American Idol Finale

'American Idol' finale 2011: Grading 'American Idol' season 10


Turns out there’s life after Simon Cowell after all.

When “American Idol” names its 10th champion Wednesday night, many pop culture fans will actually care.

That’s a big deal, considering viewers went into this season with grim expectations.



Steven Tyler, left, Jennifer Lopez, center, and Randy Jackson, judges on the FOX show "American Idol," take part in a panel discussion during the FOX Broadcasting Company Television Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

From left: “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest with judges Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson


AMERICAN IDOL: L-R: Steven Tyler, Ryan Seacrest, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson. CR: Michael becker / FOX.

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Click here to follow Sonya Sorich's "American Idol" blog Simon Cowell, long regarded as the face of “Idol,” was no longer on the show’s judges’ panel. Headlines pointed to a recent lack of a marketable winner.

Somehow, “Idol” bounced back.

The series has sustained strong ratings this year, despite initial uncertainty. The talent quality easily beats many previous seasons. But there’s still room for improvement.

Let’s look at this season’s “American Idol” report card.

THE JUDGES

Viewers breathed a collective sigh of relief when this season’s first “Idol” audition episode wasn’t a total train wreck. New judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler offered a kinder, gentler alternative to Cowell, who was often too abrasive.

Unfortunately, things were a little less pleasant once we got to the live shows. The biggest problem? The judges were too nice.

Instead of constructive criticism, they overdosed on “beautiful.” It made some contestants develop inflated egos, a natural result of being showered in praise every week.

Grade: C

THE VOTING

The “American Idol” voting process discovered a new invention this year: the Internet. The show added Facebook to its available voting methods, which were previously confined to phone calls and text messages.

An online option made me cast votes for the first time in years. I encountered no major computer glitches. From a technical standpoint, it seems like a success.

Nonetheless, the show still faces a variety of conspiracy theories.

And there are lingering questions about whether the judges’ feedback should carry some weight in deciding which singers advance each week.

Will everything be resolved next season? Probably not.

Grade: B

THE FORMAT

Amid changes to the judges’ panel and voting process, producers didn’t mess too much with the basic structure of “Idol.” The biggest format change -- a shorter semifinal round -- was long overdue. Also, I like this season’s addition of an in-house mentor.

The current format is hardly perfect, however. I’d suggest doing away with the judges’ save, which seems to only delay a contestant’s inevitable elimination.

And please, please, please cut results shows down to 30 minutes. My tolerance for excessive filler material has expired.

Grade: B

THE CONTESTANTS

Most talented batch of singers ever. An amazing batch of men. Female powerhouses.

Sound familiar?

“Idol” judges have often bragged about the caliber of a season’s finalists. This time, they were telling the truth. Almost.

Sure, I could have done without Ashthon Jones and Karen Rodriguez in the top 13. Fortunately, those singers were the first ones to go home.

Did last season’s lackluster talent pool distort my perception? Probably.

But the season 10 singers deserve much of the credit for reviving “Idol” this year. Let’s hope they don’t all disappear into obscurity.

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