Update: It appears that Fox is trying to fill the void, and not just with Kara DioGuardi - Katy Perry and Victoria Beckham have been lined up as guest judges. Is this enough? In my opinion, having guest judges was never a good idea...
American Idol, despite it's enormous popularity, has seen some changes lately. Last year, the "Judge's Save" was added - a feature that allowed a judge to stop a contestant from being eliminated. Of course, in Season 8, the biggest change was that of the fourth judge - singer/song-write Kara DioGuardi.
She served alongside Idol veterans Simo
n Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson all throughout last season, and it's been confirmed that she will be returning for the upcoming Season 9. While this intially doesn't seem like a 'problem', it has become one, with the news that Paula Abdul will not be returning as a judge for the next season.
Now, I'm not going to be comparing these two - they are entirely different people - but with the situation, that is exactly what fans will be doing. Despite her being around for last season, she will be seen as a "replacement" of Abdul. Why is this a problem? She simply isn't recognizable enough. The three original judges are so well known because they have been with the show for years. And while she may have rose to fame as a fourth judge given enough time, she has to become a veteran judge after one season.
You see, the judges' names should be recognizable by fans and non-fans alike. When a non-fan can tell who is an Idol judge and who isn't, that is a big sign of popularity. Kara DioGuardi simply doesn't have that kind of Idol fame, and most people wouldn't even know her name before she appeared on Idol.
After the announcement that Abdul was leaving, my expectations for the next season sunk dramatically. The balance of judges will be thrown off completely, and I feel quite confident that ratings for Idol will dip severely. We're just going to have to wait and see, however, if Kara can really carry that much weight on her shoulders.
No comments:
Post a Comment