Oh I know…it’s terribly pedestrian of me, but someone has to start this thread. (Weeks, BillChin…anyone?)
Opinions please.
With very few exceptions I’m not overwhelmed by this crop. (I’m particularly underwhelmed by the already famous people making guest appearances.)
Whatchoo think?
I have watched it on and off and have missed some shows. Simon is leaving the show at a good time. Idol is definitely sinking, but nine years is an eternity on TV.
I will say that all of the top 12 could sing, at least at times. That said, there isn’t much star power in the group. Krystal is clearly the most accomplished and polished performer. She knows her music. The two high school kids have potential, but it is still mostly potential. Siobhan, I like, and she has occasional moments, but she isn’t a consistent performer. Michael (aka Big Mike) reminds me of Reuben, a bit old-fashioned, not that commercial.
Judge Kara grates on me. When she gives advice, half the time, I think the advice is bad advice and will lead the performer to a tiny niche career at best. Ellen is just ok as a judge. She doesn’t add much to the show.
My wife refuses to watch Idol this year, and she has been a fan in past years.
I have seen very little episodes of it, but I think the guest judges do not deserve to be there. Honestly, I think Hannah Montana or whatever her name is, would not even make it to Hollywood if she auditioned. And, I think that this is the weakest of all seasons. I am not impresses with any of them so far. But, I am not a huge fan, nor do I keep up with it all the time.
I agree Whistle. I thought Miley Cyrus was useless as a “mentor.”
Miley was a help to the high school girl competitor, but more on life issues of being young and famous than performing. Both Miley and Usher were likely brought in because the ratings are falling fastest for the younger age groups (13 to 18, and 19 to 24). For a lot of sponsors the younger viewers are the most coveted. Ratings are slipping for the older demographics as well, but not as fast. Like I said, the ship is sinking, but at nine years old, most every TV show ship springs leaks.
Part of finding a mentor is who is willing to do it. Who has a new album being released. Who can generate some ratings. The actually mentoring part is likely a minor consideration. Barry Manilow has been one of the best in terms of teaching, but Manilow has done it so many times, he is stale. Idol has full time staff of voice coaches, fashion consultants, hair and makeup experts. All that pro input is part of the reason the show is less appealing. The contestants are getting a lot more input, and often it is conflicting advice, that serves to confuse and dilute.
I thought Usher had some good mentoring points as to stage presence and connecting with the audience. Usher’s live performance didn’t do anything for me, but I am not a fan of his. I wouldn’t expect very many over the age of 30 to be fans of Miley or Usher, so the reaction is about as expected.
Next week’s theme is McCartney/Lennon, but not as mentors. That would be a major coup if Idol could get Paul McCartney to spend some time talking to the contestants, but he doesn’t have a new album to hawk so has no reason to make himself available, despite losing half his net worth in the recent divorce.
I don’t watch TV.
Although, I’d rethink my priorities and fire up the old tubes if they could get John Lennon to mentor.
oh yeah…that’d work 
Not as good as past years’ crop, but it’s Crystal’s to lose.
Crystal is what I wish Janis Joplin would have been. Hear me. Janis Joplin is very celebrated but she had an annoying voice. Crystal has the guts, the power and the soul to be all those things. She is really something. I am glad she is less truculent. It’s an act I have seen all too often. I don’t expect her to put on makeup and purr like a kitten, but its nice to see her drop the attitude. And I know at least a part of it is just good ol’ shyness.
I really like Siobhan, she is nutty, wonderful and very, very talented. Plus she is from Barnstable and blows glass (a teeny part of my heritage is the Wing family from Sandwich and I have visited both the family home and the glass factory there). So I definitely root for somebody from the home territory in Cape Cod. Seriously, she is one of the most unique people I have seen without weirding everybody out like Glambert did last year.
I am a lone defender in my office of Katie. She has a great and womanly voice but she rubs people the wrong way, like fruitcake. She has done all that the judges have asked but they never seem to be satisfied. No, she is not as self-possessed or eclectic like Siob. and Crys. but she is a good nevertheless.
I am glad all that the swooshy girl voices are gone, i.e. Didi and the other one who I forgot. It’s an affectation that drives me crazy, just like all the @#$ ukuleles on all the teevee commercials. Didi had no control over her swooshy, trebly voice. I couldnt believe she made it as far as she did, but it proved that the little girl and swooshy voices are “current”
None of the guys are finalist worthy, though the Dave Matthews guy is okay and finally had his moment.
I find Simon to be just about perfect this year. Put aside all the past years, and you will find that despite his vanity, he is being helpful, constructive and correct almost every time. Must be the fiancee and the end of the road that is coming. I bet the shows gets cancelled after this year. Kara is more and more annoying. SHe may end up seeming to be stupider than Paula. I don’t really care for Ellen DeGeneres but I think she is doing a good job on the show and I think her critiques are fair and necessary and she has made Kara irrelevant.
There ya go, Emm.
Thanks Weeks, fair analysis.
I know what you mean by the swooshy voices, but I never would have thought of that word. It’s a folksy, sleepy, cute and slightly about to break quality.
I guess my problem with Katie is that, unlike Crystal and Siobhan, she bores me. As does Mike Big-Guy, despite his being oft-praised.
Tim, the H.S. Musical guy, at least keeps me curious to see what he’ll do and whether it will stink or not. Sometimes that’s half the fun.
I just noticed, Siobhan is only 19. Lots of time to become even more interesting.
For some reason I don’t hate Kara as much as most people do, even when she’s stupid and clings to Simon.
The save was okay by me but I don’t know if next week will be any different. Big Mike is surely good at what he does but has limits. He’s certainly better than helmet hair and neck tattoo, but the latter seem to get the votes. i think DeWyze might self-destruct, he’s very unstable and might not mature in time. In a way, that Siobhan’s problem too. I don’t know how much patience the people who are willing to dial up have with uncertainty.
I hadn’t realized the gender inequity till last night, six guys and three girls. Casey might make it into the top three because he’s so Idol-worthy. I would guess by the end, from one to four, Crystal, Siobhan, Casey and Katie. Aaron is really good, but so was Archuleta, in fact the latter was more polished but didn’t win.
I’m going to guess Crystal, Casey, Siobhan, Lee.
I’m not surprised Tim is hanging in there. Teenybopper females are wicked dedicated callers. (Not to mention the ones who can text via AT&T)
I will revise my placement of Siobhan downward if she doesn’t perform something a bit more user-friendly and pop next week.
I’m sticking with #1 and #2. Crystal on talent. Casey on being the ultimate package.
I have a question. I was channel surfing and saw some of American Idol. A few of them were playing guitars, what’s up with that? Did they play instruments on previous seasons?
Crystal is far and away the best of the bunch. I really liked her singing from the first and still do. She does remind me a bit of Janis-I think it’s the blues.
I’d have to put Lee as my second favorite because I like his voice. I don’t think he’ll last much longer though. I can’t stand the blond guy-yuck- but will admit he did a good job with his song last week. Sioban is good some weeks and awful other weeks.
I never watch the results show, can’t abide all the long drawn-out lead up. I was happy to hear that “big Mike” had been voted off and was sorry to later learn the judges brought him back. He should leave after that Elanor Rigby mess. He’s kinda like Ruben, everything sounds too similar.
This is the third season during which they’ve been allowed to play instruments during their performances.
Sigh.
I’m old and jaded.
Corporate-sponsored TV feels a bit like eating at a fast-food franchise.
Easy to feel fussy about the “food.”
I check in to American Idol. Listen to how these hard-working kids are singing.
Wish’em all well.
Some (Crystal) are less “fast food” than others, IMHO.
Where’s the remote?
I know. But sometimes if one is at semi-loose ends, remotely interesting is enough.
Thank gods for DVR. We turn it on about halfway into the show and never miss anything by the time it ends. Four judges is too many, although I must say I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Ellen. I’ve liked Kara toward the beginning of each season, but once there’s an audience, she seems to lose all sense of reality. She keeps telling people to change what they’re doing, then when they do change, she “doesn’t know what kind of artist” they are. Randy runs out of things to say, but unfortunately not out of time to say them. Ellen seems to have a pretty good sense of music and tries to be constructive. Cowell is often the only one who has anything worthwhile to say.
I like Siobhan – you’ve gotta love a glass blower. (I’m terrified of what she’ll do with Adam as the guest coach, though.) I think the final three will be she, Crystal, and Casey. I think Casey will have the best career – a hunk who can sing and play guitar and has a pretty good sense of what he wants to do. The young’uns can really sing, especially Katie. There’s still deadwood left.
Adam Lambert did a surprisingly good job as mentor. Maybe it shouldn’t be surprising given his musical knowledge and inside knowledge of Idol. Some performers made big improvements.
I think last week’s bottom two: Big Mike and Alex Garcia are the most likely to go home with the double elimination. Mike sang well, but a song about the ghetto is depressing, and depressing songs tend to do poorly on votes. Alex was the worst performance of the night, and without a fan base, he is almost sure to go.
For this season, I would guess that 80% of the votes are from young women (ages 8 to 17). It is a shame in a way, because it means that each week, the men are more likely to stay in the competition even if they aren’t as good.
I was diddling with my computer while watching, so only woke up and gave real attention when a performance called for it. The ones that did last night, (as far as my easy distractibility goes) were Crystal and Lee. I paid some attention to Siobhan and Tim, mainly because they’re so unpredictable (for different reasons) that I was curious.
True, Adam Lambert did actually contribute meaningfully. I was pleased when he cautioned Siobhan that her delivery might be too sleepy (can’t remember the exact phrasing,) because that’s been my main concern for her–that she does original presentations, but not the sort of thing that’s going to galvanize an American Idol audience, and I think her high-energy songs will play better. Her weakness in this particular competition is that she’s not obviously “packagable,” and while she could turn out to be a dynamic and fascinating performer over time, she may be too odd and undefinable to go on much longer.
My husband made what is probably the relevant comment while watching Andrew last night: “He doesn’t have much charisma.”
Tim ended better than he started. The judges are apt to criticize or praise relative to their expectations, and it’s fun to see them lavish happy feedback on someone coming from the bottom. (and all you had to do was watch him standing there grinning, with his moppish hair, to know that the teenybopper high-speed voting block will keep him hanging on.)