"American Idol" Return Is A Lazy Redo, With Nary A Change!

(Same Old American Idol logo for ABC?)

American Idol was cancelled by Fox for a reason but with Ryan Seacrest now at ABC, it seems that the franchise followed Seacrest to this new network home. And after all the hoopla about its return, well, I was expecting something more than what it use to be. But after watching the first episode, I have to wonder... WHY???

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The first episode of ABC's American Idol was almost more of the same with a tiny bit of change. The same was that we saw three or four auditions held in different cities, in literally the same auditioning room as it's always been held in, with nearly the same logo.

The change was that they rushed through auditions from multiple cities in the same episode.

The same was that of the few auditions we watched, a few were wonderful and one was not so much. And they had one loser girl piss and moan on how the judges didn't know what they're doing.  Just like the show used to have. It felt so staged it wasn't even funny. And there was the questionable contestants they gave tickets to...  we know what's going to happen to them, if this show format stays the same as before.

The same was that auditioners were exiting that one doorway everyone has an ear to and is listening at, before the singer comes out to tell their friends or family, accompanied by Ryan Seacrest, if they got that Golden Ticket or not. Yes, still with the Golden Ticket.

Plus the judges, for me, don't hold much sway for my attention. And no one was turning their chairs? Oh, yea, there's that.

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ABC had a huge opportunity to revamp this franchise and make it look and feel different and better. HUGE! And yet all they did is spend minimal amount of time and energy and made it feel almost exactly like it did when it was on Fox. Except... this wasn't The Voice.

American Idol was one of the laziest reboots or revamps that I have ever seen.

The Voice seems to now be the flagship of singing audition shows, with great judges, blind auditions, and incredible insightful and positive minded auditioners who don't slam the judges when they don't make it. In fact, we feel sad for some of them as they saunter off, disappointed but constructive on their futures.

I stopped watching the first episode of Idol and I'm not really sure what to do about it, except maybe delete it from my DVR timer because I got The Voice over on NBC with their great coach chemistry and what not!

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