The buzz surroundingHBOs controversial new seriesThe Idolmight just be working to its benefit.

Episode 2 aired on Sunday night, drawing about 800,000 total viewers across Max and linear HBO telecasts.

Thats a slight dip fromlast weeks premiere audienceof 913,000.

The Idol

‘The Idol’HBO

According to HBO, viewing held steady on Max and the dip in viewers came via linear.

That makes sense, considering the series is likely targeting a younger demographic than the typical linear television viewer.

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By the end of Season 1, the average episodic audience was 6.6M forEuphoria.

WGA West building in Hollywood

As forThe White Lotus, Season 1 episodes grew to about 9.3M viewers.

Her passions are reignited by Tedros (Tesfaye), a nightclub impresario with a sordid past.

Will her romantic awakening take her to glorious new heights or the deepest and darkest depths of her soul?

The series is produced in partnership with A24.