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Google came up with a watermark system that should make it easy to identify AI-created images. The idea is to prevent the spread of deepfakes while remaining unseen to the naked eye.View the full article

Not long after Netflix introduced restrictions on account sharing, Australian subscribers said goodbye to the service.View the full article

Apple is hosting an event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on Sept. 12. The company is probably launching the new iPhone 15.View the full article

Snapchat released a new feature called Dreams, which lets users augment selfies using AI.View the full article

"Only Murders in the Building" Season 3, episode 5 ends with a fake article about Paul Rudd's character, Ben Glenroy. We transcribed it.View the full article

During Amazon's Labor Day Sale in 2023, items like the 2020 MacBook Air, Bose headphones, Echo Show devices, and more are all on sale. Snag some great deals while they last. Happy Labor Day!View the full article

Bring a friend for free on any flight between Jan. 8 and March 8, 2024 with Southwest's Companion Pass, free when you book a solo flight before August 30.View the full article

The history of the Nick Cave band is chronicled in Ian White’s filmView the full article

“Amber” and “Watcher” lead the Bay Area singer-songwriter’s Spike FieldView the full article

“Woke Up and Asked Siri How I’m Gonna Die” is the second single from billy woods and Elucid’s We Buy Diabetic Test StripsView the full article

After a screenshot appeared to show her raise anti-trans talking points on Facebook, the singer now says she is “so sorry [her] comments have been directly hurtful to many of you” and promises to “bow out of this conversation within the public domain”View the full article

Complete your home office with this selection of the best standing desks from top brands like Flexispot and Humanscale.View the full article

The best desk chairs for your home office, including options for gaming.View the full article

The band wraps up its autumn trek with a pair of concerts in New YorkView the full article

The recent release of The Pirates vs The Premier League podcast series was a great opportunity to hear fresh voices and opinions on the Premier League’s piracy problems. The Premier League has had piracy issues since its inception, although fundamentally no different to those endured by its broadcasting partners years before the Premier League even existed. The podcast provided a platform where fans, experts, and other interested parties, were able to present their opinions on what motivates people to consume pirated streams to the detriment of the Premier League. There was even a slim chance that discussions would lead to solutions or at least some common ground. Premier League Disinterested in Discussion While there were no fresh surprises, the causes of piracy in the UK were certainly underlined; expensive subscriptions spread over multiple platforms, and zero access to 3pm games. The pirate counter-offer: cheap subscriptions with zero restrictions. Somewhere between those disparate poles lies opportunity and the non-preachy nature of the podcast seemed as good a place as any to discuss or even tiptoe round the edges of a discussion involving the Premier League. Unfortunately, the Premier League declined to appear; presumably because it’s their multi-billion pound business, and they’ll run it as they see fit, within the confines of the official 375-page 2023-2024 handbook (pdf). Premier League Owners’ Charter 2023/24 With the Premier League apparently in no mood for discussion right now, it came as a surprise to see the name of its general counsel appear in news feeds as the UK enjoyed a Bank Holiday yesterday. Deterrent Messaging – Paywalled In an article published in the Financial Times, it was made abundantly clear that the Premier League’s attitude towards piracy (and how it can be reduced) has not changed. Premier League general counsel Kevin Plumb was extremely clear; piracy will meet the world’s richest football competition in the legal arena. The Premier League’s status as an iconic and powerful global business dovetails perfectly with the reporting of the prestigious Financial Times. However, the article’s emphasis on deterrent anti-piracy messaging was published behind a paywall. Whether that was intentionally symbolic is unclear but football fans aren’t the only audience the Premier League has to consider. The piece begins by noting that the Premier League will take a tougher stance against illegal streaming after beefing up its legal team and launching private prosecutions. More importantly, perhaps, this is all taking place as the Premier League prepares for a “multibillion auction of domestic television rights.” Given that being pummeled by pirates is imagery unlikely to increase bids, a zero-tolerance announcement to the business world makes a lot of sense. “We don’t underestimate them. They’re really sophisticated now. There is always a challenge with finding people online,” Plumb told the FT. “When I first started doing this, our top line priority would have been pubs. There’s a little bit of that now but piracy has evolved from peer-to-peer streaming to closed network subscriptions. You went from the pub to the teenagers in their bedrooms to families watching in their living room, and that then becomes a real priority for us,” he said. Flawless Deterrent The most significant deterrent message ever sent by the Premier League is still relatively fresh. In May, five men behind pirate IPTV service Flawless TV were sentenced to more than 30 years in prison, the end result of a private prosecution brought by the Premier League with significant support from Trading Standards and the police. “Would you want to carry on this sort of business if you’re going to get 10 or 11 years in jail?” Plumb asked, referencing the sentence handed down to Flawless ringleader, Mark Gould. Of course, the logical answer is no. The reality is that buying an illegal IPTV package is easier than ever and nothing changed when the sentences were handed down almost three months ago. The Premier League understands its business better than anyone but history has shown that force alone cannot beat piracy. The Premier League is undoubtedly special but certainly not immune to having its deterrent threats ignored, even those not published behind a paywall. From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more. View the full article

If the 30 seconds of footage from The Nun II above are anything to go by, the film will almost certainly be far too scary for me. Following on from the (also very scary) trailer, Warner Bros. has shared another teaser for The Nun II which features even more shots of the titular demon standing ominously in shadowy corridors and looming behind poor old Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga), who can't seem to get away from the thing. The Nun II also stars Jonas Bloquet, Storm Reid, Anna Popplewell, and Bonnie Aarons as the nun (it's worth noting Aarons is currently suing Warner Bros., claiming the studio is hiding the amount of money it made from character merchandise). The Nun II screams into theaters on Sept. 8. View the full article

Save $50.70: As of August 29, the Solawave 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand is on sale for $118.30 at Solawave's site — which is 30% off the item's regular price of $169. Shop Solawave's sitewide Labor Day sale by using the coupon code POOLSIDE. Opens in a new window Credit: Solawave Solawave 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand $118.30 at Solawave (save $50.70) Get Deal Everyone has seen the signature Solawave Skincare Wand at some point — whether on their TikTok FYP, a subway ad, or a promo email. Here at Mashable, we've even tried and reviewed standout Solawave products (like the Solawave Bye Acne device and the 4-in-1 Advanced Skincare Wand). The latter got a Mashable Choice award, which is a badge of honor we grant to only the best products we test. If all of this has you wanting to try Solawave on your own skin, now's the perfect time to do so. After all, Solawave is having an annual Labor Day sale — and everything on the site is 30% off with the coupon code POOLSIDE. Yes, even the iconic 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand. As of August 29, you can get the Solawave 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand for $50.70 off its original price by using the code POOLSIDE at checkout. This is major, since the price of this skincare device tends to linger at a steady $169 at all major retailers: like Amazon, Best Buy, and beyond. Getting the wand for $118.30 is a pretty great deal — and one that won't last beyond the upcoming Labor Day holiday. The Solawave 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand promises users glowy skin with the help of its four technologies: red light therapy to help smooth out fine lines, galvanic current to amplify the absorption of your skincare products, therapeutic warmth for kicking dark circles to the curb, and facial massage to de-puff your face. To use the gadget, you have to cleanse, apply a serum of choice, and then glide the wand upward and outward — dedicating three minutes to any given area. Then, lock in the results by using a moisturizer. Solawave claims that visible results are attained within the first few weeks — meaning you'll see smoother, plumper, and more glowy skin with less wrinkles. Your face deserves a post-summer treat in the form of this 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand. View the full article

India's moon rover is proving to be a scrappy, resilient space explorer. While cruising the dark and craggy lunar terrain at the south pole region Sunday, Pragyan came within 10 feet of a crater plenty big enough to swallow the whole buggy. It was a close call, but the rover's navigation cameras spotted the crater, about 13 feet wide, just in time. Pragyan was then commanded to retrace its path to avoid the hazard, according to the Indian Space Research Organization, India's version of NASA. "It's now safely heading on a new path," the space agency said Monday. SEE ALSO: India's moon lander makes history as first to reach coveted south pole The success of Chandrayaan-3, which means "moon craft" in Hindi, places India among the former Soviet Union, United States, and China: global superpowers-turned-spacefarers who have landed on the moon 239,000 miles away. The victory comes four years after India's Chandrayaan-2 mission crashed attempting the same feat of landing near the moon's south pole. India's accomplishment follows mere days after the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, lost its Luna-25 robotic spacecraft in a crash. The dueling Indian and Russian missions were each trying to set their crewless spacecraft down near the south pole last week. The Pragyan rover, a golden six-wheeled vehicle, continues to survive the harsh lunar environment. Credit: ISRO / X screenshot Want more science and tech news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Light Speed newsletter today. India's rover avoided a 13-foot-wide crater. Credit: ISRO Many nations and private ventures have set their sights on the polar region because of its ice, buried in the craters. The natural resource is coveted because it could supply drinking water, air, and rocket fuel for future missions, ushering a new era in spaceflight. But those craters are also part of what makes missions to the south pole so dangerous. Long shadows sweeping the moonscape create difficult lighting and temperature conditions. To navigate, rovers must be able to see the steep pits to avoid tipping down the edges. The Pragyan rover, a golden six-wheeled vehicle, continues to survive the harsh environment. Its instruments are conducting experiments, such as a study of the chemicals and minerals in the lunar soil. NASA's VIPER moon rover was designed to be agile for any kind of soil it could encounter at the lunar south pole. Credit: NASA / Matthew Machlis Because the south pole hasn't been explored until now, scientists haven't known for sure what to expect: Is the soil hard and dense or loose and fluffy? That's why NASA has designed its own Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, to be ready for anything. The U.S. rover will be engineered to drive "sideways or diagonally, spin in a circle and move in any direction without changing the way it faces," NASA said. "If it encounters soft soils, it will even be able to walk its wheels by moving each wheel independently to free itself." VIPER is slated to land on the moon in late 2024. View the full article

TL;DR: As of August 29, you can get a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons for only $149.99 instead of $300 — that's a savings of 50%. If you’ve been following Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, you've noticed that she’s performing a surprise song on piano at each show. Whether you’re a fan or not, you can probably admit that it’d be cool to have her musical talent and be able to play your favorite songs on the piano. And you could with Skoove Premium Piano Lessons. Skoove is an interactive app that can teach you foundational skills and how to play classical tunes or chart hits. Right now, you can save 50% on a lifetime subscription and get it for just $149.99 (reg. $300). Over one million people are already taking piano lessons with Skoove because it's made so you can customize your experience based on your needs, schedule, and goals. Maybe you only want to play Taylor Swift songs or learn to improvise your melodies. Or perhaps you can only practice on your days off. Skoove can adapt to your exact preferences. Skoove’s lessons are in a follow-along style, so you’ll play on your keyboard or piano as you go along. You’ll see a moving music score to perfect timing and hand videos showing proper finger placement. Move through over 400 available lessons and instructional videos to become a better player. And look forward to updated lessons and songs each month — there’s always something new to play. Another unique Skoove feature is advanced AI tech that listens to your playing. Just like a real-life teacher, AI recognizes the notes you play and studies your weaknesses so you can complete targeted lessons to improve. Follow your piano-playing dreams with a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons, now only $149.99 (reg. $300). Prices subject to change. Opens in a new window Credit: Skoove Lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons $149.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal View the full article

TL;DR: As of August 29, you can get Mail Backup X Individual Edition for two devices for just $39.97 — which is 77% off the software's regular price of $179. Most of us got on the train of backing up our devices ages ago. If anything would ever happen to our phone, tablet, or computer, our contacts, messages, and photos would be secure and safe in the cloud. But what about emails? We could lose years of important records, information, or communications if we don’t back those up, too. Mail Backup X makes it simple to backup, archive, and restore emails across any platform you may use. And, with this massive Labor Day savings event, you can get a lifetime subscription for two devices for just $39.97 (reg. $179) through September 4 with no coupon needed. Hardware failure, accidental deletion, cyberattacks, and viruses all threaten the safety of our emails. And we don't realize just how much we rely on old emails being within reach until something happens to them. Get started today to prepare for tomorrow: Connect your mail clients and services to Mail Backup X. There’s currently support for Apple Mail, Outlook, Gmail, Office 365, Exchange, Yahoo, and more. Mail Backup X compresses your files into archives to save storage space. You have the option to save these files to your hard drive or a cloud storage platform. Robust AES 256-bit encryption protects your files with a password so they’re only visible to you. Once your files are on your hard drive or in cloud storage, you can search and view files from Mail Backup X archives at any time. This could be useful to manage all of your email accounts in one place and, of course, be a way to restore lost files in the case of a computer virus or cyberattack. Secure your email world with Mail Backup X Individual Edition for two devices, now only $39.97 (reg. $179) through September 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Prices subject to change. Opens in a new window Credit: Inventpure Software Mail Backup X Individual Edition for two devices $39.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal View the full article

TL;DR: As of August 29, you can get a lifetime subscription to DJ it! Music Mixer Premium Plan for just $49.99 instead of $209.97 — that's a savings of 76%. Want to be the next Calvin Harris or Marshmello? Whether you eventually want to become a serious music mixer or just impress your friends at parties, picking up some DJing tricks can be useful and a lot of fun. DJ it! packs many of the same features that pros have at their decks into your mobile iOS device. There are also tutorials on how to use each tool to create the tracks and transitions of your dreams. Get the app here for just $49.99 (reg. $209). Start by taking a short questionnaire, so DJ it! can access your skill level. You might be a veteran DJ looking to practice before a big event or a complete beginner who needs to start with the very basics. Here are just some of the learning resources you’ll get: A glossary to cover the different tools and what they’re used for, like faders, pitch sliders, filters, channels, turntables, decks, and mixers, to name a few. Tutorials that help you explore the mobile mixing deck. Get familiar with scratching, mashing, editing, looping, and fading before using them in real mixing projects. Further tips on creating loops, hot cues, and mashups. There are a lot of ways to use DJ it!. Enjoy playing with your favorite music and make seamless transitions in your playlists. You could even use it to mix your own tracks if you make music, with support for major audio format files. Or, you might be after learning some serious skills that you can use on real DJ decks. You could get on your way to becoming a professional DJ if you have the right motivation and drive. Bring the power of DJing to your iPhone or iPad with a lifetime subscription to DJ it! Music Mixer Premium Plan, now only $49.99 (reg. $209). Prices subject to change. Opens in a new window Credit: Gismart Lifetime subscription to DJ it! Music Mixer Premium Plan $49.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal View the full article

TL;DR: As of August 29, the Nine-Inch Wireless Heads Up Car Display is on sale for $104.99 instead of $289.99 — that's a savings of 63%. While some people are splurging on Teslas and Broncos, you might still be rocking an older car. While you might not have any real problem with it, maybe you wish it had some of the sweet features newer vehicles have — like a large screen for navigation and music controls. Upgrade your car’s entertainment system with this nine-inch wireless Heads Up Car Display. It doesn’t require any complicated installation, and right now, it’s only $104.99, normally $289. This gadget adapts to just about any car model since installation is made to be simple. First, find a smooth place on your dash to attach the mount — it sticks using suction so there are no messy adhesives — and it’s easier to move around. Then, fit the screen into the mount. Lastly, plug the charger into your car’s 12-24V power supply. All done! After installation, you’ll have a nine-inch touchscreen that works with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and other wireless-compatible linking features. It also allows for phone mirroring. You could control music playback, use voice commands with Siri or Google Assistant, and make hands-free phone calls, all with Bluetooth power. Another really cool feature of this Heads Up Car Display is that it has built-in speakers. So, if your car’s speakers aren’t working, this could be a two-in-one solution. The gadget also has ports for a TF card, USB, and AUX, so you can listen to music in multiple ways. Bring new luxury to your older car with this Nine-Inch Wireless Heads Up Car Display, now only $104.99 (reg. $289). Prices subject to change. Opens in a new window Credit: Mesay Nine-Inch Wireless Heads Up Car Display $104.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal View the full article

UPDATE: Aug. 29, 2023, 5:00 a.m. EDT We've revisited this review as part of an ongoing overhaul of Mashable's VPN coverage based on stricter criteria and hands-on testing. Our analysis will continue to evolve as we keep using ExpressVPN over the coming months. Founded in 2009, ExpressVPN is one of the oldest and most respected names in the online privacy space for good reason. It's great at what VPNs need to be great at — that is, abiding by a strong privacy policy — and user-friendly to boot, with a widespread server network for reliable connections worldwide and an intuitive, unintimidating Corporate Memphis app. But its sky-high price, coupled with a limited suite of features compared to other premium VPNs and a parent company with a sketchy background, may give some users pause. How much does ExpressVPN cost?ExpressVPN subscriptions start at $6.67 a month for a year's worth of coverage, which comes with an extra three free months. Six-month subscriptions cost $9.99 per month, and monthly plans go for $12.95. Both longer-term subscriptions let users connect up to eight devices per account, while the monthly option supports up to five simultaneous connections. All plans are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee and can be purchased via credit card, PayPal, cryptocurrencies (including Bitcoin), and online transfer payments. Hands-on with ExpressVPN Clap on, clap off. Credit: Screenshot: ExpressVPN Credit: Screenshot: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN works on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac (which we tested), Linux, Chrome, smart TVs, Kindle Fire, and gaming consoles (via routers and hotspots). It also sells a VPN-enabled WiFi 6 router called the Aircove, which retails for $189.90 on Amazon and includes a 30-day trial. Once installed, ExpressVPN starts up in a fraction of a second with a single button-click in a small window; its background is red when the VPN is off and lime green when it's on. Users are automatically connected to the fastest nearby server — for me, it was a local one in Chicago — but can choose from a list of others in 94 countries across the globe. The world, your oyster, etcetera, etcetera. Credit: Screenshot: ExpressVPN Clicking the drop-down menu in the top left corner of the app pulls up some options to see a list of server locations, adjust user preferences, view support tools (including DNS leak and IP address checkers), set up other devices, and refer a friend for 30 days of free service. That preferences tab opens another window where you can tweak your startup settings, enable a "Network Lock" kill switch, customize the shortcuts you see on the app, install an ExpressVPN browser extension, activate a "Threat Manager" tracker blocker (on desktop), and pick a protocol. ExpressVPN automatically selects an unspecified protocol for you that it deems "most appropriate for your network," but you can manually opt for OpenVPN, IKEv2, or its in-house Lightway protocol, which is open-source and audited. "Network Lock" is ExpressVPN's name for a kill switch; you should always have it on. Credit: Screenshot: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN offers a split tunneling tool that lets you choose what traffic it encrypts — a good way to optimize speeds white streaming — but the catch is that it's only available for Windows and Macs running a version of macOS earlier than Big Sur, which came out in 2020. It also doesn't offer multi-hop connections that let you run your traffic through multiple servers for extra protection, unlike some of its more competitively priced peers. On the plus side, several DNS leak tests proved that ExpressVPN was consistently concealing my actual IP address. Browsing with ExpressVPN was a breeze, and I honestly forgot it was running unless a site I visited flagged my connection. The only ones I encountered during two weeks of steady use were Ticketmaster, which thought I was a bot; the ExpressVPN website itself, which prompted me to sign in when it detected its own service; and AZLyrics, which noticed "unusual activity" from my network when I was using a server outside the U.S. (I needed to memorize the "Heated" outro before my Renaissance World Tour show, OK?) Turn off ExpressVPN before you try to snag "Eras Tour" tickets. Credit: Screenshot: Ticketmaster Skirting geo-restrictions and playing shows on ITVX was a cinch when I connected to one of ExpressVPN's British servers. (Netflix UK and the BBC iPlayer were also easily unblocked.) Load times felt a little slow, but they were never so bad to the point of unusability, and I didn't experience any buffering or lagging once shows starting playing. On the flip side, domestic streaming content wasn't impacted by ExpressVPN at all: Movies on Max and Disney+ loaded fast and played smoothly while I was connected to my local VPN server. Ookla Speedtests I ran did show a slight drop in my download speed and higher ping when ExpressVPN was on (compared to my regular internet connection), especially when I chose a server abroad. That explained the longer load times when I was accessing international streaming content and is to be expected, since my data had to travel farther. Regular internet connection versus nearby ExpressVPN server Credit: Screenshot: Ookla Credit: Screenshot: Ookla Regular internet connection versus French ExpressVPN server Credit: Screenshot: Ookla Credit: Screenshot: Ookla Is ExpressVPN trustworthy?ExpressVPN is an industry leader in privacy with one notable asterisk. The company's privacy policy lays out a "core mission" of keeping user information private and clearly states that browsing history, IP addresses, timestamps, session durations, and other activity logs are never collected. "Even if a government were to physically seize one of our VPN servers," the policy reads, "there would be no logs or information that would tie any individual user to a particular event, website, or behavior." This held up in 2017 when Turkish authorities seized an ExpressVPN server in an attempt to find logs in connection with an investigation, and came up empty. Furthermore, ExpressVPN shut down its servers in India in 2022 after the country introduced a new data law requiring all VPN providers to store users' real names and usage patterns (among other identifying data) for at least five years. Perhaps more importantly, ExpressVPN's privacy policy is also transparent about the type of data it does retain, emphasizing a "guiding principle" of only collecting "the minimal data required" to operate its services. This includes personal information associated with accounts (like email addresses and payment information), some usage statistics, and diagnostic data that users can opt into (like crash reports). Users' personal data is controlled and stored solely by ExpressVPN and not sold or leased to third parties. ExpressVPN wrote in a blog post that it considers audits "a central pillar of our commitment to users," and it shows. The company has commissioned and published 12 different audits since early 2022 — more than any other provider in the industry, it claims — including assessments of its privacy policy, server technology, Lightway protocol, Aircove router, mobile apps, and desktop apps. ExpressVPN has also offered a bug bounty program since 2020 and upped its bonus award to $100,000 in 2022. In terms of reputation, the only ding against ExpressVPN is its parent company's past: Kape Technologies, which acquired it in 2021 (and owns other popular providers CyberGhost VPN and Private Internet Access), used to be an adware distributor called CrossRider. It may help to know that Kape doesn't control or store any of ExpressVPN's user data, per its privacy policy. Is ExpressVPN worth it?A well-established VPN with a global server network and a stylish, user-friendly app is worth a pretty penny (especially in this crowded market), but ExpressVPN might just be a tad too expensive when you factor in its lack of support for multi-hop connections and limited split tunneling tool. The issue of ExpressVPN's ownership is also unfortunate. I have zero reason to believe that Kape is still engaging in any nefarious activities, but I can't fault users who side-eye it. View the full article

TL;DR: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro is on sale for £31.51, saving you 79% on list price. If you have an older PC lying around that needs an upgrade, an easy and budget-friendly solution might be to upgrade the operating system. Here’s your chance to get Windows 11 Pro for a low price of just £31.51. This operating system upgrade could do a lot to make your refurbished computer feel like it’s new. Compatible devices can take advantage of refined security features including BitLocker Encryption, advanced antivirus, Microsoft Information Protection, and support for biometrics login if your computer has the hardware for it. This license lets you put Windows 11 Pro on three devices for life. That means you can upgrade an old PC and still have room to bring your work computer to the modern era. And with Windows Hello for Business, you might even be able to boost your professional productivity with tools for remote deployment, multi-factor authentication, and support for certificate-based authentication. Not all devices are compatible with Windows 11 Pro. If your PC is already running Windows 10 and can’t run Windows 11, it won’t be able to run Windows 11 Pro either. Looking for a quick way to make a big upgrade to your computer? Get Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for £31.51. Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro £31.51 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal View the full article

Today in "Oh no! Anyway," HBO's raunch-cringe music-industry drama The Idol will not be returning for a second season of... whatever that was. The series, which starred Lily-Rose Depp and The "Abel Tesfaye" Weeknd as a pop star on the rise and a rat-tailed cult leader respectively, made headlines for (mostly) the wrong reasons during its five-episode run. Despite boasting actual pop stars (Troye Sivan, BLACKPINK's Jennie) among its cast, its approach to chronicling chart-topping, million-follower fame in 2023 was patchy and confusing, and it generated more headlines for its often unintentionally hilarious tone, storytelling choices and icky behind-the-scenes drama than for the (bizarre) story it was telling. SEE ALSO: Fictional pop stars ranked: from 'The Idol's Jocelyn to Hannah Montana "The Idol was one of HBO's most provocative original programs, and we're pleased by the strong audience response," a spokesperson for HBO told Variety and other outlets. "After much thought and consideration, HBO, as well as the creators and producers have decided not to move forward with a second season. We're grateful to the creators, cast, and crew for their incredible work." On one hand, the demise of The Idol could clear the way for indie darling Amy Seimetz to one day create a version of the thoughtful, feminist take on fame that the show was originally pitched as (#ReleaseTheSeimetzCut) before undergoing significant reshoots under her replacement, Euphoria showrunner Sam Levinson. On the other hand, Levinson is now free to spend more time thinking up reasons for the young women in his shows to be naked. The first and final season of The Idol is now streaming on Max. View the full article