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We’ve been working on this episode for months. The Idol was transcendent, a whirlwind of traitorous reversals, doomed schemers, a nervously chattering Greek chorus, and a spectacularly haunted lead. But it is also by far the most pilloried and misunderstood mainstream work of art this year, with the media and social media fundamentally (if not deliberately) misconstruing its navigation of sexual agency and the creative process. In this episode, we look at the show and the ridiculous backlash to it in a larger cultural context. Yes, half of this episode is a spirited defense of The Weeknd’s incredible performance as Tedros. The Weeknd was never a bad actor – Tedros was.

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