Cher adds true star power to The Voice
It’s easy to hit a high note. It’s not so easy to stay there. The Voice is coming off a dizzying several weeks. The so-called “blind auditions” — in which prospective singers audition with the judges’ backs turned to the stage, and are judged on voice alone — is the most exciting phase of the Voice process, because the singers are complete unknowns. The viewers, but not the judges, learn their backstories ahead of time, but until a singer steps on the stage, it’s impossible to know what will come out.
The Voice has shifted into a new phase, though, when it returns Monday. These are the so-called “battle rounds,” in which Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine pair off their respective teams into duets. The mentor chooses a song, the two singers practise in the studio with the help of a visiting mentor — Shelton has joined forces this season with Cher — and then perform before a live audience. At the end, their coach-mentor chooses the one who will stay; the other goes home. It’s a little gimmicky. And, at times, painful to watch.
The atmosphere has changed. What was a hopeful, optimistic process based on talent and talent alone is now like any other TV reality competition show. The judges’ decisions in the battle rounds are often based on who has the better chance of advancing in the competition once the audience at home decides — image, in other words — and not so much talent and singing ability. By the time The Voice gets down to the live shows, it’s like any other TV singing competition. No one likes to see a hopeful singer’s dreams shattered or, if they’re lucky, temporarily postponed.
The guest mentors add a lot, though. And if last week’s shows were any indication, they don’t come much more insightful, supportive and critical, when needed, than Cher. Cher knows TV. When a struggling singer needs a little constructive advice, Cher lets them have it.
“Where have you been my whole Voice career?” Shelton asked Cher, during the most recent battle-round show. “I have been working, OK?” she replied. “I don’t just sit on my ass and punch a little button.” All righty, then. On with the show. (8 p.m., NBC, CTV)
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Brennan and Booth finally tie the knot on Bones. Naturally, events threaten to intervene — work keeps getting in the way — and Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and Booth’s (David Boreanaz) colleagues try their darndest to keep details of their latest case to themselves. Cyndi Lauper, Ryan O’Neal, Joanna Cassidy and David Hornsby gueststar. (8 p.m., Fox, Global)
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