Two years ago, HBO’s “The Idol” met with brutal reviews from critics. IndieWire’s own Ben Travers wrote of the pilot, “Typically, when there’s less to say about a new show once you’ve seen it than before it premiered, that’s a bad sign.” And the series gained notoriety before it ever premiered. The long and chaotic history of its first and only season saw several highly-publicized behind-the-scenes shake-ups and extensive reshoots after a reported change in creative direction.
Star Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, whose “Hurry Up Tomorrow” hit theaters May 16, says he now understands the reception “The Idol” received, admitting that, “It makes a lot of…