American Idol has come back strong this year with new judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler joining Randy Jackson as the show recovers from ratings phenom and "meanie" judge Simon Cowell's departure as he prepares to take his UK export/worldwide phenomenon talent show called The X Factor as it comes across the pond to the US later this year. With the new judges and talent being at it's best, I've definitely tuned in. But, will American viewers tune into it's new "competition" the X Factor and the somewhat rushed to TV The Voice?
It's true, people love to watch people do stuff and famous people judge it. That's why American Idol has been around for so long, but can The X Factor and The Voice bump Idol off its pedestal? Well, The X Factor, in my opinion, has potential, while The Voice looks like a rushed effort.
The Voice is NBC's competition for FOX as it tries to change the talent formula by choosing someone for only their voice. It felt like yesterday when I heard that the show was on it's way to our small screens, and now there's commercials advertising it for April 26th. Country singer Blake Shelton, Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine, R&B Crooner Cee-Lo Green and the most popular of them all, Vocal Powerhouse Christina Aguilera, are all the judges/mentors trying to find The Voice. And even though it's concept sounds good, we'll keep a watch out for this show and see how it fairs.
The X Factor formula is a formula that has worked in numerous countries, and creator Simon Cowell is bringing it here. Behind the career of Leona Lewis and previous season 2nd runner up / anticipated newcomer Cher Lloyd, The X Factor replaced Pop Idol in the UK (the origin of American Idol) and continued making normal people into superstars. For example, Leona Lewis went from a secretary to one of the biggest stars in the UK and a hit maker in the US. This show started the mentor and mentee relationship between the judges and the contestants, making the emotional factor increase, and viewers love emotional! Also, the contestants audition in front of arenas full of people (like the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ where auditions will be held soon), which I think is gold. I personally think this has the X Factor to overthrow American Idol; I love the UK version (I watched it online), and if they have the star power that is looking to be promised, I'll be tuning in for sure.
In the Reality TV world, two entertaining topics are the basis for shows in this genre: Music and New Jersey. Both are big players in the ratings game for their respective networks.
In terms of Music, it's a common thread in the world of Reality. From Music stars, background music to set the tone, to the brains behind the music, music impacts the show whether the main star does music or eventually gets into the world of music.
Stars from the music industry that have (or had) their own reality shows include Gene Simmons, R&B stars Keyshia Cole and Monica, Former Moesha star Brandy and her brother Ray J (who also had his entertaining, yet sleazy reality dating show called For the Love of Ray J), Bret Michaels (who also had 3 seasons of a dating show), Mel B formerly of the Spice Girls, and now, Aubrey O'Day, from Diddy's Making the Band and his first girl group, the short lived Danity Kane, who's show, All About Aubrey premiered March 7th on the Oxygen Network, and it's premiere was the highest rated docu-series premiere in network history among all key demographics.
And, as always, a Kardashian has put them-self in the story. Kim Kardashian recently released a single on iTunes, called Jam (Turn it Up) or as I like to call it Turn it Down, and profiled the making of the single on the E! show she and her sister Kourtney are on, Kourtney and Kim Take New York.
Jersey is also a ratings juggernaut in the Reality TV world, and has shown that people love the way we say things, such as "coffee" and "talk" or phonetically speaking, "tawk" and "cawfee." Shows like Jersey Shore, which only one person is actually a true Jerseyan (the much criticized Sammi Sweetheart), Jerseylicious, The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Jersey Couture, and the Style Network special The Glam Fairy, a spin off effort from Jerseylicious, who's season finale was one of Style's highest rated episodes ever.
Jersey shows are coincidentally (or not) my favorite, because I see a lot of places I've been, places that are around me, or I see people I know and I feel somewhat connected to the show (one of my friends was offered to be on Jerseylicious and went to beauty school with the show's pivotal characters, while another was actually on the show as a model). Music star reality shows are also one of my favorite micro-genres because it does show a life I would want to live, but I don't feel as connected to them, so if I had to choose one of these two micro-genres of the macro-genre of Reality TV, I would choose Jersey of course!
