Is HBO’s The Idol Appropriate for Teenagers? Age Rating Explained

HBO’s The Idol has been a controversial series even before its premiere. So, it’s best to know The Idol's age rating and whether the show is appropriate for teenagers.

The Idol follows the story of a pop idol named Jocelyn who works to revive her career after she goes through a nervous breakdown due to her mother's death. Along the way, she gets into a complex relationship with Tedros, a club owner who's also a cult leader.

The series has faced criticism and controversy due to its mature themes and explicit content. Even HBO calls Jocelyn and Tedros’ romance “the sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood.”

From the teasers of the show, we already know that there is a lot of sexual content on the series, as well as drug abuse, foul language, and crime.

The Idol creator Sam Levinson was also accused of making the show look like a "rape fantasy" and a "sexual torture porn." Additionally, there have been reports about a toxic work environment on the set of The Idol.

So, is HBO’s The Idol appropriate for teenagers? What’s the age rating of HBO’s The Idol and is it safe for teens to watch this series?

HBO’s The Idol Age Rating Explained

Credit: HBO

HBO’s The Idol is rated TV-MA, meaning it is only for the “Mature Audience” (like HBO's Game of Thrones, for example).

Thus, the series may include disturbing content, as well as themes and language that may not be appropriate for younger ages or children below 17 years of age.

The Parents Guide on IMDb rates the series as “Severe” for Sex & Nudity, Profanity, Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking, and Frightening & Intense Scenes.

So, HBO’s The Idol contains content that may not be suitable for younger viewers.

RELATED: Is The Idol Connected to Euphoria?

Is It Safe for Teens to Watch HBO’s The Idol?

Credit: HBO

To quote The Weeknd himself, “This is not going to be for everybody.” Thus, if you’re a parent, it’s best to keep your teens away from HBO’s The Idol.

The first episode alone already contains a lot of mature content such as nudity, drug use, profanity, sex, and masturbation. At the start of the series, we already see Jocelyn showing her breasts in a photoshoot.

Jocelyn even smokes in almost all her scenes in the first episode. And in the final scene of the series premiere, Tedros covers Jocelyn’s face with her robe and suffocates her to prove a point about her singing.

So, HBO’s The Idol is not intended for younger ages but for adults only. It is clearly not suitable for viewers under 17 years of age and it is best to keep your underage children away from the series.

RELATED: Is ‘The Idol’ Based on a True Story? HBO’s Controversial Series Explained