If you read this blog regularly, you should know that I am an American Idol fanatic. I watch religiously each season (although I did miss the 1st season) and go to a ton of events to see and try to meet the Idols. (54 and counting).
Simon Cowell left the show to create XFactor, another singing competition with rules a bit different than Idol. The contestants could be younger than on Idol and there was no 28 year old cap like on Idol. Groups would also be a part of the competition.
I figured I would give it a try, I love me some reality TV and of course I watch a good majority of the music related competitions.
I never really got too into the auditions and there was really no one that I connected with. The judges also made some questionable decisions with who they let through the the live rounds. Some that I thought were great got the ax while others that I thought were horrible got through. (I threatened to never watch several times throughout the season. And did give up during the live rounds and missed the last 2 or 3 episodes)
However, the judges getting the final say on who went home was what intrigued me. There was a time that I had hoped that Idol would adopt a similar system. America votes the bottom 3 and the judges choose who to kick out (and get rid of the “judges save” from Idol, which I can not stand)
It was also the judges getting the final say that I think screwed X Factor. Each of the judges were mentoring a group. Paula the groups, Nicole the over 30s, Simon the girls and LA the boys. I feel that Simon and LA got the better groups and Paula’s groups were all quickly eliminated. (Don’t even get me started on how they manufactured 2 groups and then put them through even when other groups were, imo, better) That meant in the later rounds, when a girl was up against a boy for elimination, obviously LA and Simon would back their contestants. Which left the two wishy washy girls to decide and they often sent it to “deadlock”.
Dead Lock meant that whoever had the least votes from America would go home. Which was all well and good except for the dramatic week of Marcus vs Rachel which I am sure you’ve probably heard about. The “Save Me” song done by Rachel was out of this world good. She sang the crap out of her song. America’s vote was not based on the save me song, but the song she sang the night before. I didn’t think in some cases it was fair to default to America, when we had no say AFTER the save me songs were sung.
As I mentioned earlier, I stopped watching the show after that week and did not watch it again. I was ok with who won – but the fact that some kept making it through completely baffled me.
I think I’ll be sticking with Idol, which is starting back up later this month and I can not wait! If X Factor comes back for another season, maybe I’ll give it a try, but I do know that nothing will replace American Idol in my heart! (I’m also looking forward to next month and The Voice!)