American Idol - Season 8 (1 Viewer)

[Carl Johnson]

I think that they could have an American Idol Auditions show airing on a cable only channel like FX. Since they already have the footage it wouldn't cost the network much to put it on television. That way fans of the show could chuckle at at the horrible auditions without taking time away from the talented singers who are worthy of being on prime time television.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Too bad about Idol Gives Back, but the other changes are minor and are OK by me.

I'm just pissed that they cancelled Next Great American Band. (Judging from the time slot and lack of promotion, I think they never really intended to let it survive.) :frowning:

 

[Josh Dial]

On a slightly related note, it seems Canadian Idol won't be on in 2009:

Canadian Idol cancelled for 2009 (update) - The Ampersand

It's a shame, too, as in my (albeit biased) opinion, Canadian Idol is vastly superior to American Idol. Most of those changes to AI, like the four judges, the reduced emphasis on "bad" singers, and a reduced audition round, have been all staples of the Canadian version for years (and, I assume, other versions such as the UK and AUS).

edit: I agree with Aaron, about American Band. *That* show was vastly superior in almost every way to the any episode/season of Idol.

 

[Bryan X]

Although I like to watch the genuinely bad performances, it's gotten to the point where contestants are trying to be bad and that's just not funny to me.


Eh, maybe they're just concerned that with the economic climate, they won't be able to get people to donate at the level they have in previous years and they don't want AI to be perceived as losing it's clout.

 

[Chris Lockwood]

I saw Ryan Seacrest at Disney's Hollywood Studios (in FL) recently shooting a promo - not for the show but for the Idol attraction that's coming to the park in 2009.

 

[Bryan X]

Season 8 kicks off a week from tomorrow. I'm anxious to see what kind of judge Kara DioGuardi is. Hopefully not another Paula.

 

[Greg_S_H]

As Tina Turner once sang, we don't need another Paula.

 

[John_Lee]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, NOOOOOOO!!!!!!

The BEST part about the audition section is that you don't know until they actually start singing whether they suck or are inspired. You have your guesses, but you don't know until they start for real.

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

Yeah, it's much better to force people who are interested in a talent competition to sit through disgusting tripe. Now not only do we want to see worst of auditions, we want to make sure people who aren't interested in it can't avoid it. Unfortunately, the producers agree with you. They don't want to lose any viewer, so they try to make sure you don't know what you're getting when, forcing you to sit through (and view) it all. That also applies to people only interested in the worst of additions. They don't know when they're going to see them, so they have to sit through the "good" (I doubt those people really think they're good) ones.

 

[Malcolm R]

That's why I don't bother with watching AI until they get down to the Top 12.

 

[John_Lee]

And that's when I stop. Color us the Spratts.

For me, and as it's so popular a show, I'm sure I'm in a minority. But the sole charm of AI is in those early days when people are coming in cold and you have no idea if they're gonna be a wreck or an inspiration until they open their mouths and actually sing.

When they're all a bunch of semi-talented singers getting shoved into genres, it all descends into a boring cruise ship audition.

 

[Greg_S_H]

The problem is that the public has figured out that the way to get on TV--if you have no legitimate shot at all--is to be absolutely terrible. And so, there are those who go in with a plan to be over-the-top horrible. It's not so fun when it's planned. It's kind of like the mondegreen sites. It's funny when my friend really thought the Pina Colada Song said "if you like bean enchiladas and getting caught in the rain" when he was a kid. It's not so funny when a guy claims to think Van Halen's "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" says "eat chunky butt love." Or, to bring it back to the show, it severely pissed me off that AI would air that idiot in the Princess Leia slave bikini.

 

[Steve_Tk]

The problem with this show is forcing them to sing whatever the weekly theme is. Every year the best episodes are when they pick their own stuff, not from some list of a paricular artist or song writer. Sorry, but I don't want to hear 10 Maria Carey songs, half of which sung by men.

 

[Bryan X]

Greg, you sum up my thoughts exactly. I love the train wrecks when the contestant truly doesn't know he/she is that bad. But it's just not funny when someone is trying to be awful.

 

[Greg_S_H]

That big guy singing Swing Low Sweet Chariot definitely fit that category. I really think he was convinced he was going to go to Hollywood. Of course, the problem there is that I feel bad for the guy.

I haven't watched the show long, but I understand that contestants used to be allowed to pick their own during the Top 24 stage of the show. That is only fair. When we're getting to know a contestant, let them show off their strengths. After we establish a baseline, we can judge their versatility by making them stray from their comfort zone. The new way of forcing categories early on is going to kill the show much more than not having a fourth judge.

 

[Bryan X]

Let my peeeeepull goooooooooo.....

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

To a degree, I think that attempt to show versatility is overrated. If I go see (or just listen to) Faith Hill, I don't expect to see Shaka Khan or Barbra Streisand. Do what you do, and do it well is generally a better formula than trying to be all things to all people.

I almost stopped watching last season when I saw they were forcing themes. However, there were still a few performances I enjoyed, such at the first time David Archuletta did Imagine. I don't think more themes will kill the show, but I'm totally against doing it. I just went back recently and watched Bo Bice performing Whipping Post, Drift Away, and I'll Be. All Top 24 performances when the artist got to pick what he wanted to sing with no restrictions other than whether AI could get the rights to the song. Those were the golden days. Almost every performance I've saved came from that stage of the show. Truly moving musical performances (for those such as myself who can be moved by performances on a show such as AI).

 

[Lucia Duran]

At first (first two seasons) the bad auditions were amusing, now they are just annoying. I can do without.

I would love to see AI change it up a bit more and allow people to perform original songs. They have already allowed people to perform playing instruments, I think it would be great to let them put their song writing skills to the test. I think that is why I enjoyed Rockstar over AI, those people were actually musicians in their own right, whereas most of the contestants on AI are just singers who are trained to sing certain songs and are molded to fit a certain ideal.

I am not sure if I am going to watch AI this season. I'm sort of burnt out on the same old crap they keep churning out year after year. I really would love to see them change it up and stop picking the same kind of contestants.

 

[Steve_Tk]

All these people want to end up in a certain genre of music, so why not let them show off that the entire show, not pigeon holing them in some other genre they suck at. Like others have mentioned, some of the best performances are the top 24 when they just pick whatever they want to sing. If you are going to have a theme, let it be 80s or 90s, not Queen's greatest hits.

 

[Hanson]

I have a feeling that the reason they do theme nights is to have a pre-cleared set list. I assume when the AI producers call to get the rights to a song not already cleared, they have to pay a premium, so they discourage the singers to go off the list (it is also a problem if a singer practices one song, can't get it cleared by showtime, and then has to scramble to learn a new one). The question routinely asked in the pre-top 12 shows is, "why did they pick that song?" And the answer to that is, the producers pretty much forced them to. That's also the answer to the question, "why are they singing such old songs?"