In previous AI seasons, there comes the inevitable “surprise” elimination where one contestant, who many believed could win, is asked to leave. Jennifer Hudson, Michael Johns, and Chris Daughtry fell victim to a lack of votes from viewers, resulting in their premature dismissal. It appears that a new rule is set to protect against such eliminations, which gives the American Idol judges the power to make a one-time unanimous veto against viewer voting results. When the veto is executed, no contestant goes home, but in the following week two singers are given their walking papers. The ‘Save Rule’ can be used at any time beginning tonight and up until five contestants remain. Is this a good or bad thing?
It’s a good thing when a contestant happens to be from a part of the country where AI viewers are low in numbers. As a result, their hometown support just doesn’t match up to another singer from a large metropolitan area. The rule also protects against the short term memory loss of the American Idol viewer. Some contestants have rock solid performances all throughout the season, but because of one missed note lose their place in the contest. The save rule allows the judges to save the contestant from being punished for that one missed note. The public also tends to forget that American Idol is a singing competition. There are times where one contestant is clearly not the best singer, but remains in the running due to their quirky personality or appearance (Sanjaya). Meanwhile, better singers are given the boot because they didn’t wear a silly Mohawk, or because they didn’t make a fan with down’s syndrome cry on national television. In these cases, the judges’ veto power is relevant and acceptable.
But why institute a veto rule when half the show’s success is based on the American voter? AI is popular not only because it finds diamonds in the rough, but because every home viewer can shape the evolution of each season. Also, it would be strange to see the judges save a contestant when the night before that same contestant was given poor feedback for their performance. The veto rule seems to be very contradictory to many of the show’s foundational procedures.
The rule has already been used in the French version of Idol, and apparently it works. It’s going to be a love-hate event when it happens in the land of the free.
