American Idol Double Feature

Photo courtesy Osmosis Online

Dish-Interested: Cancel American Idol
Has anyone besides me been watching the hot mess that is American Idol this season? And if you have been watching, do your eyes and ears also regularly revolt against you by spontaneously catching fire?

Granted, it’s not the worst piece of entertainment that ever existed, but it’s so much worse than it used to be that it’s become almost unwatchable. It’s like the difference between seeing Madonna perform today versus seeing her perform in her heyday. Sure, you can still catch a glimmer of her former fabulous self, but even more noticeable are the tell-tale signs that you’re seeing a has-been clawing at her forever-gone former glory. In other words, it’s sad, sad, and sad.

And sad-sad-sadly, American Idol has reached the same past-its-prime status, where its best work is decidedly behind it. Anyone who has doubts about this needs only to consult...

next up is my second article for Metacritic.com, which i plan to do a lot more writing for in the coming months.

Ranked: American Idol Seasons 1-9
After nine seasons, five judges, hundreds of contestants and thousands of auditions, Fox’s American Idol has cemented its position as one of the most successful shows in television history. It’s the seminal rags-to-riches story, making overnight stars out of its musical hopefuls whose fates are determined by a voting public.

Perhaps it’s this accessibility that makes Idol so universally appealing, as fans have a say in the outcome and can vote for their hometown heroes. Sprinkle in some taciturn judges, celebrity musical guests and plenty of “pitchy” performances and you have the recipe for...