How to watch The Idol online: stream HBO’s steamy new drama starring Lily-Rose Depp now

(Image credit: HBO.com)

How to watch The Idol online

You can watch The Idol live on HBO in the US or through the streaming service Max. The series will be exclusive to Crave in Canada while Australian viewers can catch the show with a subscription to either Binge or Foxtel Now. In the UK, The Idol is broadcast through Sky TV and is available to stream on NOW.

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Premiere date: Sunday, June 4 at 9pm ET/PT

TV Network: HBO

New episodes: at the same time each week

Stream in the US: with a $9.99 subscription to Max

International streams: Crave (CA) | Binge (AUS) | Sky TV or NOW (UK)

The Idol: preview

Lily-Rose Depp is blighted by the bright lights of Hollywood in this controversial new HBO drama series. Co-created by Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and Euphoria’s Sam Levinson, The Idol debuted at the Cannes Film Festival and scandalized viewers for its gratuitous sex scenes and graphic nudity. It’s a wilfully provocative show about modern celebrity, and its starry cast and producers clearly intend to push buttons.

Depp plays aspiring pop idol, Jocelyn. Despite having suffered from a nervous breakdown, her handlers urge her to stage an epic comeback and reclaim her title as the “sexiest pop star in America”. When she meets Tedro (Grammy-winning artist “The Weeknd”), the charismatic leader of a modern-day cult, he starts grooming the starlet for success: the two of them form an emotional and intensely physical bond that finds Jocelyn succumbing to the impresario’s insidious influence.

The 5-part series features an incredible ensemble of well-known musicians and actors that lends this music industry fable an edgy dose of reality. The cast includes record producer Mike Dean, rapper Jennine Ruby Lane, and Tyson Ritter of The All-American Rejects fame, alongside actress Jane Adams (HBO’s Hung), Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek), Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Only Murders in the Building), and the late Anne Heche in her final TV role.

Dubbed a “gorgeous-looking horror show” by Vogue, The Idol explores the drug-fuelled excesses of celebrity and the toxicity of the music industry in a shocking, stylish, and compelling way that's almost certain to get viewers talking.

How to watch The Idol on Max in the US

The Idol will debut on the HBO channel on Sunday, June 4 at 9 pm ET/PT, with the remaining episodes broadcasting once per week until the July 2 finale.

If you've cut the cord or don't have HBO as a part of your cable package, you can just as easily watch The Idol on Max (previously HBO Max) instead. Episodes should be available a little earlier here, from 3 am ET / 12 am PT every Sunday.

There are three Max price points - $9.99 a month with commercials, $15.99 ad-free or the ultimate $19.99 commercial-free subscription, which also unlocks 4K streaming and Dolby Atmos sound.

Alternatively, you could save up to 20% when you subscribe to an annual plan. That’s $99.99 for the ad-supported plan or $149.99/$199.99 for the ad-free option. Either way, if you go annual you essentially bag yourself two months of free streaming.

What else can I watch on Max?

There are plenty of other big-name shows on Max including critically acclaimed series The Last of Us, Barry, The White Lotus, Insecure and Succession, award-winning animated movies from Studio Ghibli, DC Universe shows like Peacemaker, Doom Patrol, and Harley Quinn, plus Sex and the City, Euphoria, and not forgetting Game of Thrones.

The 7-day Max free trial has long since been discontinued. But, if you're a current HBO Now subscriber or pay for HBO through your cable provider, you could be entitled to HBO Max at no extra cost.

Devices compatible with Max include iPhone and Android devices, Apple and Samsung TVs, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles, Chromecast and Chromebooks, and laptops and PCs. Max on Roku and Amazon Fire Stick are also available.

Try a book to TV adaptation: watch Conversations with Friends

How to watch The Idol in the UK

UK viewers can watch The Idol, HBO's scandalous new drama, at the same time as US audiences through Sky Atlantic, starting from Monday, June 5 at 2 am BST (that’s late Sunday night/early Monday morning). Thankfully, episodes are shown again later on the same day at the more reasonable time of 9 pm BST.

Sky subscribers can also stream The Idol on the go on mobile devices via the Sky Go streaming service, which has dedicated apps for iOS, iPad, and Android devices, along with Xbox and PlayStation consoles.

If you're not a Sky customer, you can check out our dedicated guide to Sky TV deals and packages for today's best prices.

Don't fancy being locked into a long, expensive contract? Consider the more flexible streaming option, Now, (formerly Now TV). Now entertainment passes start at £9.99.

How to watch The Idol online in Canada for FREE

Here comes the latest controversy-magnet from the creator of Euphoria. You can watch The Idol exclusively on Crave in Canada from Sunday, June 4, at 9 pm ET/PT, with new episodes added weekly.

Subscription options include Crave Total for $19.99 (+tax) a month, or, if you’re happy to sacrifice simultaneous streams and offline viewing, you choose Crave Mobile for $9.99 a month. First, though, you can enjoy Crave's 7-day FREE trial, available to new subscribers only.

Crave offers classic HBO series, on-demand movies, Crave originals, and Showtime content, including addictive TV shows like The Gloaming, Dexter, and 30 Rock, in addition to the latest Max releases, such as The White Lotus, House of the Dragon, and We Own This City.

How to watch The Idol online for FREE in Australia

Aussies can catch Lily-Rose Depp’s searing performance as an ambitious pop star when The Idol arrives on Binge beginning on Monday, June 5.

Starting at AU$10 a month, Binge is very temptingly priced. And what's more, new customers are entitled to a generous 14-day FREE trial, which means you can try before you buy.

The Basic plan provides a single stream in SD quality, and you can upgrade to Standard and Premium plans if you want additional streams and better video quality.

You also have the option of Foxtel and Foxtel Now, which offers more of a full package, cable-like experience. Boasting 70+ channels and a 10-day free trial, get the Foxtel Now Essentials Base pack and pay just $25. That way you can watch The Idol on-demand, or live via the Fox Showcase channel from 11 am AEST. All episodes are then broadcast again the same day at 5 pm, or a few hours later at 7 pm on Fox Showcase +2.

Daniel Pateman is a freelance writer, producing articles across the cultural spectrum for magazines like Aesthetica, Photomonitor, The Brooklyn Rail and This is Tomorrow. He also provides text-writing services to individual curators and artists worldwide, and has had work published internationally. His favourite film genre is horror (bring on Scream 5!) and he never tires of listening to Absolute 80s on the radio.