From the shores of the Internet to the depths of my e-mail in-box to the hallways of my office, fusillades of criticism have been flying against American Idol’s new semifinal rounds format. Hidebound Idol traditionalists have cried that the producers are ruining the master template. Among the criticisms: The new format gives you no time to get to know the contestants; the contestants have no time to grow; there is too much pressure on one lousy song choice; flukes will slip through based on one good night.
I would like to enter into evidence exhibits in defense of the format.
I would like to start out by conceding, for the moment, the validity of all the prosecution’s points. It is true this format gives us less time to get to know the contestants at the outset (although somehow it seems we have relived every inch of Danny Gokey’s life with him); it is true that flukes may happen, that there is enormous pressure now on one song.
Still, the prosecution’s case rests on a bed of quicksand. Its flaw is this: While pointing out the shortcomings of the new format, they suppose that all was a bed of roses under the old regime.
If people think that we are forced to sit through some bad performances this year, do those same j'accusers not recall that in recent years the semifinal rounds, divided into boys nights and girls nights, with all singing each week, ran a full five hours per week? (Not that I would complain about that, mind you.) And for those who think that the talent was better at this stage in previous years, please refresh your memory with a gander at this page featuring the semifinal cannon fodder of Season Six. Or if you prefer, scroll down to the "Best of the Rest" section on this page, featuring the archetypal season, Season Five.
The fact is that we live in a world of imperfect choices. No one format can satisfy all desires or solve all problems, and every change creates new challenges. But for the following reasons, I offer that although the ultimate success of this format will lie in the outcome of this season, the change is a noble effort and should not be so brashly dismissed as some would like.
Please, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, consider the following:
- As noted above, it creates a much more compact, vital evening of programming than the sprawling five-hour, three-night affair of seasons past.
- It creates an instant dynamic of tension. Yes, the show is about growth, progress, etc.; but it is also about drama. In years past, the kickoffees were by and large so obvious each week that it felt like we were doing our homework as voters, slowly culling the field. Now this is an actual competition from the first.
Over at Zap2it, Andrea Reiher reports from today's winners' conference calls with the press. Here is an excerpt from the Kris Allen call:
Well it was no surprise to me that 
