For the second consecutive night, I was blown away by how sleek X Factor looks. Simon Cowell’s new singing competition may not be as different from American Idol as I had hoped, but in many ways, it’s a cleaner, more streamlined product. Unfortunately, there’s a lot more that goes into a phenomenon than polish. American Idol is regularly watched by more than twenty million people because more than twenty million people watch it. Success breeds more success. My parents watch American Idol. My fiancé watches American Idol. When I don’t watch it, I feel like I’m left out of the conversation.
Earlier this week, X Factor premiered to underwhelming ratings. More than twelve million viewers would have been considered a raging success for most programs, but with a lavish competition show featuring Simon Cowell, many experts expected a lot more. Honestly, I did too. X Factor has a long way to go before it’s truly pop culture currency. The question is can it get there?
I expect the show to receive both its share of positive and negative word of mouth. Some viewers will likely recommend it based on how well it’s put together, but others may stop watching because much of it has been seen before. In the end, it’ll probably all balance out. People tend to like what they like, and with years of American Idol memories, many may be less than excited about bringing aboard a second singing competition.