Ominous signs for 'American Idol'

I think people are tiring of reality show competitions in general. I'm not watching American Idol in the dedicated manner as in past seasons; too, I'm not watching Top Chef this season either, despite the fact that it was filmed in Chicago. I believe the tide is turning. We'll see how long it takes to break shore.

After all of this years ringers sent in to 'win" the show..poeple who had record deals and failed, the show seems to be set up to me. I lose interest when it seems the contestents are picked by the sponsors.

i think the percentage drop in newspaper readership and circulation shows a bit more "ominous" sign....

I am experiencing reality tv overload. The networks have put too many reality eggs in one basket. I have already given up watching Survivor, Dancing with the Stars (thank you heather Mills) and Big Brother.

I also DVR AI so I wonder if my time shifted viewship gets a rating point.

Sorry Nielson, but my 2 - 11 year olds are not allowed to watch tv at night. They have school work to do.

Frank wrote:

After all of this years ringers sent in to 'win" the show..poeple who had record deals and failed, the show seems to be set up to me. I lose interest when it seems the contestents are picked by the sponsors.

Good point, Frank. My contention is how do we REALLY know how the vote went? Is there any proof that Michael John got voted off couple weeks ago? Most people I know picked him to win it all. Somehow, I'm not buying it.

Good assessment. Consensus around here is another reason- too long drawn out episodes. Seacrest's babble and ego does appear to be what the show revolves around now. Idol watchers are also narrowed by the lack of talent in promoted contestant David Cook.(More gimmick than potential)

Need to boost the ratings? Idol should try having the contestants perform more often and Seacrest- less.

Ah yes, once again speculative journalism rears its ugly head. First in politics, now television. Don't you have anything better to do, like, say report the facts?

Maybe the reason it is not doing well this year is because there is not any TRUE talent. None of the singers have been consistent and noone pops out. Michael Johns was great because he is hot but can he sing an original song? It's just boring this year.

Oh PLEASE let it end! Reality TV has gone on for way too long. Society is addicted to empty fillers in all aspects of entertainment- TV, music, movies, etc. No one has enough creativity any more- or the guts to at least let it shine through.

The voting system for the show needs to be changed. As it is, whoever appeals to the teen and pre-teen girls will always win. Currently, you can vote as many times as you like. People who actually have lives/responsibilities can not vote endlessly for hours like young kids can. A system similar to "Dancing with the Stars" with a maximum number of votes per telephone number (I think it is 6)would provide a more accurate representation of the cross section of the viewers.
Of course, Idol loves to tell you that 30 Million votes were cast. What they don't tell you is it was probably only 300,000 voters.

I'm not watching it like I did in the past. I'm bored with the show actually - since the whole Sanjaya episode it seems to be a contest of favoritism and not one based on who actually has talent and can sing - there is no way Michael Johns should have gone home already. Reality shows are really over-kill at this point.

yo yo yo yo yo yo check it out check it out dog...... a little pitchy for me but yo yo yo yo you are in my dawg pound baby.. you can really bring it like dis... yo yo yo yo yo you my dawg!!!

Yes, change the voting system. Expose the numbers!

Dancing w/the Stars has a better system. Randy Jackson's, "America's best dance crew," also has a good system. The judges critique, the people/viewers vote and narrow it down, then the panel judges make the final decision. This process would give the Idol judges the final say.

Alas, Michael Johns did get robbed. Archuleta has the whole package and could be huge with some grooming but the producers seem to do things their way regardless.

I was an addicted viewer. Watched every season faithfully. This year is different. After Michael Johns left, I tivo'd it but but barely watched any of it. Everyone seems boring to me now and I don't care which person wins at the end.

Any TV show that has a mostly female audience will soon falter--you're on notice Dancing with the Stars. Women make their choices by what is trendy and what their friends think is cool. Once the first sign shows that what they are watching, wearing, eating, etc. is not cool or fashionable, it disappears. I have seen this type of behavior over the years watching my wife and 3 daughters.

How long has The Simpsons been on? How long was Cheers on? How many women watch(ed) those shows percentage-wise? Very little. How are the ratings lately for Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives? Not great. I give each show 1, maybe 2 more years, then bye bye.

I still really enjoy American Idol, but have a couple of suggestions, as I have also missed the show intermittently: 1) It's not easy, if you have a life, to commit to tuning in two days a week to the same show. I realize there's voting one day and results the next, but I really wish there could be a way to get the whole show done on Tuesday. 2) We should get to see the vote totals, or they should at least be published via website. 3) The results should be based on a combination of viewer vote and the judges' opinions. There have been too many instances of really good singers being eliminated early so not-so-talented teeny-bopper favorites can stay on longer (e.g., Sanjiya). 4) I've missed a few weeks this season, but I don't think there've been guest judges. Guest judges added variety to the whole judge dialogue bit, as well as another opinion, so I'd like to see them again.

That's all--still love the show, but do get tired of the same judge vs. judge or Ryan vs. judge jokes & jabs.

Bring back the Bundy's!! Married with Children ... Al beats up Simon. YEAH!!!

Stupid show for stupid people.

Rochester wrote:

Yes, change the voting system. Expose the numbers!
Dancing w/the Stars has a better system. Randy Jackson's, "America's best dance crew," also has a good system. The judges critique, the people/viewers vote and narrow it down, then the panel judges make the final decision. This process would give the Idol judges the final say.
Alas, Michael Johns did get robbed. Archuleta has the whole package and could be huge with some grooming but the producers seem to do things their way regardless.

They can change the voting system, but won't!
There is a reason why the votes never become public knowledge..........they don't count!
The numbers won't ever be exposed because they are ALL FAKE! Does anyone really believe that viewers are dropping, but the number of votes has gone up each week?

www.votefortheworst.com
american idol is fixed