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The problem with Super Sundays

Australian Idol's unofficial new starting time is now 7:59 -that's when the first singer took to the stage last night.

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aissIt was 7:59 when we heard the first solo song on Australian Idol last night.

Before that we’d had 29 minutes of introducing judges, chatting to the Glee cast, having a cross-promo group performance by the Top 11, a recap of last week’s Top 11, the announcement of the bottom 3, discussion of the bottom 3, announcing the bottom 2, a farewell package of the eliminated singer (Casey Barnes), an introduction to guest judge Brian McFadden and a package of the first singer, Sabrina, before she finally took to the stage.

Phew!

And this is a Super-Sunday? Could we please go back to ordinary-run-of-the-mill Sundays?

If Idol wants to drive viewers into the show, it might consider getting into the performances a whole lot quicker.

In fact the entire principle of eliminating a singer at the top of the show is perlexing. If my favourite singer is dumped right off the bat, why would I keep watching? If it were shifted to the end of the show, maybe I would keep watching to see if they made it through, and hey, I might even stick around to watch Rove while I’m at it.

Eliminating at the end of a show works perfectly well for Dancing with the Stars and even It Takes Two. Otherwise maybe we should all start thinking of Idol as an 8pm start?

Last night’s Idol also came close to creating controversy, first with Jay Dee Springbett’s comments about an 18yo contestant’s physique (well they told him not be boring, right?) and Dicko suggesting an 18yo celebrate his feminine side and camp it up. Just what he’d want to hear on national television?

38 Responses

  1. The performance shows on the Sunday was always the best part of Idol. A slick show with a short introduction, quick recap, contestant sings, gets judged and bang you’re done. The problem in the past was always the Monday night elimination shows with last years ones the worst ever esp. Ricki-Lee’s cringe worthy interviews with the bottom three. The solution in my mind was always just to cut out the padding on Monday night so you are left with a slick half hour show.

  3. The show is woeful this year but teh elimination at teh top is rubbish. They should have the elimination at the end of the show like Dancing with the Stars does. No big deal if the leaving contestant performed on the show with the others.

  4. Idol needs a bullet; I was unlucky enough to catch the start of the show where the genii at ten had their “idols” (none of which can hit a key) come out and rip off the song performed on what they are hoping on being their new mega hit show Glee. Then I here in todays news they had the cast of the show sitting in the audience. Oh dear……

  6. @Dn, you can’t blame Jay Dee. It’s not his fault that Network Ten chose somebody that is boring and dull. Anyway the show should be about the contestants, not the judges. You wouldn’t refuse a nice meal because the plate looks ugly. The lack of talent is what’s to blame, not Jay Dee.

  7. I agree with David, this is really a problem. Have the eliminations separate, poor ratings, have them at the start and the show gets delayed but having them at the end of the show won’t work either beacuse you don’t get a chance to vote until after someone’s already been eliminated. For example, perform poorly one week and improve the next week only to get eliminated for your first song. I would just axe the show because it’s past its use by date. Six years ago it may have been good but some shows just don’t last.

  9. I loved the Monday Night shows – even with all the filler and crap. People just whinge for the sake of it sometimes. I think no matter what Idol did, people would complain its just the way things are. However, I liked Mondays as a chance to get to know the idols, and also fit the theme nights properly on Sundays. You never really get a sense of the theme on the Sundays now because there’s so much going on beforehand that it just feels tacked on. I hope they realise this and bring back Monday Nights, even just for half an hour. Shows like Idol & BB shouldn’t be cancelled just because they have one slightly below-par season, each y ear its a sum of its parts… the show recovered in Season 4 after it was apparently below-par in 2005 (after Kate DeAraugo & Casey Donovan won and were horribly let down by Sony), and therefore can do it again. Keep the faith 🙂

  10. My family have also stopped watching idol. I would basically blame Jaydee for that and the fact that it is one long show now. I think a good sunday night movie is in order cause idol is going down the toilet just like big brother.

  11. People aren’t watching the Monday night verdict because there’s too much padding. So what do they do? Transfer the padding the Sunday night. Then people Have to watch it, right?

  12. it really is a sign of the future for idol. it’s litterally on it’s last legs. it has nothing to do with kyle or the new judge. it is old and tired and the talent isnt any good

  13. Get Rid of the Show.I remember the days when Ten had some pretty good offerings on a Sunday Night.
    Why Not an OC type programme to end the week on before we all have to go back to work on Monday in the same timeslot.It would do so much better.

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