American Idol Season 8: More of the Same?

Well, it’s that time of year again.  American Idol is back.  Can you believe that we are entering the show’s 8th year?  I’m having a hard time with it actually.  Thinking back over the years, I can barely remember it.  How can I be a self-respecting Idolfan when I would be hard pressed to list the previous 7 Idols at this point.

I followed American Idol religiously up until last year when I got a new job and I told myself that I just didn’t have time to devote to keeping up the blogging.  You’ll notice a significant gap if you look at the archives   Well, if I’m honest with myself, I was really just bored with the show.  The formula was so familiar and SO irritating that it was hard to keep up the interest.  Maybe I’ve outgrown it.

I’ve never been particularly fond of the first half of each American Idol season – the auditions up through the top 24 episode.  Don’t get me wrong.  I always like seeing the hopefuls that actually have talent and thinking about how they will develop over the course of the competition and who will will make it to the final rounds and ultimately take the top spot as The American Idol.  That is the best part; the positive part.

But, I’ve never liked the emphasis, and I would say over-emphasis, that the show puts on capturing and broadcasting the most outrageous examples of tone deafness and personal dysfunction.  I’m always flabbergasted when people tell me that this is their favorite part of the show!!!  (I usually realize at the point when someone tells me that, that I don’t actually like the person.)

I’m hoping that this year the producers of American Idol decide to do something completely new, fresh and out of the box; that they diverge from the formula and actually try to something creative and interesting and worth my time.  Well, it’s not likely that they would risk any alteration to the formula.  American Idol is what it is.  The formula works and it works all too well.

Either way, I’ve committed to watching and blogging this year.  But I’ve got to do something to make it interesting.  I’m still thinking about what that might be.  I’m considering a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde bit.  As I think of it, American Idol is basically that – split personality.  Half the show is positive, earnest and sincere in its portrayal of these kids trying to live their dream.  Think Paula Abdul.  The other half of the show is twisted, cold and inhuman.  A not-so-well-disguised corporate cash register that rings with every sour note.  Think Simon Cowell.  Yes, he just says what everyone is thinking. . that the kid is a sucky singer. . .But why do we have to see SO MANY when there are so many that are pretty good?

So, assuming that nothing has changed with the formula this year, I’m going to focus my attention on these two themes.  I will always love watching the kids with talent and will be happy to follow and comment on their progress through the competition.  But I will also pull out my own Mr. Hyde on the show itself.  This year on IdolNotes! we’re gonna go ape!  Maybe that will be good to get us through another season.

Related posts:

1. Top 12 Finalists on American Idol Season 6
2. American Idol Season Finale Run Down
3. 2007 Top 24 American Idol Finalists for Season 6