So. Top Twelve!
Even though it feels like "American Idol" is just heating up, we're actually about halfway through the season. What do you think so far?
AI is kind of a fascinating show for us because it's a lot of things at once. It's a talent contest. It's a drama. It's a comedy. It's one big commercial for the sponsors' products, other Fox TV shows or movies, the live tour, and past Idols' record albums. It's something that appeals to a gigantic age range of viewers. And mostly, at the end of it all, it's pure, simple, addictive entertainment.
Here's what we like about AI right now:
Ellen DeGeneres. We love Ellen so we were pretty psyched when we heard she was going to replace Paula Abdul. People have complained that so far, she's not funny enough. But we think she's just the right amount of funny, because any more funny and she'd come off as belittling the contestants' hard work. The fact that she's the only judge on the panel without any official music industry background makes her comments fair, refreshing, and possibly closest to those of the viewers.
Boys with guitars. Ever since the show started to let contestants play instruments, things have been more interesting. It makes for another choice in addition to picking the right song: Do I just sing or do I play too? Guys like Andrew Garcia and Casey James can bring their performances to a whole other level with their guitars; Michael Lynche and Tim Urban almost take on a new personality when they're playing versus just singing. It's fun to watch.
Alterna-chicks. How happy we are that Crystal Bowersox, Siobhan Magnus, Didi Benami, and Lacey Brown have made it in to the Top 12. (We believe Lilly Scott should have been there too; we are sad and kind of like "What?" about that.) They're different and fresh and seem to take pride in being themselves. In fact, for the first time ever as AI fans, we are more excited about the girls this year than the boys!
"Wunderkinds." Okay, Aaron Kelly and Katie Stevens. You can sing. Really well. Can you show us that as teens you have what Jordin Sparks had, or will young people just vote for you because you remind them of their BFF/crush/themselves?
Simon (Yes, Simon!). He can be a bully and snide and looks like he's pretty much over this whole AI thing already. But you have to admit he knows what he's talking about; when he does realize he was wrong about something, he owns up to it. We believe Simon is just preparing these contestants for life in the music industry, where people really can be that cruel and you need a tough skin. His job, underneath all that attitude, is to help the contestants grow into the artists they can potentially be.
It's not all about winning and losing. Although there are more "losers" than "winners" on this show in that someone goes home each week until only one contestant can be victorious, there is a lot of emphasis on that fact that it's the journey, not the destination, that can really be the prize. Contestants have amazing experiences and are exposed to lots of new opportunities, and can take pride in having come as far as they did. You just have to look at someone like Chris Daughtry or Jennifer Hudson to see that "losing" on this show was really just the first step on their path to success.
So, we'll be watching on Tuesday nights along with all you other AI fans out there. During commercial breaks, share your experiences on Idol-relevant You Said It pages like Performing For A Group, I Play An Instrument, and How I Express Myself.
Even though it feels like "American Idol" is just heating up, we're actually about halfway through the season. What do you think so far?
AI is kind of a fascinating show for us because it's a lot of things at once. It's a talent contest. It's a drama. It's a comedy. It's one big commercial for the sponsors' products, other Fox TV shows or movies, the live tour, and past Idols' record albums. It's something that appeals to a gigantic age range of viewers. And mostly, at the end of it all, it's pure, simple, addictive entertainment.Here's what we like about AI right now:
Ellen DeGeneres. We love Ellen so we were pretty psyched when we heard she was going to replace Paula Abdul. People have complained that so far, she's not funny enough. But we think she's just the right amount of funny, because any more funny and she'd come off as belittling the contestants' hard work. The fact that she's the only judge on the panel without any official music industry background makes her comments fair, refreshing, and possibly closest to those of the viewers.
Boys with guitars. Ever since the show started to let contestants play instruments, things have been more interesting. It makes for another choice in addition to picking the right song: Do I just sing or do I play too? Guys like Andrew Garcia and Casey James can bring their performances to a whole other level with their guitars; Michael Lynche and Tim Urban almost take on a new personality when they're playing versus just singing. It's fun to watch.
Alterna-chicks. How happy we are that Crystal Bowersox, Siobhan Magnus, Didi Benami, and Lacey Brown have made it in to the Top 12. (We believe Lilly Scott should have been there too; we are sad and kind of like "What?" about that.) They're different and fresh and seem to take pride in being themselves. In fact, for the first time ever as AI fans, we are more excited about the girls this year than the boys!
"Wunderkinds." Okay, Aaron Kelly and Katie Stevens. You can sing. Really well. Can you show us that as teens you have what Jordin Sparks had, or will young people just vote for you because you remind them of their BFF/crush/themselves?
Simon (Yes, Simon!). He can be a bully and snide and looks like he's pretty much over this whole AI thing already. But you have to admit he knows what he's talking about; when he does realize he was wrong about something, he owns up to it. We believe Simon is just preparing these contestants for life in the music industry, where people really can be that cruel and you need a tough skin. His job, underneath all that attitude, is to help the contestants grow into the artists they can potentially be.
It's not all about winning and losing. Although there are more "losers" than "winners" on this show in that someone goes home each week until only one contestant can be victorious, there is a lot of emphasis on that fact that it's the journey, not the destination, that can really be the prize. Contestants have amazing experiences and are exposed to lots of new opportunities, and can take pride in having come as far as they did. You just have to look at someone like Chris Daughtry or Jennifer Hudson to see that "losing" on this show was really just the first step on their path to success.
So, we'll be watching on Tuesday nights along with all you other AI fans out there. During commercial breaks, share your experiences on Idol-relevant You Said It pages like Performing For A Group, I Play An Instrument, and How I Express Myself.
