Really who needs Simon. The Judges are excellent, constuctive and know music. Once you have heard a Simon putdown you have heard them all. Randy seems more upbeat and we can see more of his character. The contestants are awesome... Durbin to win x

I think it's a great show and I don't miss Simon at all. It's like he was never there. I enjoy all the artists this year. ..... but
Scotty to win

Yep agree its so much better without Simon. All the acts have been good has well with lots of diversity to suit most tastes.

It was better than ever until last week's stupid results show!

Not missing Simon though, and I'm now backing the Durbinator too!

xxxx

I really like the judges this year. But the reason I think I've enjoyed this year is the level of talent. Last year I didn't even watch the finals because I found most of the contestants boring. I think as long as the talent is great I don't particularly mind who the judges are, but again I really do like the judges this year .

Simon isn't being missed in BGT or AI

I wonder how X Factor USA will fair?

I wondered how it would be without him but find it much more upbeat and positive now.

I can't decide who I want to win - Lauren and Scotty are great country singers. James is really rocky. Not keen on Casey - he can play a good bass but he is pitchy. Haley and Jacob will be the next two to go despite being good.

I don't miss Simon, but I do miss Kara. The new panel's OK, but they tend to let poor performances go, which isn't helpful to the contestants. Kara would have put constructive criticism across in a positive way, which might not have made "great TV" like Simon in his prime, but would be a great asset, alongside the whole of the current panel

xxxx

I much prefer the new panel, but to be honest, I think that this season's talent is being massively over-hyped in a bid to keep people interested in AI.

I'm a bit disappointed in the new panel .. I thought Steven T would have been more critical .... they seem to all fawn a bit too much and overpraise some pretty average performances

Simon's script was getting a bit boring but at least he called out some of the less than sparkling performances

I don't think this years idols are staggeringly better than previous years, but they are certainly intriguing. Casey was my early favourite, but would he have got through with the previous panel? (I guess not - didn't he audition before?)

I agree with this. Simon's over-worked phrase "and now for a reality check" has been sadly missed this season, with too few performances getting any criticism at all. Steven started well, but seems to have run out of enthusiasm now, just finding more oblique ways of saying nothing.

There was potential in several of the contestants, but often this potential has not been realised. I can only really see Scotty having major success, although Casey will find some areas in which to perform well, and presumably James will become a watered down Adam.

Comedy post of the day

These years contestants are no better than in some other years and a lot worse than in most other years. That spiel is not washing with the US public any more. How could it? Only two of the last12 weren't previous rejects (and both of those first time auditionees are still there ............ funny that)

I'd say two of this year's panel are tantamount to the brown stuff that comes out of your rear ....................... but there is a point to that while there's no point to those two.

I find it hilarious how many people who are praising the two new judges for their niceness are the same ones who have criticised judges on UK shows in the past for not criticising when criticism has been due ............... and criticism has been well overdue for a few on this show.

What makes these two more credible? The fact that one is a backing singer and dancer who got lucky and had the cheek to describe a far more talented and beautiful actress as "simply a model who got lucky" or the fact that one is a rock singer who appears to have lost his hearing or eyesight or marbles or all of those?

Simon is so desperately needed there this year, as are Paula and Kara. The ones that will ultimately suffer are the poor contestants who are being led to believe they are better than they are. The fall and bump will be very painful for them.

yeah during the auditions Steven seemed to be a lot more animated and honest .. I wonder if he's havng to reign it in for the live shows so he's decided to just say very little or keep it all PC

Like you I thought after the Hollywood rounds that it was going to be a pretty good season but I'm disappointed with the live shows ... a lot of them can sing OK but for me there's no stand out or anything special, appreciate that Scotty can sing but he bores me, Casey started off as something a bit different but his growling and huffing and puffing during songs is starting to annoy me . I loved Jacob's God Bless The Child but on the live show he's too divalike and all over the place, both girls can sing but they're nothing special and whilst I quite like James he doesn't blow me away either .. it's all a bit flat for me

I don't agree with your first statement but couldn't agree more with your second. Emperor's new clothes doesn't even begin to describe the contestants.

You couldn't be more right about the reason for the hype of this year's talent.



What do you mean become? What is he now?

I think that during the auditions they can be themselves because the episodes are not live and the producers can cut and paste in order to show the judge reactions they want.

On the live shows, I am 100% convinced that they have to follow the producers directions in terms of who to praise or criticize. They can't go against, for this year, Iovine's wishes. Steven doesn't like it, as much as Ellen didn't like it last year.They refuse to play the manipulation game, and fall back into neutral meaningless judging. Steven won't probably be there next year.

yeah that's what I meant .. he was being bleeped during aucitions a lot but he has to censor himslf during the live shows .... he seems bored with it already and I get the impression that he can't be bothered to say anything if he can't say what he really feels

love him to bits though .. he wears some fabulous blouses

I hope for his own credibility that Steven isn't there next year but more than that I hope that when he hasn't taken the option to extend his contract he tells it as it is in the final. What a night that would be?

They could do with the old Simon back this year. I wonder what happened to him?

I never expected anything else from Jennifer than what we are getting.

I'm disappointed with Steven though, He doesn't need the job, money or publicity so I don't know why he is so evidently toeing the party line. I expected him to be the Simon of the panel but he's raving mediocre or even bad performances and vocals when they involve contestants the show is clearly favouring.

I'm glad Simon isn't there anymore. This panel is lacking some negative critique, but I think Randy seems to be stepping it up a bit.

Simon's critiques are just so manipulative and contrived that his words are meaningless now.
I started losing respect for Simon on X Factor uk a few years ago when two contestants in his category were in the bottom two, and he admitted to eliminating the one who obviously could sing far better in order to keep the one who had a better chance to win it for him (due to the granny/mummy vote). Then my last straw was a few years later when he constantly complained about Jedward being in the competition, yet when the opportunity came to get rid of them he saved them instead.
I don't really listen to anything he says anymore, so I suppose it wouldn't actually make a difference to me if he was there anyway.