American Idol - Season 12 (1 Viewer)

[EricSchulz]

Agreed!

This is STILL basically the same format (with the annoying parts increased exponentially!) as it has been for the past ten years. The "evolving" it has done might have worked had there been no competition. But like so many "big" brands, they rested on their laurels and thought they were invincible. Now it's catch-up time. I also hope that the incredibly (and inexplicably) over-exposed Ryan Seacrest also is shown the door.

 

[Walter C]

It has been some time since I watched this show on a regular basis, but just wow, with Randy gone. I thought the show would have been better off with relative unknowns as judges, instead of celebrity ones, like in the early seasons.

It used to be, I hear a good portion of the morning shows on the radio as I drive to work, where Idol talk would be about the singers. Now these days, it seems like it's more about the judges than the singers and how low it has sunk in the ratings.

 

[Jeffery_H]

It has been some time since I watched this show on a regular basis, but just wow, with Randy gone. I thought the show would have been better off with relative unknowns as judges, instead of celebrity ones, like in the early seasons.

It used to be, I hear a good portion of the morning shows on the radio as I drive to work, where Idol talk would be about the singers. Now these days, it seems like it's more about the judges than the singers and how low it has sunk in the ratings.

EW really rips AI a new one in the latest issue. They site some of the reasons I have as well and it's turned into what I would say is pure trash where the idiots are remembered more than any of the so called "talent".

 

[Yee-Ming]

Well, that sob story pushed Kree in the finals, though I find she's been waning lately, almost sleep-walking through her performances. Too bad for Angie, but she might end up being the most successful of all of this year's contestants.

Totally agree. Shame for Angie, I thought she'd win it. Then again, if she couldn't top Candice in any event, she wouldn't have won the final. But also agree, she seems to have the potential to really make it -- and as we know well, the most successful artistes aren't necessarily the ones who actually won it.

Agreed!

This is STILL basically the same format (with the annoying parts increased exponentially!) as it has been for the past ten years. The "evolving" it has done might have worked had there been no competition. But like so many "big" brands, they rested on their laurels and thought they were invincible. Now it's catch-up time. I also hope that the incredibly (and inexplicably) over-exposed Ryan Seacrest also is shown the door.

I actually thought they've lessened the exposure that the 'idiots' get on the show. Seacrest may be overexposed, but he still does a decent job IMHO.

It has been some time since I watched this show on a regular basis, but just wow, with Randy gone. I thought the show would have been better off with relative unknowns as judges, instead of celebrity ones, like in the early seasons.

It used to be, I hear a good portion of the morning shows on the radio as I drive to work, where Idol talk would be about the singers. Now these days, it seems like it's more about the judges than the singers and how low it has sunk in the ratings.

Has it? I don't see much mention of ratings, since I'm not in the US, but I was under the impression that AI was still, when it's on, the #1 show in the US.

 

[Walter C]

Has it? I don't see much mention of ratings, since I'm not in the US, but I was under the impression that AI was still, when it's on, the #1 show in the US.

Well, just looking at the ratings from this past week, it finished behind the CBS comedies.

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/05/10/thursday-final-ratings-big-bang-theory-greys-anatomy-american-idol-vampire-diaries-two-and-a-half-men-wipeout-glee-adjusted-down/181920/

 

[Patrick Sun]

AI's ratings slide hit a new low: Last night's finale show (not results show) was out-gunned by Modern Family, first show to do so against AI.

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/05/16/modern-family-is-first-ever-show-to-top-idol-wednesday-finale/182954/

 

[Hanson]

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/05/17/tv-ratings-thursday-idol-finale-drops-substantially-from-last-year-office-series-finale-rises-scandal-matches-high/183041/

14.3 million viewers and loses to BBT in overall viewers. To put it another way, it's less than half of what they drew for the finale two years ago. It's 6.1 million less viewers than last year. Plus the got smoked in the demo to BBT.

Also, this is the first post about the finale in this thread. Is it safe to say the show is all but dead?

 

[Patrick Sun]

It's a tired show, and it takes too long to blast through the cannon fodder on the show. At least you know you'll see plenty of blood spilled on each elimination show of the Voice. Haha.

 

[BobV]

"To put it another way, it's less than half of what they drew for the finale two years ago. It's 6.1 million less viewers than last year. Plus the got smoked in the demo to BBT.

Also, this is the first post about the finale in this thread. Is it safe to say the show is all but dead?"

Really? One of the top rated shows on TV (still, no matter it's decline from it's heights of domination) And no posts on this board about "The Voice"... yet because there's only one or two about AI, AI is the show that is all but dead? Nah. I don't think so. Maybe, and I'm just spit ballin' here, but maybe this forum isn't the barometer for a show's popularity . Hey, obviously it's a fact that the ratings have plummeted. But it still, again, is one of the top rated shows on TV for now. If it halves again next year and the year after that, I'll begin to agree but "all but dead"... nah... huge over-statement in my opinion.

The Voice, while good... and I love it, is no better than AI, and many times pales in comparison. It has a great "gimic" in the beginning, but the battle rounds? Cheeze, pure and simple. The general pool of talent is higher on AI, in my opinion. How many contestants have "made it" from The Voice? Whether one actually believes they are "good" or not, even that measuring stick is rather one sided. Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Clay Aiken, Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks, etc. Jeepers, even Elliot Yamin has sold well over half a million albums. Javier Colon has sold, what... 20,000? Any others? Dia Frampton maybe? Even last year's Phillip Phillips has sold a million albums (998,000)

AI needs to drop the stupid themes in my opinion. If the singer is country, let them sing frickin country songs.. if they're R&B, let them sing R&B. If they're rockers, let them rock. Since when do you need to be able to sing every flippin' style under the sun to prove yourself? Does AC/DC do anything but rock? Does Celine Dion sing anything but pop ballads? Does Coldplay sound like anything other than Coldplay? Etc etc. Let the singers sing what they are and stop forcing boxes on them.

All but dead? Not yet. The sniffles? Sure. But it's a far cry from "all but dead". They just need to blow their nose and eat some chicken soup.

 

[NolanJ]

"To put it another way, it's less than half of what they drew for the finale two years ago. It's 6.1 million less viewers than last year. Plus the got smoked in the demo to BBT.

Also, this is the first post about the finale in this thread. Is it safe to say the show is all but dead?"

Really? One of the top rated shows on TV (still, no matter it's decline from it's heights of domination) And no posts on this board about "The Voice"... yet because there's only one or two about AI, AI is the show that is all but dead? Nah. I don't think so. Maybe, and I'm just spit ballin' here, but maybe this forum isn't the barometer for a show's popularity . Hey, obviously it's a fact that the ratings have plummeted. But it still, again, is one of the top rated shows on TV for now. If it halves again next year and the year after that, I'll begin to agree but "all but dead"... nah... huge over-statement in my opinion.

The Voice, while good... and I love it, is no better than AI, and many times pales in comparison. It has a great "gimic" in the beginning, but the battle rounds? Cheeze, pure and simple. The general pool of talent is higher on AI, in my opinion. How many contestants have "made it" from The Voice? Whether one actually believes they are "good" or not, even that measuring stick is rather one sided. Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Clay Aiken, Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks, etc. Jeepers, even Elliot Yamin has sold well over half a million albums. Javier Colon has sold, what... 20,000? Any others? Dia Frampton maybe? Even last year's Phillip Phillips has sold a million albums (998,000)

AI needs to drop the stupid themes in my opinion. If the singer is country, let them sing frickin country songs.. if they're R&B, let them sing R&B. If they're rockers, let them rock. Since when do you need to be able to sing every flippin' style under the sun to prove yourself? Does AC/DC do anything but rock? Does Celine Dion sing anything but pop ballads? Does Coldplay sound like anything other than Coldplay? Etc etc. Let the singers sing what they are and stop forcing boxes on them.

All but dead? Not yet. The sniffles? Sure. But it's a far cry from "all but dead". They just need to blow their nose and eat some chicken soup.

I agree with just about everything you posted. I don't watch The Voice until those stupid battle rounds are over with.

One thing I DO like about The Voice, however, is how the judges often pick songs for the contestants to sing, or at least give them some guidance regarding song choice. I think this would lead to some better American Idol shows. Just my two cents however...

 

[mattCR]

The one great thing about the Voice is that there is a real level of criticism in the coaching sessions where we see them actually instruct the singers. The only person on AI who does that, really is Harry Connick Jr. Outside of that, it's mostly a bunch of fawning. Love or hate Nicki, she was the only one this year who really came out during later rounds and was willing to say things like "this wasn't very good" etc.

Also, for a guy who has been on the show 12 years, what a weak sauce send off for Randy Jackson, holy cow. Here he basically told them three weeks ago he was going, and that was the best they could come up with?

What AI really needs is to go back and really show us that they are preparing the singers or that the singers are learning something. And stop bringing back Idol singers who didn't win the whole thing, it's worthless, we don't want to hear them... you can bring back a breakout, if Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood decide to appear, fine. But don't trot out joe 4th place from season 8.. we forgot about that guy already.

Too much padding, also. I am a fan of the early rounds where we see the nuts, but I'm really convinced we should just save that and have one stand alone episode of "just the lunatics" so that people who want it can watch, others can skip. And the audition rounds take FOREVER. The other thing the voice does is that all we really see on TV is basically the second or third round, really.. people who have already been plucked out as possible contenders.. so the auditions go quickly, and everyone who auditions is at least decent... it speeds the format up and makes it interesting.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

The lack of real criticism is IMO what has been slowly killing AI. It was interesting when they talked about the music in some depth. Now it's mostly just cheerleading and complaining. Occasionally Jimmy Iovine has something enlightening to say, but that's not enough to carry the show.

That the public has forgotten him is exactly the reason why they trot out Joe 4th Place from Season 8. If he sells a few more records, it's mo' money for the same producers.

Great idea about devoting a single episode to all the audition-round wackos.

 

[EricSchulz]

This was in last week's EW magazine. Some great suggestions...especially the third one!

'American Idol': How to save it | PopWatch | EW.com

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Those former contestants are probably too busy to bother with Idol. Most of the ones who are worthy of success are already doing pretty well.

 

[EricSchulz]

WOW...I think this is going to be a "re-imagining" of AI next season!

'American Idol: Nigel Lythgoe ousted | Inside TV | EW.com

 

[Hanson]

I thought you guys said the sky wasn't falling. Sure did rain down on the heads of Lythgoe and Warwick.