Time to practice the art of speed dialing, brush up on your text-messaging skills, and prepare to use the mute button liberally. Jan. 18 kicks off the first night of two consecutive premiere episodes of “American Idol’s” highly anticipated fourth season. Judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson are all back on board for what’s billed as a freshly revamped show. But how much will really change?
First up is the gender divide. No doubt in an effort to avoid last year’s diva-filled finals, where the women outnumbered the men two-to-one, this time around there are separate male and female groups in the early rounds. An unfortunate side effect of this is an increased number of weekly episodes, from 2 to 3, throughout the semifinals —one for the guys, one for ladies, and one for the results. Can anyone commit three nights a week to this show? Expect to see cases of “Idol” burnout before the competition really gets underway.
In a definite change for the better, 24 is no longer the age limit for contestants. Even at the ripe old age of 28 one can now compete for the pop title. It’s hard not to feel bad for the 29-year-olds though, as if they weren’t bummed enough over their impending 30th birthdays. But this is one alteration bound to open the field to more experienced singers.
While celebrity judges will still be around, with the likes of LL Cool J, Brandy, and Gene Simmons weighing in, now they’re relegated to the audition phase of the competition. Wait, Gene Simmons? That might be okay if this were a wet T-shirt contest. But singing? Heck, even other members of Kiss are more qualified. Was Paul Stanley not available?
What else is new? Word has it this will be the most talented bunch of contestants ever seen on the show. It’s not like they say that every season. Except, of course, they do. But in a video clip available at Idolonfox.com, Randy Jackson says, “Last year’s top 12 wouldn’t even make this year’s final 32. That’s how good it is.”
Way to go, Randy! You just told last year’s winner, and Billboard chart-topper, Fantasia Barrino that the first person voted off this season is still better than her. It’s stranger still in light of the recent announcement that this season will feature 24 contestants rather than the standard 32. Is it possibly that Randy made that grand statement prior to the final selections? But then it would just be empty hype! Oh, Randy!
Déjà vu all over again
For those happy with the “American Idol” status quo, fear not. Familiar factors will almost certainly outnumber the changes. Sour notes, heavy-handed product placements, and Ryan Seacrest are all omens pointing to more of the same old show.
As usual, the season will kick off with auditions from all over the country, including the legendarily awful ones. After the first season some fame seekers realized that being bad meant an all-too-rare shot at camera time.
Last season brought the genuinely horrible William Hung, the man who elevated the unfortunate audition to an art form, not to mention a career. This time around expect cringe-worthy Hung-wannabes in droves. Here’s hoping they at least pick their own songs, because no one but Hung — not even Ricky Martin — can lay claim to “She Bangs.”
Even with the promised changes, the "Idol" formula will prevail. In every episode, Simon will make someone cry, Randy will refer to more than a few contestants as “dawg,” and Paula will say something that no one really understands. And ultimately the winner will be decided by a gaggle of teenage girls. It’s the inherent flaw of phone voting — the ballots can be stuffed by the one demographic that works a telephone like no other.
Stay tunedSo, why does the audience stick around? Good or bad, there’s no denying the show’s addicting. The schtick gets stale, but the performers are fresh every season. Once viewers pick a favorite, they keep tuning in and rooting for that singer.
Another key to keeping the masses faithful is cross-promotion. When the show isn’t even on the air, the past contestants are still making the rounds touring, promoting albums, and showing up on magazine covers. Just last month, there were two “American Idol” Christmas specials—one for the winners and a solo shot for Clay Aiken. And if all that isn’t enough, “American Idol the Magazine” hits newsstands in February.
It’s hard to imagine now, but in a matter of weeks some of the anonymous faces soon to be shown in the auditions will earn loyal fan followings. Web sites will be dedicated to them, online forums will host impassioned debates about their performances, and t-shirts bearing their names (preceded by “I” and a heart) will pop up everywhere. One or two will even join the league of “Idol” idols Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, and Fantasia Barrino. And the rest? Well, even Justin Guarini still has a fan club.
Though last season saw a slight drop in the ratings, “Idol” remained one of the top shows on television. Whether the new modifications will enhance the show is still to be seen, but the elements that made it work in the first place will still be intact. Chances are good that the season four will be another hit.
Ree Hines is a writer in Tampa, Florida.