ok a lot of you are saying this season is the worst. For me its last year, there was such blatant fixing and manipulation going on more than there has ever been on the show, and its made people hate the X Factor. The worst was the fixing to get Cher into the final over Mary. Even Mary has admitted it was a fix and X Factor bosses had told her she would be going out! Oh and the attention seeking Weasel being kept in every week for the headlines No wonder people turned against the show and tried to sabotage it by making Wagner win! The shambles of last year in turn didn't bode well for this series. It may have damaged the credibility of the show a lot, who agrees?

oh and come this year I'm not surprised Strictly beat it in the ratings considering the constant controversy that was series 7!

It was a joke long before then.

Nope. Ratings were respectable pre bootcamp this year. It's because of the dull judges and lack of talent.

The judges haven't 'clicked' with the audience. The ratings were fine when it first started. The acts have been pretty bad too. I was put off when Jade Richards didn't get through, and then again when Amelia and Sophie got the boot.

Wagner deserved to win, he was more entertaining that any of the other finalists.

It's a singing competition. Wagner can't sing.

Last year was so highly rated, so fast paced and controversial that it was always going to be hard to top. It was a surprise that series 7 managed to top series 6. In that sense, it has harmed this series which just hasn't been able to match the past few years.

You really think it's a singing contest?

I agree fully that The Lord was robbed last year if he made the final this year I would've loved to see him and Louis duet on a mashup of Hippy Hippy Shake/Loaf Shack

You must be watching another programme.

They did seem to ramp up the level of manipulation last year : heavily produced backing tracks to favour certain contestants, a four act final to ensure 1D and Cher were there, the almost fraudulent elimination of Mary etc.

The fact that the OP is still talking about last year kind of answers the thread discussion. Last year was fun, talented, strange sometimes and great to watch. This year doesn't compare......

At least The Lord Wagner could carry a tune and perform entertainingly, even with heart Could Frankie? Certainly not.
The duets are going to be a right damp squib with the finalists performing with judges/mentors.