American Idol: Messing with the formula

For the last couple weeks, we’ve known the season 12 winner of American Idol is female. (We haven’t had a girl win the competition since Jordan Sparks garnered the top spot – and as the youngest winner ever – during the finale of season 6 in 2007.) And, with the exit of Lazaro Arbos a couple weeks ago (the lone remaining guy in the gaggle of gals on the show), it goes without saying the streak will finally be broken.

Or … will it? I’m not so sure.

Idol could pull another “trick” out its sleeve and reinject one of the guys back into the competition. There could be yet another turn of events unprecedented in the annals of Idoldom. Hell … some goofy campaign could come along and rewrite the rules so that Nicki Minaj and/or Mariah Carey could take the whole ball of wax. *choke*

Yes … there’s been that kind of ruckus raised during the show of late. And it’s not lending well to the overall scheme of things.

See … last week there was a wrench tossed in the machine we haven’t witnessed previously (at least not in quite the manner revealed) resulting in a “do over” for the Top 4 contestants. What happened? No one got eliminated. No one got nixed. The lowest vote getter didn’t get booted off the show. In essence, we were robbed. Robbed of a couple hours of our time, robbed of what’s always come before, robbed of the drama of someone’s favorite contestant being eliminated. And, for me, I was robbed of seeing Amber taken out of the competition. (More on that below.)

Just as interesting, because there was an ouster the previous week, if I were Janelle ArthurI’d be pissed off the Top 4 get another go ’round. Why couldn’t that “do over” be offered while she was still in the fold? Doesn’t exactly seem fair to her, does it?

That wrench– such that it is and as it’s been explained to us — is The Idol Powers That Be tucking in an extra week into the season, one that’s been committed to sponsors who have paid their dues for their wares to be broadcast across the airwaves. And we can’t NOT have that happen, judges’ save be damned.

The judges’ save didn’t get used this season. None of the four could agree unanimously on a single competitor to use it on. (That right there speaks volumes … as in “no one was worthy of it.”) Had it been used, an extra week of competition would have justified a “re-do” and would have made sense. But putting a “do over” episode of Top 4 performances as announced by our little buddy Ryan Seacrest last week did nothing but leave a bad taste in our mouths. That “special surprise announcement no one will see coming” amounted to nothing less than chicanery. It was ill-designed and logistically unsound. And it really wasn’t even much of a surprise, truth be told.

Going forward, what is the only thing that will make sense to justify a “do over?” The simple elimination of two contestants on the show this week. But that can’t happen because of the sponsors who have “pony’d up” their moolah … and they’re not going to be denied. Too late for that.

Back to my Amber mention above and why I was robbed. On the 18th of this month I posted the following, who would be eliminated week to week:

“Janelle is at the bottom of the Gal Pack. Cute and all, but not up to the others’ abilities. Amber works, but you never know what you’re going to get. Angie – while brilliant at times – is inconsistent. Candice and Kree will be the last two standing. And while I am partial to Kree (love her) and appreciate her efforts immensely, Candice is the better, more emotive contestant.”

With Janelle having been ousted (as predicted) and Amber one of the two at the bottom of the pack last week, my plan is still in effect. So I got that goin’ for me regardless of the fact there was no elimination.

But I’d be willing to bet there’s still some monkey business in store at the Big, Bad Idol Machine. More so than usual.

Let’s see what else they pull out of there bag of tricks …