I've come to the conclusion that the problems with TXF this year largely lie within the judging panel. Putting aside the obvious assumptions that much of the show is scripted and the panel are mere Christmas baule-baules, I think that after the initial love affair with a fresh new panel and all the fun they appeared to have at the auditions, it just doesn't work having three music artists on the panel, specifically Gary and Kelly.
Experienced and worldly as they may be regarding matters surrounding the music business, they give off an element of smugness that I find slightly nauseating. Although no combination of judges has ever been perfect, I think one of the things that worked best with Simon, Dannii, Cheryl and Louis was that you had an even balance of behind-the-scenes talent and then those who's product was actually being sold to the public. Cheryl's solo career was massively boosted off the success of X Factor, and it was obvious that she was nervous about it. Dannii had come to the panel as a somewhat minor star in the UK, often accused of riding the coattails of Kylie's success, but has since turned her hand to many new ventures and carved out a career of her own. I'm not an avid fan of either, I'm just pointing out that a judging gig on the X Factor panel could just as easily have all out flopped for Dannii and Cheryl, and I think they both knew it. The contestants probably found it a lot easier to identify with someone who's aspirations were as much at stake as their own, even if they were not in either woman's category. I imagine there was a much larger sense of camaraderie once upon a time.
As for Gary and Kelly, well yes they're both hugely successful and can probably command the respect of almost anyone based on their achievements. But they both said they wanted to 'mentor an act to stardom', not remind a bunch of clamouring amateurs why they're NOT stars. It's all very counter-productive.
Experienced and worldly as they may be regarding matters surrounding the music business, they give off an element of smugness that I find slightly nauseating. Although no combination of judges has ever been perfect, I think one of the things that worked best with Simon, Dannii, Cheryl and Louis was that you had an even balance of behind-the-scenes talent and then those who's product was actually being sold to the public. Cheryl's solo career was massively boosted off the success of X Factor, and it was obvious that she was nervous about it. Dannii had come to the panel as a somewhat minor star in the UK, often accused of riding the coattails of Kylie's success, but has since turned her hand to many new ventures and carved out a career of her own. I'm not an avid fan of either, I'm just pointing out that a judging gig on the X Factor panel could just as easily have all out flopped for Dannii and Cheryl, and I think they both knew it. The contestants probably found it a lot easier to identify with someone who's aspirations were as much at stake as their own, even if they were not in either woman's category. I imagine there was a much larger sense of camaraderie once upon a time.
As for Gary and Kelly, well yes they're both hugely successful and can probably command the respect of almost anyone based on their achievements. But they both said they wanted to 'mentor an act to stardom', not remind a bunch of clamouring amateurs why they're NOT stars. It's all very counter-productive.
