Viewers Slam 'Sickening' Jeffrey Epstein Joke In 'The Idol' Episode Three

Sam Levinson's "The Idol" is once again trending for the wrong reason. Viewers who watched the recently released episode three on HBO have slammed the show for a distasteful line that referenced late sexual offender Jefferey Epstein.

The show was previously criticized for the "bareness" of its lead star character, Jocyeln, played by Lily-Rose Depp. Back in April, rumors that the set of the show was toxic also swirled online.

More recently, HBO revealed that they have yet to make a decision about the future of the show.

Keep on reading to learn more.

HBO's "The Idol" once again came under fire following the release of the third episode on June 18.

Per The Independent, the show, which has received much criticism even prior to its debut, was slammed for a "sickening" line about late sex offender Epstein in its latest release.

The line was used during a discussion between Live Nation representative Andrew Finkelstein (Eli Roth) and Chaim (Hank Azaria), who plays the part of the manager of Depp's character, Jocelyn.

It read, "I'm f**king s**ting more blood than a kid at Epstein's Island." Viewers found the line very distasteful, as it seemed to trivialize the child trafficking acts of Epstein that went on on his infamous island.

One viewer described the line as "Absolutely sickening," while another said it was "tasteless AF." A third said it was "disgusting" that the writer thought it would "make a good joke," while many others expressed their desire to stop watching the series.

It remains to be seen how viewers will perceive the rest of the show as HBO continues to release new episodes every week.

In the meantime, Depp, whose character is at the center of the show, has had to bear the brunt of the criticism. Her character has been slammed for being near nude in many scenes, especially when it seemed unnecessary. 

Depp, however, offered an explanation for the "bareness" of Jocelyn, revealing that the show's portrayal of her was a crucial part of the character's personality as "a born and bred performer."

Depp said of Jocelyn, per Daily Mail, "The way that she dresses, for example, is her trying to tell you something all the time... or express herself in some kind of way. I also think that the occasional bareness of the character physically mirrors the bareness that we get to see emotionally in her."

Several reviews have also pointed out the overly explicit nature of the show, with one even going as far as describing the show as a "Pornhub-homepage odyssey" after its debut at the Cannes Film Festival.

It comes after some crew members who interviewed with Rolling Stone described "The Idol's" set as toxic. However, this belief seems not to be shared by the entirety of the cast and crew as Depp called the show's director Levinson "the best director I have ever worked with" for "so many reasons."

She added, per Page Six, "Never have I felt more supported or respected in a creative space, my input, and opinions more valued."

"Working with Sam is a true collaboration in every way — it matters to him, more than anything, not only what his actors think about the work, but how we feel performing it."

Amid the criticism, a report claimed that a decision had been taken concerning the future of the show. A source said, per Page Six, "This was never meant to be a long-running show, it was always… a limited series."

Another source said the door is "still definitely open" for a second installment, although such a decision is yet to be set in stone. The insider said, "It's definitely not a decision [yet]. At this point, this is normal in our process… we're only two episodes in."

Shortly after the report swirled online, HBO clarified that they have yet to decide on the future of the show.

"It is being misreported that a decision on a second season of The Idol has been determined," HBO tweeted via an official page. "It has not, and we look forward to sharing the next episode with you Sunday night."