Hey, ever heard that old adage, if it ain't broke, don't fix it? Well, apparently the powers-that-be at "American Idol" haven't. In an effort to revive the Fox franchise after a somewhat disastrous ninth season, they're "fixing" pretty much everything about "Idol" that once made it one of the most successful and beloved reality programs of all time. Returning executive producer Nigel Lythgoe just did an interview with TVGuide.com about the many, many changes in store when "Idol" returns to the airwaves in January, and it turns out that new judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler are just the beginning.
Now, I understand what Nigel is trying to do here. The biggest, and possibly most damaging, change to "Idol" Season 10 will of course be the absence of Simon Cowell, who left this year to launch the U.S. version of his talent show "The X Factor" in 2011--and since "X Factor's" format closely resembles "Idol's," Nigel probably realizes he better differentiate "Idol" in some significant way, lest loyal viewers all defect to Cowell's camp next year. Additionally, I agree with Nigel that after an underwhelming Season 9, "Idol" is in need of some sort of makeover. However, if I'm speaking in makeover-analogy terms, I'm talking about a little blush, a new lipstick, maybe a touch of Botox or microdermabrasion--not the head-to-toe Heidi Montag treatment Nigel is giving it. It seems that, much like Heidi post-surgery, "Idol" will barely be recognizable once Nigel is through with his nipping and tucking.
Sure, in past seasons this hardy reality-TV institution survived multiple format switchups--the loss of Paula Abdul (and Brian Dunkleman!), the addition of Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres, the raising of the age limit, the inclusion of musical instruments and a Wild Card round--but at the end of the day, it was still the same old "Idol" we all knew and loved. Will we still love it next year, as Nigel hopes and claims? I'm not so sure...
Below are my opinions on all the changes afoot for what lone remaining judge Randy Jackson calls "American Idol: The Remix." Do you think the show can survive this major overhaul?
New Judge Jennifer Lopez - Jenny is the new judge on the "Idol" block, and while I suppose she has the pop-girl background of Paula and the grouchy attitude of Simon, I still have my doubts about her. Simon was a likable villain, and Paula was just plain likable. J.Lo, on the other hand, seems like a one-note ice queen. And besides, with her tissue-paper-thin voice that makes Paula sound like Maria Callas, I'm not so sure J.Lo is so qualified to dole out singing advice.
MY VERDICT: Yuck!
New Judge Steven Tyler - Kid Rock and various members of Aerosmith aren't too thrilled about Steven sullying his rock 'n' roll legacy by joining "Idol," but I'm actually pretty excited to see what S.Ty can bring to the judging table. I've been missing the comedy on "Idol" since Paula left--and while Ellen, a professional comedienne, oddly couldn't fill that void, I'm pretty sure Steven can. Come on, there's no way this dude isn't going to be pure TV gold. He may not trip over his Chihuahuas, clap like a seal, critique a Jason Castro song yet to be sung, or threaten to hang David Archuleta's squishy head off his rearview mirror...but at some point, he's going to say, do, or wear something outrageous that'll have viewers gabbing around the watercooler on Wednesday morning. Bring it on, I say.
MY VERDICT: Yay!
In-House Mentor Jimmy Iovine - Since it's doubtful that either J.Lo or S.Ty will replace the irreplaceable Simon in the presumably requisite "mean judge" role, it's all riding now on Universal Records chairman Iovine, who will join "Idol" next year to whip the Season 10 kids into label-signing shape. Described by Nigel as a "music czar" and "the type of guy that can stand there, look you in the eyes when he's heard your CD, and throw it in the bin and say, 'Not good enough,'" Jimmy is probably the one guy on the show whose (brutal) opinion I'll truly respect. Sure, I'll miss some of the celebrity mentors next year, but really, the contestants on this show are better off taking advice from a guy like Jimmy than from, say, Miley Cyrus.
MY VERDICT: Yay!
Younger Contestants - Next season, "Idol" will lower its age limit from 16 to 15, probably in an effort to stop the "graying" of the show. See, the "Idol" audience has obviously aged over the past few years. VH1-friendly, classic-rock-evoking singers like Chris Daughtry, Taylor Hicks, David Cook, Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, Crystal Bowersox, and Lee DeWyze have prevailed over contestants with Radio Disney appeal. Show themes have ranged from Elvis to Sinatra to the Stones, instead of genres or artists relevant to today's tweens. And inviting veterans like Hall & Oates, Alice Cooper, the Bee Gees, Joe Cocker, and Chicago to perform on last season's finale didn't exactly attract the Teen Nick demographic, either. Now, by lowering the age limit on the show, as well as hosting auditions on MySpace, Nigel seems to be making a blatant play for the youth market. So, will "Idol" find the next Bieber or Miley next season? I don't know, and I'm not so sure the world needs another Bieber or Miley, really. I'm also not sure that younger contestants will be able to handle the stress of live-televised cutthroat competition. Let's just hope all those hopeful 15-year-olds are ready for their 15 minutes of fame.
MY VERDICT: Yuck!
New Elimination Process - According to Nigel's TVGuide.com interview, the producers are doing away with the top 24 semifinals round, instead skipping straight to a top 12. Well, that just stinks. The semifinals are a big part of the fun on "Idol," giving fans more of a chance to get to know the contestants and see more live performances from the contestants they love; giving the contestants more opportunity to grow from week to week; and creating more suspense as viewers wait to find out who will make the final cut. I didn't like it when the semifinals round was axed from Nigel's "So You Think You Can Dance" last season, and I'll like it even less when this happens on "Idol."
MY VERDICT: Yuck!
No More Genre Themes - I spent much of last season complaining about all the lame, outdated themes the contestants were forced to sing. And I've often griped that themes limit contestants, not allowing them to showcase what they really can do and what kind of album they'd record if they won. But part of the "Idol" fun has always been watching an R&B singer try to go country, or a rocker try to sing soul. Whether the cross-genre attempt was hugely successful (David Cook's "Billie Jean," Kris Allen's "Heartless," Adam Lambert's "Ring Of Fire") or hugely embarrassing (Danny Gokey's "Dream On" nightmare, Lil Rounds' Martina McBride misfire, Casey James's failed Sinatra attempt), it was good TV. Now that the contestants are going to stick to their specialty genres all season long, it's just not going to be as fun. And now my dreams of a Goth Night or Bowie Night or Hair Metal Night will sadly never be realized. Sigh.
MY VERDICT: Yuck!
The Music Video Challenge - Apparently a new aspect of the competition will be a contest to make the best music video. And hey, if the contestants get to work with amazing directors like Mark Romanek or Michel Gondry or Jonas Akerlund, then that'll be fantastic. Gawd knows anything the contestants come up with will be better than most of those lame Ford promos (except for that vampire one--that one was cool). And considering how scarce music videos are on any television channel nowadays, I'll welcome this addition to the "Idol" format. I still want my MTV.
MY VERDICT: Yay!
The Self-Promotion Challenge - I'm torn about this one. See, my favorite reality show of ALL TIME is VH1's "Bands On The Run," on which five bands competed in a "Great Race"-style tour challenge, all trying to earn the most money through ticket and merch sales. They plastered telephone poles with fliers, visited local radio stations, chatted up prospective fans on the street, and practically donned sandwich-board signs to promote themselves. And it was AWESOME TELEVISION. Now, apparently, "Idol" contestants will have to hustle to promote themselves, too. Will the result be as awesome? Possibly maybe. But is this really how these contestants should be spending their time, instead of honing their craft? I mean, the judges are always saying this is a SINGING competition. So how about these kids just sing, and they can promote themselves later, once they have records out in stores? It should be noted, after all, that even on "Bands On The Run," the biggest slackers of the bunch--perpetually drunk Texan rockers Flickerstick, who rarely crawled out of bed before noon while their more responsible rivals were out playing the game--won because they were deemed to be the most talented at PLAYING MUSIC. 'Nuff said.
MY VERDICT: Yuck!
The Big Performance Challenge - The performances on "Idol" last season were all very ho-hummy and guitar-strummy. Only when something interesting and a little over-the-top occurred (Tim Urban's knee-slide, Lee DeWyze's bagpipes, Crystal Bowersox's didgeridoo, Siobhan Magnus's dramatic descent down an illuminated staircase) did the show actually get exciting. We all remember how a little mood-lit Glambert theatrically added zest and zing to Season 8, and if you've ever watched the U.K.'s "X Factor," then you know how much more thrilling the performances on that show, which are often augmented by Vegas-style backup dancers and the entire contents of the ITV network's prop house, can be. (Go YouTube anything performed by last year's John & Edward or this year's Wagner, and you'll see what I mean.) Anyway, in "Idol" Season 10, the contestants will work with a band and dancers (hopefully from "SYTYCD"??? please???) to create an "awards show-style" performance. Will this detract from their singing ability? Probably. Is that exactly what I complained about in my previous paragraph? Um, sure. But hey, at least watching these bigger, bolder performances will be interesting. And hey, if only one "Idol" contestant comes close to recreating the OTT magic of Jedward's "Ghostbusters," Wagner's "Bat Out Of Hell," Prince Poppycock's "Bohemian Rhapsody" (from the very Vegas-y "America's Got Talent"), or Adam Lambert's "Whole Lotta Love," then Season 10 will have compensated for Season 9's 12 weeks of snoozy coffeehouse performances.
MY VERDICT: Yay!
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