Again.

It's all quite laughable really, hours before yesterday's show we had threads like this and blog posts this this confidently stating that Amelia will be sttched up because it'd "look bad" for the show if she won.

The producer's maipulation was obvious (apparently), they were "desperate" for Little Mix to be in the final and wanted Amelia - "a young Mary Bryne" - out.

Fast forward a few hours, and now we get threads like this ("Amelia is being HEAVILY FAVOURED!") and this ("they're throwing Little Mix under the bus!")

It's all rather interesting. We all watch the same show, yet despite seeing the same supposedly obvious manipulation, everyone seems to have a different idea about just what the producers are trying to do - who they are 'throwing under the bus' and favouring.

And despite OTT analysis, they still get it completely wrong.

As an 'outsider' (I couldn't care less who wins or loses), it's quite fun to watch, and I'm sure there will be another theory about who the producers are tyring to get out in a few hours' time.

Yes I agree. I have been reading Sofabet and whilst it's interesting I think it is a little silly.

Amelia last week was always a question of whether the producers were trying to dampen her comeback, or they had over-estimated her popularity. Some of us did point this out

It's quite clear it was the latter now, which they've corrected this week.

They want boy/girl/group in the final, to cover all demographics and voting as well as play up the mentor rivalry. Amelia and Misha are better value for the final because of the duets, and more reliable for the first time at Wembley. Janet is a dead contestant walking even if she scrapes through tonight, which I don't think she will.

You see, this is my point.

You watched the shows and have concluded "They want boy/girl/group in the final,"

And yet others watched the same show, and have concluded the opposite, that they want Little Mix out.

I'm not saying you're wrong or I disagree (I've no idea, no one does), but I just find it interesting that despite everyone seeing the exact same "evidence" of what is supposedly obvious manipulation, the conclusions that people come to are completely different and contradictory.

Simple logic says they want boy/girl/group in the final.

It maximises ratings and voting, and Little Mix is a repeat of last year's 'group with something to prove' story. Which equals a voting bonanza as viewers try to help then prove it, even if they don't win.

Also 3 mentors with acts left let's them play to the usual script, with Louis as the 'impartial' one commenting on all of them.

X-Factor always sticks to what works, even if they have to change the rules as they go along to do so

Every year people make up so many conspiracy theories that one of them will end up fitting the facts. And then people point to that one as evidence that it's all a conspiracy.

I can't see why the producers would want Little Mix out.

Nothing is wrong, the analysis are based on the week performance. They are to the point, and leave open questions as to what the producres may do the following weeks.

They have made a few apparent u-turns, but for example, it was said that they were undermining Janet until last week, but although she got one week of reprieve, they have come back ontho her with a hammer this week.

If this week theme was 'Let's-Get-Janet-Into-Bottom-Two-Before-The-End-Of-The-Sing-Offs', then it made sense that they wanted Amelia to do better ...for the week...

It's not about conspiracies as such, it's just an entertainment programme maximising viewer interest, drama, and voting.

You just have a collection of characters like professional wrestling with different expiry dates. The bigger characters stay longer, the lesser characters are jettisoned when their story is up.

Any form of entertainment is designed this way, to follow story arcs and have a beginning/middle/end.

They really aren't bothered who wins, unless it's a joke act, but the key characters are always kept till their desired week. That's what the sing-off is designed for. X-Factor is more soap than talent contest, that's where it's appeal and media interest comes from.

Suppose that Amelia got the same treatment LM got last night - poor song choices, "death slot", middle of the road comments, etc - would that suggest that they wanted her in the final too?

What?

Little Mix's second song was as contrived a vote-puller as you could possibly get.

Continuous close-ups of Jesy, a song that ties into the previous sob-story. Little Mix's story is the main one the show has been hammering since week 1. The positive story to negate all the negative ones around the show.

It's the story of 1D on oestrogen powered over-drive. Get a group to the final, don't make them cry, it made us lots of money last time, and they can at least sing better than 1D so it should work.

The only things that I'm sure are being manipulated and happen every week are these: They want Misha in, they want Janet out. Every week it points to that.

Xx..xX

So why isn't Janet out then?

I guess it's subjective, but I found the song choice boring, the vocals flat and the comments from the judges very middle of the road, with Gary even casting doubt on their abilities.

It certainly doesn't compare to the ridciulous OTT hype 1D (or indeed LM themselves) have got in the past.

At this stage, if it was all part of a big plan to get them votes, it seems like it would be quite risky, especially given Amelia and Misha's strong performances (the two most likely for bottom two).

It's all about Little Fix. Producers desperate for them to win.

Oh the irony

I personally believe that Little Mix aren't doing well in the public vote (or as well as expected after performances like 'Don't Let Go' and 'E.T.') so the producers only have one way of securely getting them into the final (remember that there is no sing-off next week - Dermot stated).

That one way is by letting LM slip into the bottom two, along with Janet who has most probably (not certainly) been falling in the votes each week. The chances are that LM will be in the bottom two with a girl (if they are in there full stop). All of Kelly's girls can't be safe surely. And the producers and judges would obviously want to keep Tulisa's last act in over one of Kelly's expendable girls.

Once LM have survived tomorrow's sing-off, they will get major pimping with the pimp slot (justified since they opened the show this week) and will get the rebound vote into the final. And that is what I believe the producers are aiming for.

Regardless of order etc. or whatever, Amelia has no chance of winning this show.

The producers have forgotten one other thing, leaving Marcus as the only act to never face the bottom two would guarantee him the victory.

The "conspiracy theories" are right. They're hardly conspiracy theories really. It's a TV show. Syco are going to be lumped with whoever wins this thing. Of course producers are going to manipulate the show.

Of course, some of the predictions were wrong. Amelia turned out to not be a young Mary Byrne, instead that's clearly been Janet's role this series. Little Mix are still favoured, they were just dampened for one night to make it not so obvious. (anyone who says Amelia's being favoured and Little Mix are being thrown under a bus are either being sarcastic or just silly)

To be honest, if you don't believe the "conspiracy theories" now then you're just being wilfully ignorant. It's still NOT a fix. It's manipulation, but as the public, we can fight them. Nonetheless, as results have proved the last few weeks, we tend to just do whatever the producers want us to do. Undoubtedly we'll vote out poor Janet this week, and maybe that will be for the best for her mental health.

Because their manipulating isn't working on her. Until they get her in the bottom two they're stuck with her. She's obviously extremely popular, the producers can't change that. But they've been trying to get rid of her for ages.

She hasn't performed in the last three for six weeks, has never been last since the first show (which wasn't voting). The first time she forgot her words it was likely because they changed her backing music half an hour before she went on stage. Her VT's are never very flatteriing, always trying to point out how she's so dificult because she won't sing the songs they want her to sing or dress in their awful outfits.

It's really quite obvious they want her out. More obvious even than how much they want Misha in.

Xx..xX