I really, really wanted to root for the second season of The X Factor US. Especially since I had apprehensions about the the third season of NBC's The Voice, which premiered a few weeks ahead of Simon Cowell's reality series creation.
Somewhere along the way, my initial feelings and impressions about the two singing competition series exchanged places. And I'm left wondering what happened to FOX's fall prime time reality offering.
The X Factor US kicked off its sophomore year to a great start for me. They showcased the staple audition clips, but featured more of actual talent, instead of the usual embarrassing montage of people who think they actually have a shot at winning the $5,000,000 prize and recording contract but actually fell short of showcasing talent. By focusing on the relevant acts that would eventually get to boot camp and judges' homes, it was easier to cultivate interest in them and making them more memorable to audiences. While they still hyped up the drama and struggles, there was also the all important emphasis on the actual skills of the acts.
I also looked forward to the new judges Britney Spears and Demi Lovato, who joined Simon Cowell and LA Reid
for the season. Britney and Demi were refreshingly direct,
particularly Britney, who doesn't filter her thoughts about bad
performances. Demi gave insightful critiques and actual constructive
criticism. I felt very hopeful. I felt hopeful, even when there were
some questionable choices on who ended or didn't end up in the judges'
homes, and eventually chosen as final team members for the Teen, Young Adult, Over 25 and Group categories.
Unfortunately, I felt some of those hopes were dashed when the show, its judges, the new hosts and the competing acts were no longer given the luxury of editing. Now, where to start?
The Acts
I'm okay with the acts, but I'm not particularly excited about many of them. I felt that the recorded footage and how they were edited made some of them interesting, but come live shows, I didn't quite feel the same connection as I did with the third season of The Voice or in any season of American Idol. Of those who made it to the live shows, I felt that the three thirteen year old girls under Britney's Teen categories were the only ones who made much of an impression. Carly Rose Sonenclar, Diamond White and Beatrice Miller were all thirteen, all had their own singing styles, all had definite musical identities and all had a precocious drive to win. They were definitely better than most of those in Demi's Young Adult category. They were terrifyingly good (until one succumbed to the pressures of reality singing competition programming and the other plateaud).
The Judges
While the acts carried the burden of making the audiences vote for them, the judge assigned to help them carries the responsibility of guiding them to the end goal of winning. I don't really believe that the judges make all of the decisions for the acts, but I feel that they could be doing more for those in their groups. If they're really in control, surely they can pick out better songs for their acts.
I expect the judges to be biased to those in their categories, but there should be a way for them to be able to give constructive feedback to other acts, without sounding like they're trying to destroy the competition. The constructive feedback is also necessary for their own teams. The judges have a tendency to heap praises on their acts, even if those contestants didn't do particularly well. They're not fostering growth in their acts and end up sounding insincere to audiences.
The Production
I've learned to live with the crazy production of The X Factor US, which was actually helpful in certain performances. I still do think that they tend to overdo it with the lights and the dancers, but they have put their large screens/panels to better use this year. The audio is also markedly improved, since there are less instances when the acts are drowned by the music or the backup singers. The hosts and judges, though, are still sometimes drowned by the sounds of screaming teenage girls.
My biggest gripe about the production is how they execute the live shows. If your hosts and your judges end up having awkward silences after their cues or after announcing something momentous, then there's something wrong with the flow of your production. If anyone on stage is having a hard time deciding where to go on stage, it means you're not planning your stage blocking nor are you taking time to tell your hosts, judges and acts where they should go. FYI, your finale was a mess.
I mentioned previously that the judges should make better song choices, which means that the producers of The X Factor US should be finding ways to clear the songs for the competition. I don't think LA Reid is the only record executive who would give permission for a high profile reality show to use the songs in his label. I don't understand how a show that touts the largest prize money in
reality TV history ended up using songs that we've all heard
countless times in the singing competition circuit.
And finally, please fire or have a long talk with whoever is in charge of your wardrobe/costume department who is a lover of studs, scarves and all things glittery, and whoever writes your copy for the teleprompter. Seriously.
The Host/s
After months of anticipation, it was announced that Mario Lopez and Khloe Kardashian-Odom would co-host the show. Unfortunately, while co-hosting is a great idea to share the responsibilities of a large production, it's all moot point if your two hosts have no chemistry with one another.
First, Mario Lopez is not yet used to this size of production. And it's obvious that he's more used to hosting alone. He rarely looks at Khloe when she's addressing him. Every time Khloe says something after an act's performance or after the judges' comments, he makes awkward follow-ups. I feel like waving him off every time he attempts to be witty.
I was rooting for Khloe Kardashian-Odom, since she's the only Kardashian I can tolerate, but I feel that this might be too big a project for someone who has little experience with live television. I'll admit that she improved every week, but she only had a chance to work with the show's production for a few weeks. She had a tendency to completely look away from the camera when reading the teleprompter and she still doesn't know how to school her facial expressions when she's not talking. She either ended up staring off into space or having a frozen smile plastered on her face. Also, you don't hire Khloe Kardashian-Odom to read from a teleprompter. She's known for her candor, which brilliantly appears every now and then when she asks the judges impromptu questions.
I wish I didn't have to rant for most of this post, but it's frustrating considering the expectations that were set by the earlier episodes of the second season of The X Factor US. So, I'm going to make myself feel better by listing some of my favorite performances in the show (to quote Steve Jones, "in no particular order").
I'm sure that you've noticed that based on the number of songs she has on the list that I was rooting for Carly Rose Sonenclar to win. But knowing how strong the country votes are and after watching Carly's disastrous duet with LeAnn Rimes, I figured that Tate Stevens could be the winner. He did win, and I don't begrudge him that, since he's a solid contender with a great voice, definitely knows his genre, and had the great back story of the husband and father who gave up his dreams of singing in order to provide for his family. So, all I can do now is just watch videos of Carly's performances and sigh in regret. As well as occasionally feeling like slapping her... because she's so good I don't know what I'd do if she sang in front of me.
I'm hoping that The X Factor US is just experiencing the same sophomore slump that its NBC rival did, and would follow The Voice's success in learning from past mistakes and creating an awesome third season next fall. Surely they could put the next nine months to good use and actually live up to its potential, right?
Right?
Moderately-entertained-tinged-with-disappointment viewing.Labels: FOX, Reality, Singing Competition, TV, TV Series, X Factor
