Tedros, Anti-Heroes, and a Big Week at HBO 

It is indisputable that HBO has spent the last 3 decades defining modern TV and setting the curve for what our current television landscape looks like. The often cited game changer for the network was, of course, the legendary Tony Soprano. A larger than life character who created a moral dilemma for viewers. Why were viewers actively rooting for a character who was undeniably wicked? A question that still has audiences stumped, and perhaps, even more confused today. I’m sure people have seen the viral “If you watch The Sopranos, you are actively supporting a racist, homophobe, and murderer” tweet. And while I don’t want to put too much stock into a confused Gen-Zers most recent viral tweet, it reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the magic HBO has been able to catch: Infallible protagonists make for boring and unrelatable programming. And of course, Tony isn’t relatable for ordering hits or (spoiler alert) killing Christopher Moltisanti or any of his other mob related activities. He is relatable in that he makes mistakes in his family, in his friendships and all other aspects of his life, like every single person on the planet. 

Fast forward 25 years later and HBO’s roster of most lovable anti-heroes has grown exponentially. However, the week of May 22nd, 2023 marks the end of an era, and potentially the beginning of a new one, for HBO’s modern stars. Starting Friday, we say goodbye to 3 characters who have embodied the archetype of anti-hero that started with Tony Soprano. Let’s start with the most short lived, Elizabeth Olsen as Candy Montgomery in the limited series Love and Death. And it is certainly a shame that this is a limited series because Elizabeth Olsen has been a revelation and has all but locked up her first Emmy with this standout performance. And what makes a better anti-hero than an axe-wielding, Texas housewife? Elizabeth Olsen displays remarkable range as she goes between a buttoned-up, church going mom and a psychotic killer and fans and HBO alike are sad to see her go. 

Moving on to what has proven to be one of the most tonally shifting series HBO has ever produced. Barry. Bill Hader came into the show as a beloved funny man who spent 8 years gracing himself to audiences on SNL. This all changed once he got behind the camera, he has turned into one of the most formidable showrunners in Hollywood and has fans clamoring for a Bill Hader directed horror movie. And he went ahead and made his character a hitman, and totes the line between anti-hero and full blown villain. The final season of Barry, much like the Sopranos, has its titular character reach his full form as an outright hateable, bible-thumping maniac. Hader and company will represent HBO in the comedy category and will likely go home with a host of trophies. 

And finally, Logan’s favorite son, Kendall. And like the rest of the referenced anti-heroes, Kendall ended his Season 1 with a body count of his own (Something Succession fans seem to forget about entering the show’s final episode!). But his Ted Kennedy moment was just one of many over the course of 4 seasons that had fans grappling with their own morality. Indisputably power hungry at the cost of others, Kendall’s defining trait that connected fans to him was his failure. Constantly falling short of expectations, but persevering with a chip on his shoulder and unwavering confidence has made him one of TV’s most complex characters ever written. He makes his final push Sunday towards fulfilling his destiny as Waystar Royco CEO, but that is not the only throne he is fighting for. A legacy defining performance in the show’s finale may spark a GOAT debate as contentious as Bron vs. Jordan. Can Kendall Roy eclipse Tony Soprano as the ultimate anti-hero? Up to this point, Succession has shown us Kendall will do anything to leave his mark on history and become top dog like his father before him and I am guessing in the finale we will see how far he is willing to achieve his birthright. HBO will be putting viewers through a range of emotions this weekend and I know I will personally shed a tear bidding farewell to some of the greatest anti-heroes to ever grace the small screen. Thankfully, as the saying goes, when one door (and in this case three) closes, another one opens. 

Enter Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye. The diamond recording artist, global superstar and now HBO showrunner. On May 22nd, Abel officially takes the baton as HBO’s resident anti-hero when his new show, “The Idol” debuts at Cannes Film Festival. Tesfaye not only created the series for HBO, but will also be making his first legitimate appearance as an actor playing the show’s lead role of Tedros. We have seen that he is more than comfortable being in front of the camera, as evidenced by dozens of genre-bending music videos that put on full display the cinematic influences he has consumed as an artist. However, what makes The Weeknd and HBO the perfect marriage, is his anti-hero image that he has spent his career cultivating. He has announced that after his next album, he will be formally done with his music career as The Weeknd. Verifying that the persona he has created is not one in the same with Abel Tesfaye. And make no mistake, The Weeknd is as much of an anti-hero as any character referenced thus far. Endless consumption and constant tales of dark romance have been The Weeknd’s staple as he has risen from sleeping on the streets in Canada, to now having the most streamed song in history. Like our other anti-heroes, his loyal cult XO fanbase is living proof that his turmoil and tragedies struck a chord with a massive audience. The question now is, can he bring Tedros, a character clearly modeled after the Weeknd, from soundtracks to the tv? He certainly has massive shoes to fill, but if HBO is giving him the keys to the castle, then they believe he is more than capable of doing. And if he is truly done with The Weeknd, then who knows, maybe Act 2 of his career is the next great anti-hero of HBO.