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"American Idol": What's Next for this Troubled Show?


"American Idol's" Top Four: David Archuleta, Syesha Mercado, David Cook and Jason Castro.

Published: May 5, 2008 at 07:55 PM GMT
Last Updated: May 5, 2008 at 07:55 PM GMT

By Ed Martin

Last week was arguably the worst week ever for American Idol. As tomorrow’s live performance show draws near, I wonder, what will this troubled franchise do for an encore?

When I first wrote on March 18 about my issues with Idol this season I had no idea the problems with the show were going to go from bad to worse as Season 7 progressed. Indeed, when I expressed my dismay on April 24 with the ongoing survival of the marginally talented Jason Castro I had no idea the worst was yet to come!

We've had a week to process Paula Abdul's bizarre reality lapse on last Tuesday's show (and the media firestorm that followed) when she offered a harried critique of both songs Jason Castro sang during the episode – even though he hadn't performed the second song yet. The excuses were wide-ranging: Paula was confused by the producers' bone-headed plan to withhold the judges' critiques until after each contestant had sung twice, and further flummoxed by an even bigger screw-up – the sudden decision to shift gears mid-show and parade all five finalists on stage after they had sung one song for rapid-fire responses from the judges. Paula had seen the contestants perform during their dress rehearsal and was referring to notes she had made about that. Paula had read her notes about Jason's performance and then accidentally began reading her notes for David Cook's song. Paula was just being ditsy Paula.

Whatever. I met Paula Abdul on April 14 at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville and found her to be clear-thinking, focused and thoughtful in her responses to questions about Idol contestants – even while jet-lagged. I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt here and suggest that because the structure for last week's show seemed to be made up as it went along – as if Idol were a low-rated, struggling series desperate to survive its freshman season, rather than the mightiest television show in the world – Paula suffered a brain fog and mashed up the dress rehearsal and the live show. Such gaffes happen to the best of us.

The greater issue here is not Paula – she's been a bit “off” before. Rather, it's the ongoing bungling this season of a formerly flawless show. (Once again I will state for the record that I have been a strong supporter of Idol since it began in the summer of 2002 as modern media's first true interactive phenomenon. I speak as a dedicated fan and a very impressed critic.) Why in the world did the people in charge decide to crush ten performances into one hour, knowing full well that there would not be time to hear what the judges had to say about each one? (A side thought: I don't believe this has been an issue when the Top 5 performed two songs each in years past. Perhaps the problem has to do with increased advertising inventory and too much non-essential promotional filler.)

It was just the latest questionable move in a long list of Season 7 changes that don't appear to be working in the show's favor, including its cavernous new set, momentum-killing viewer call-in segments and – most aggravating of all – the positioning of dozens of young girls directly in front of the stage, forcing home viewers and judges alike to watch the performances through a sea of waving hands. All of these changes seem to be contributing factors in Idol's ratings issues this season. I think viewers are over the guest mentor thing, too.

Here's hoping Idol gets it together for its final three weeks and ends the season in a blaze of glory. Broadcast television these days needs something to point to with pride!

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