“The Idol” was a surprisingly controversial series for HBO, and its five-week run garnered wide audience response. I don’t think the show was really controversial or interesting enough to evoke strong reactions, but there’s one aspect of it that makes me want to watch it every Sunday – Chaim by Hank Azaria.
Azaria is probably best known for his numerous iconic roles on The Simpsons, where he voiced unforgettable Springfield icons such as Chief Wiggum, Moe Szyslak, and Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. That’s not to say he doesn’t also have an impressive live-action career, starring in films like Pretty Woman, The Birdcage, and Mystery Men. I didn’t catch up on much of The Idol’s news prior to the premiere, so I was pleasantly surprised to see him show up in the unexpected role of Chaim, one of the managers of the titular idol, Jocelyn (played by Lily-Rose). Douchebag).
Hank Azaria’s Chaim is one of the few characters on The Idol who may not seem to have bad intentions. In all fairness, this is somewhat comparative, as the show’s cast consists mostly of up-and-coming actors and singers with big problems. While implied to have a messy past, Chaim’s devotion to Jocelyn and willingness to do anything for his client is one of the moral landmarks for the series.
In “The Idol,” Chaim and Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s Destiny are the abiding voices of reason among the many bizarre characters who populate Jocelyn’s house (Destiny and Chaim even discuss killing Tedros at one point, but decide not to) . He is sometimes struck by the strange events he sees and jokes about how unusual things have gotten in Jocelyn’s life. At other times he is quite enterprising and shows his teeth to serve his customers as best he can.
The best synopsis of the character as a whole comes in the season finale. Chaim threatens Tedros less subtly with an entertaining retelling of Little Red Riding Hood in which he portrays himself as the hunter and Tedros as the wolf, followed by a scene in which he rejoices at the idea of ”plan B” on the character by The Weeknd to apply. It’s pretty intense, but also weird, just like Chaim himself.
While much of The Idol isn’t exactly worth your time, Hank Azaria manages to bring at least some consistent comedy and a little humanity to the show. Should there be a second season in the end, I’d hope Chaim makes a great return as I’m not sure The Idol can sustain my interest without him.