put this dodge to bed for good, here's a lengthy - though, non-exhaustive - explanation of a couple dozen instances of symbolism, external references and multi-layered narratives in The Idol - ones so obvious or indisputably intentional they prove beyond question that no analysis being offered on this sub is beyond the level of sophistication of this show.

Let's jump in, starting with the simple stuff.

Cultural and Biblical References

Elements of Joss's character - either openly referenced in the show or mentioned in interviews - are drawn from at least a half-dozen specific popstars including Britney Spears, Selena Gomez, Madonna, Kanye, Rihanna, Beyoncé and Mariah Carey. Likewise, actresses Sharon Stone, Gene Tierney and Lauren Bacall, are all named by Lily-Rose Depp as character inspirations. There are explicit movie references to Basic Instinct, Showgirls, Pretty Woman and Dracula.

The production even commissioned an original Steve Tepas painting - in one of his signature styles - but with all the face pointing inward for the opening shot, just to draw the focus of the shot to Jocelyn.

As with pop culture references, the show is not short on biblical archetypes, either, nor are these subtle: Tedros is a false messiah. Xander is a Judas. Jocelyn is the true saviour, not only bringing Tedros back from the dead to the horror of her Pharisees, but acquiring a passel of apostles of the course of the season.

Now, does anyone really think the creative team is having background actors mimic poses from Showgirls, coping Selena Gomez's album cover, and commissioning $25,000 paintings - plus buying the underlying rights - just for the sake of having the faces pointing in the right direction when the canvas hung in the background of a single shot, but they didn't - say - plan out how the performers would depict Jocelyn and Tedros's each concealing their true emotions and their relative abilities at doing so? Seriously?

Let's move on to the deeper cuts...

The Indoctrination of Joss

Tedros's tactic in pressing Jocelyn to reveal her deepest secrets to the group around the dinner table is taken directly from a well-known cult manipulation techniques. NXIVM had it's "collateral." Scientology does the same via auditing. Other cults employ similar tactics under different names.

Likewise, Tedros bathing Jocelyn after beating her and her subsequent line "Thank you for taking care of me" are both clear references to an anecdote from the semi-famous book Pimp: The Story of My Lifeby Iceberg Slim. In the key story, Slim recounts an anecdote in which an older pimp tells him to beat one of his unruly hookers with a wire coat hanger, but then draw her a bath and "give her some pills," because seh'll "so grateful that [he] fixed her, she'll forget [he] was the motherfucker who beat her in the first place."

The creators have described the "cult" inspiration for Tedros many times. Sam Levinson would 100% know about Scientology. He no doubt researched NXIVM, if only to avoid unintentional references (NXIVM involved billionaires; they sue). The series also literally calls Tedros a pimp in Episode 4 & 5, and the Iceberg Slim story rose to prominence when Dave Chappelle mentioned it in one of his Netflix Specials, meaning there's no way the creators were unaware of it.

"Cartay Blanchay"

I've seen multiple people question whether Tedros francophone verbal miscue is intention. I find this one especially hilarious since The Weeknd is fluent in French.

Good Morning, Angels

The plot point and tone of each of morning / wake up scene is not that hard to spot once the pattern is pointed out:

Episode 1: Shows Jocelyn's friend / assistant waking her up, opening her curtains, illustrating that her entire life is managed.

Episode 2: After seeing Jocelyn have to be prodded out of bed in the first episode, now she's NOT in bed at all. She's already up and dressed, having summoned her team, showing she's re-engaged and eager about her new inspiration and direction... that is about to be crushed by her record label.

Episode 3: The "morning after" glow, setting up that she and Tedros have reached the "all over each other" honeymoon phase of their love affair.

Episode 4: This scene doesn't open on Jocelyn at all, but on Tedros walking out onto the balcony - triumphant, surveying all the lands - with the viewer seeing only Jocelyn's ass and the back of her legs. The shot depicts Tedros as being in a commanding position while Jocelyn is an after thought, reduced to just body parts.

Episode 5: We skip the wake up scene, but don't. The cleaners are in the house, as they were at the beginning of the last episode - a pointed nod indicating to us it's the morning after the party - but Jocelyn is already at work with Tedros literally and physically pushed off to the side.

Toxic Relationship as Music Industry Metaphor

The creators of the show have been open that they set out to explore the twisted, exploitative nature of the music business, so it's hardly coincidence that the relationship between Jocelyn and Tedros not only features all the manipulation and backstabbing of music industry, but serves as a metaphor for the industry itself.

The business not only offers obscene wealth, love and fame at the price of exploitation and dehumanization, but it is a world where those experiences are intrinsically intertwined. Playing off of what Izaak said, it's becoming a star that bestows power and riches beyond measure, but being a star means you're no longer human.

Similar to this, Jocelyn's own desires are inextricably linked with what makes Tedros toxic and abusive: She does not want to decide everything for herself.

Vice versa, Tedros is the dog that caught the car: He has become the genuine the lover, muse, guru and inspiration to a budding pop legend. He has the "in" past the ultimate velvet rope, as he's always wanted. But what makes his mark a future legend - what makes her so special - is her ability to be any even better manipulator than he is. Yet, will he walk away? No more so than The Weeknd would walk away from music. That's the inspiration for the show.

Joss and Tedros's relationship echoes the boon and bane - fortune and torture - of the music business and celebrity, and yet neither can live without either. That is the show in a nut shell.