American Idolreturns this Sunday on ABC, two years after ending on Fox.
But the last two years were untold decades in our psychological calendar, so maybe its time.
Theres not much to complain about with the newAmerican Idol, nor really to praise.
Ryan Seacrest is still here (for now).
Lionel Richie:I love the quality of your voice.
I dont even know if you know that you have the kind of voice that you have.
Katy Perry:I dont think your voice has seen its ultimate potential, for sure.
The joy ofIdolwas always in the carving, of course.
OneIdolcontestant already competed on a foreign version ofThe X-Factor.
AnotherIdolcontestant has a backstory that features a cameo from Robin Roberts.
Its weird, and maybe wont matter onceIdolmoves from audition to true competition.
In the premiere, Richie is very much the eminent sage.
I dont want to give you the opportunity, and then you get there and it destroys you.
shiny musical dream that the whole foundation ofAmerican Idolindulges.
Hes never mean, but his exit lines have a tough-but-fair honesty: You won everything today.
You come back at 21.
Hes confronted by a good singer with a great backstory.
And he tells the manNo, cutting off a Cinderella Story at the knees.
Brutal, but thats life…until after the commercial break, when Richie has a change of heart.
The freak show aspect of the audition rounds could grate on you, or trend into bullying schadenfreude.
But it was cathartic, too, how Cowell nominated himself the resident Dreamcrusher.
Will there ever be a truly bluntIdoljudge again?
Hard to imagine, and maybe hard to support.
I wont crucify anyone this year for being nice, even if theyre just performatively nice.
That singer who Richie refuses, but then saves?
Sometimes you have to separate the story from what were really going for.
CONTESTANT:Oh my gosh!
Have you ever tried out forAmerican Idol?'
KATY PERRY:Really?
I think that people are not telling you the truth.
Bryan sure seems friendly.
Something about you is pretty dadgum inspiring, buddy!
Im not critiquing you, Im just saying yes!
After the other judges let a contestant leave, Bryan cheerfully grumbles, Oh, I shouldve fought you!
So far, no fighting.
