Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Grading the first season of ABC’s ‘Idol’ reboot
When ABC revived “American Idol,” just two years after the curtain fell on its 15-season run on Fox, many wondered whether the show would be able to capture its old magic.
The show was years removed from its heyday, when 30 million viewers tuned in weekly to root (and vote) for aspiring singers such as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Adam Lambert and countless others, with its final seasons at Fox mostly remembered for the cadre of A-list judges, sagging ratings and inability to launch a viable star.
ABC’s revival of “Idol,” which saw Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan fill the judges’ panel and the return of longtime host Ryan Seacrest, wrapped its two-night season finale this past week with the crowning of Maddie Poppe, a 20-year-old folk-pop singer from Clarksville, Iowa.
The two-hour finale drew 8.7 million viewers (about 13.3 million tuned into its “farewell” bow on Fox), but the real test has only just begun for the hopefuls and the season’s victor, who, as Perry advised, “need to make the most of this moment.”
With ABC already committed to a second season — Seacrest and the judges are all set to return — we thought it was worth grading the revived show.
Judges
On paper, Perry, Bryan and Richie couldn’t appear more dissonant — respectively, a pop chameleon, a country superstar and a distinguished crooner with more accolades than mantel space. But it mostly worked. They ultimately had far more chemistry than several previous superstar panels, even if Perry’s knack for slapstick distracted from the process.
What made them most compelling was their commitment to offering constructive critiques that allowed contestants to tangibly improve over the course of the season. (B+)
Talent
This season’s top 10 was the most diverse and dynamic crop of talent the show had seen in ages. There were powerhouse vocalists, performers who arrived to their first audition as fully realized artists just needing a shot (such as Poppe), singers who matured over the competition and talent that felt plucked from radio. (A)
Live shows
“Idol” live shows are without equal when it comes to singing competitions. Built around themes that can be imaginative (Grammy hits, arena anthems) or quite standard (Motown, country night), the live shows are where contestants truly get to show their range. The reboot unfolded on a far more truncated schedule, with just five weeks of live shows, about half as many as in previous seasons. It left little room for the performances to really become interesting. (D)
Viewer engagement
Each week, Seacrest boasted about how many votes had poured in. But it made us wonder who exactly was voting. This year’s top 10 was an extremely impressive group, rich in diversity — both in ethnicity and talent. There was a Latina drag queen with a bone-chilling vocal prowess that recalled Jennifer Hudson, a black lesbian whose wife was able to support her during the competition before being deployed, a bilingual performer and singers of different shades who genre-hopped with ease. Yet there seemed to be a massive disconnect, considering how the people of color were the first to go. Sure, it’s up to the viewing audience, but it was startling enough to cause a judges’ intervention, an online backlash and be the subject of interviews for contestants. (D+)
Finale
Let’s start with the good. That Disneyesque fairy tale reveal that the top two finalists, Poppe and 19-year-old country crooner Caleb Lee Hutchinson, had been secretly dating since meeting early on in the competition was one of the biggest shocks an “Idol” finale had ever seen. But the fun pretty much ended there as the finale lacked serious pizazz.
Where was the spectacle? Where were the superstar appearances? Where were the flashy medleys that brought back our favorite finalists? Instead of a big venue, the action played out on the “Idol” set, which made for a disappointingly bare-bones display.
There were flashes of magic, though. Gary Clark Jr. was on hand for a fiery number with this season’s soulful rock-influenced strummers Dennis Lorenzo and Cade Foehner; Poppe dusted off her sweet and stirring take of “Rainbow Connection” — her audition number — alongside Kermit the Frog; and Ada Vox powered through “Lady Marmalade” alongside Patti LaBelle. (C-)