Photo Credit: Michael Becker / FOX
Premiere week takes season 13 of American Idol to Austin, TX, and Boston, MA. Host, Ryan Seacrest is back…oh poor Seacrest. I think you’ve paid your dues to the show that fed you. It’s time to move on and keep making your billions by creating and producing more shows on E! or something.
The judges table consists of Harry Connick, Jr., Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban. I’m grateful for the judges table going back to three. Thank God. I’m grateful for Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban returning to the show for likability factors. I’m grateful for Harry Connick, Jr. for being the only consistently honest judge. Yeah, that’s about it.
As for the auditions… some talented people who stood out include Sam Woolf, Ethan Thompson, Kaitlyn Jackson, Savion Wright, Justin Fira, Shelby Comey, Jordan Grizzard, Savannah Young, and Munfarid Zandi. Of these, I’d have to say that my favorite is Savannah Young. Hoping most of these names make it past Hollywood and Vegas. They deserve that much.
Photo Credit: Michael Becker / FOX
There’s also the bad and the ugly. The judges let a guy through who twerked through his audition of “Over the Rainbow.” Simon Cowell, I miss you. It’s great to have fun, yes, Jennifer Lopez but with really talented singers. This guy was mediocre. He did not need a ticket to Hollywood. The majority of the people shown didn’t. Cut the mainstream gags. The gimmicks. Cheap laughs. The mediocre. Only the talent that’s vocally ready to attempt to take on the hell of Hollywood week and Vegas should be going through. That’s entertaining in and of itself and that’s why The X Factor, even with its handful of ridiculous auditions, is so much better than American Idol (and don’t get me started on singing competition shows not on this network).
“You have a nice voice but it takes more than that.” – Harry Connick, Jr.
I also have to say that I’m not pleased with the emphasis on the “You will decide” part of the marketing campaign this season. It’s been there in the past but now it seems to be shoved in our faces. Mariah Carey has come out about the rigging of the show and we all had our doubts as the seasons went on. The show may not have started out that way but it’s now become a machine and not one that the viewers can fully control. Who can blame the producers, the mechanics of this machine? Their job is to give us what we want but this is a business so why not give us what we don’t know we want? It makes complete sense why it’s happening. Doesn’t mean it’s right.
I won’t be watching this season of American Idol because it hasn’t been worth watching for a long time and because I’m not a fan of Harry Connick Jr. on the judges’ panel (he’s honest which I love but aside from that…blegh) and because the show achieved its goal of finding the next American Idol (Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Hudson to name the best of the best) so why in the world is this show still on?
Confirmation from a judge about the rigging seals the deal if it didn’t before. I hate that this review is so negative. The only reason I’m even posting this is because I do have faith in the talent that was showcased and if these people are cut for political reasons or whatever reason they are cut too short, I can only hope that I can find them on Broadway or YouTube or somewhere and this isn’t the end for them. No where near close.
Watch the two hour season premiere of American Idol XIII TONIGHT at 8/7c on FOX.