In response to one of the best, most emotionally-palpable auditions ever shown on a musical competition series, star “The X Factor” judge Simon Cowell openly ponders, “Maybe you needed the show, maybe we needed you.”
If the goal is to make “The X Factor” stand out as the premiere show in a crowded genre that includes “American Idol,” “The Voice” and “The Sing-Off,” that latter sentiment could not be more true. For all the news, buzz and controversy over the show’s judging panel, when Wednesday’s premiere launches FOX’s latest British reality import, the most worthwhile talk will be about the extraordinary talent.
After all, the premiere episodes, in many respects, come off as a bit “watered down” and “generic” in comparison to the seasoned “American Idol” audition shows.
The narratives introducing the contestants are mostly shallow and cookie-cutter (more like the glossy “The Voice” than the gut-wrenching “Idol”). The soundtrack is more generic than “Idol” at is worst, essentially running through a playlist of the most overplayed, mainstream songs of 2011. The title cards, show narrations and occasional judge commentaries (hopefully edited out for Wednesday’s broadcast) are cheesy and minor league. Host Steve Jones has the voice, the looks and the swagger, but he never seems as comfortable as Ryan Seacrest does when it comes to actually bonding with the contestants and their families.
Thanks to the most recent “American Idol” season, which excelled despite a judging panel that became increasingly inept as the competition wore on, even the concept of judges seems superfluous in 2011. The “X Factor” judges, particularly Simon Cowell and Antonio “LA” Reid, are vastly superior to anyone on “Idol” or “The Voice,” but their presence does not seem to carry “make or break” significance it would have when “Idol” first launched in the US.
But by the end of the first two episodes, airing Wednesday and Thursday at 8PM, the combination of phenomenal talent and larger-than-life personalities will have put some of the greatest audition footage ever broadcast in front of millions of American viewers. Whether viewers enjoy audition rounds for comedy, heartbreak, perseverance or breathtaking musicianship, they will have much to applaud while watching “The X Factor.”
Be clear that these are not simply auditions that show “potential.” They are not auditions that are “cute” and quirky. They are top-notch entertainment.
Obviously confident in the caliber of talent showcased in the early rounds (whether the focus is comedy or vocal brilliance), FOX screened Wednesday’s premiere, as well as about 20 minutes of future auditions for media outlets, something it never does for “American Idol” (the twenty-minute teaser critics got last year was, as it is, a big win for critics). Sure enough, of all the auditions shown in full, only one fails to click (it’s cute, but it gets too painful to be enjoyable), and only one inspires a “what the hell were the judges thinking” reaction.
As it is, FOX already showcased two amazing auditions in the extended preview after the NFL telecast last week, and it began airing the superb “Listen” audition in its ad campaign (featured during Sunday’s Emmy Awards broadcast). Two auditions not yet seen in promos are both gut-wrenching and vocally-dazzling, while two create the best comedy since William Hung and another showcases tremendous star quality (even though her ability did seem somewhat overrated by three of the four judges).
Remember when FOX hyped James Durbin’s “American Idol” audition as a sign of perhaps the best voice ever to try out for the show? No offense to the “Idol” contestant who deserved better than fourth last year, but he doesn’t hold a candle to several of the contestants eyeing the $5 million “X Factor” prize.
Unlike “Idol,” “The X Factor” holds its early judge auditions in an arena setting–think the Hollywood rounds on “Idol,” except that the crowd consists of thousands of fans rather than a few hundred contestants. Ultimately, that live crowd helps make the audition footage so special.
It is not without drawbacks. A live crowd can be swayed by an entertaining stage presence, creating a “hairography” factor in which great performers can compensate for their vocal shortcomings. It also takes away the intimacy that drives the early “Idol” episodes. The judges, in particular, have to be a lot bigger, safer and more serious than they did in small, private room, and that makes them less human at times.
But when the right contestants take the stage, magic is created. Contestants who wow the crowd instantly come across as stars, rather than people who benefited from showing potential in an intimate setting. Those looking to deliver comedy, meanwhile, can’t be overly subtle or cutesy–their material has to be notable enough for an entire arena to react.
And that reality produces contestants that will move viewers to tears simply due to their vocals; sappy backstories aren’t even required when it comes to tugging on the heart strings. It also produces highlight comedy moments like “I’m a Stud,” a hilarious audition made even more amusing by Paula Abdul’s ridiculous overreaction. It produces a talented contestant who “LA” Reid puts in the same sentence as Jay-Z and Kanye West–a contestant who could potentially emerge as the go-to guy for belting the choruses on rap songs. It produces laugh-out-loud “divas” like Xander Alexander (who may surprise some that only know him from the quick promo segment).
When reading reviews like this one, potential “X Factor” watchers are undoubtedly going to be curious about the judges. And while a breakdown is valuable (and Headline Planet will be delivering one, particularly looking at whether Nicole Scherzinger was a welcome replacement for Cheryl Cole), the reality is that the judging goes fairly as expected.
Simon Cowell and Antonio “LA” Reid are the straight shooters who, by virtue of not pulling punches, have credibility behind their words when they do choose to praise a contestant. Paula Abdul is more articulate, more lucid, more confident and less dopey-sweet than she was in her later years on “Idol,” but she’s ultimately playing the same role. Nicole Scherzinger is playing the J-Lo part–the confident, beautiful woman who has her own delivery swagger and keeps the panel flowing but doesn’t necessarily contribute any unexpected or risky comments.
The episode format, similarly, is exactly what “Idol” fans would expect. Host Steve Jones simultaneously narrates and interacts with the contestants and their families, providing a fine mix of confidence and sympathy (though he is nowhere near as seasoned as Ryan Seacrest in the latter category). Montages are shown to establish “themes” in the audition cities (ie, look how weird the people were, look how the judges disagree, look how awful some of the contestants were, etc). There are a few off-the-wall auditions that get mocked by the judges. There are angry contestants who feel “The X Factor” missed the boat by not putting them through. Judge rivalries are forced down the audiences’ throat. It, at the end of the day, is structured no differently than any audition episode one saw in any of the ten “American Idol” seasons.
What keeps “X Factor” fresh and what makes it stand out as a valuable show in its own right is the talent–both the good and the bad.
FOX’s “The X Factor” premieres Wednesday, September 21 at 8PM.