Why Four AI Judges are Too Many
The Additional Input on American Idol Upsets the Balance
Apr 10, 2009
When producers added Kara DioGuardi to Season 8’s panel of judges – consisting of Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell – they upset a delicate balance that had been so successful in the past. Here are four reasons why four judges are too many.
A Fourth Judge Upsets the Balance of Body, Mind, and Spirit
By adding DioGuardi as the fourth American Idol judge, the producers disrupted the successful Body, Mind, and Spirit combination already in place. Singer-choreographer Abdul represents the body; Simon (“I Don’t Mean to Be Rude, but…”) Cowell represents the mind; and Randy “Yo Dude, What’s Up Dawg?” Jackson represents the spirit. It’s not DioGuardi’s fault that she can’t find her place on the panel; all the bases were covered before she arrived.
The Extra Input Takes Up Too Much Time
The addition of a fourth judge – and a talkative one at that – has caused the show to run late several times this season. Whatever contestant goes last in the Tuesday lineup runs the risk of getting less feedback because of a lack of time, as in the case of Adam Lambert’s April 7 performance of “Mad World.” After Lambert’s hauntingly beautiful rendition of the song made popular by Tears For Fears, there was only enough time for Cowell to give his response, which in this case was a rare standing ovation. By running seven minutes past its allotted time, American Idol forced the Fox Network to issue a public apology. By upsetting the programming schedule, some viewers who taped the show missed Lambert’s performance and those taping shows afterward also might have encountered some unpleasant surprises.
An Even Number of Judges Invites Conflict
At the conclusion of the Wednesday, April 8 show, the judges debated among themselves whether or not to oust lowest vote contestant Scott MacIntyre. Running out of time yet again, the judges were tied in their decision: Two wanted to invoke their new privilege of keeping a voted-out contestant and two thought he should leave the show. With no time to debate further, Simon made the call for all of them: MacIntyre was heading home. With an odd number of judges, no conflicts of this nature will arise.
Four Judges: Too Much Repetition
How many different ways can the judges say, “Karaoke,” “Copy Cat Performance,” “Know Who You Are,” and “Make the Song Your Own”? With three professionals giving their input, there’s generally a consensus that’s helpful to contestants – although still room for specific disagreements, such as how they look or whether or not they should play an instrument. By the time the fourth judge gets around to critiquing a performance, the important observations have already been made. American Idol constantly reinvents itself to stay interesting and relevant to viewers. Let’s hope producers learned their lesson this time and return to three judges during Season 9.
For more information about American Idol, read American Idol Audition Disasters Season 8 and Disney’s American Idol Attraction.
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