The start of another season is here!

Still with a 4-judges format, but some new faces joining 'Yo Dawg' Randy - Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban.

I'm hoping these judges work better than the last lot...

According to the TV schedules, the next episodes on 5* after tonight are as follows:

Friday - 10pm
Saturday - 5.05pm and continuing at 7pm and 8pm
Sunday - 1pm

It's not clear whether tomorrow's and Satuday's will be the next set of auditions or a repeat of tonight's.

I like Keith Urban so I'd like to think he'll offer some good advice - I don't think he can do any worse than Steven Tyler

Let's hope for some good auditionees.....with a few freaks thrown in for good measure

Enjoyed the show, however I thought last years panel was perfect. Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson had such a good chemistry between them. Sad 2 of them quit.

I'm already annoyed with the Nicki/Mariah bickering.

I'm glad to see the back of Lopez. She set a whole new standard of utter ineptitude. Steven Tyler was pretty damn useless too, but at least he had likeability on his side. As for the new panel, it's a bit too early to say after just one edited show (although those responsible for editing this particular offering should never be allowed anywhere near a production suite for the remainder of their days).

Keith Urban is about as bland, ineffectual and irrelevant as I'd expected him to be. Mariah seems to be smarting simply from having Nicki in the same room as her. And whenever Nicki as much as blinks, Mariah is completely eclipsed. It seems a massive gamble for them to leave so much of the bickering in, especially as it often impinges on the most important thing - the actual auditions. I do think there's merit and sincerity at the root of it all, but I can also see people switching off in their droves because of the bitching and antics (primarily from Nicki).

finding the bickering and eye rolling uncomfortable

I haven't watched all of last night's episode yet - I find the best way for me to watch these programmes is to record them and fast-forward through the bits I am not interested in. I I have seen so many of these shows there are very few sob stories that are new. I only really want to see the actual auditions and the panel's comments.

Not impressed by the ladies so far - Nicki is like a cartoon character and Mariah is doing us a favour by just being on the show.

Really enjoyed the first ep! and from what I saw last night the second is even better!!

I think it says quite a lot when we've seen 28 people get through to Hollywood Week in 2 episodes. Thats normally about the same amount of people shown in the whole of the audition process in X Factor.

28 people shown singing & getting through. 24 people shown singing & having their name shown. 4 people (traced by their road to hollywood videos) shown singing but no name tag.

I've copied my post, more or less, from one I put on another thread in a different forum:

Caught up with AI yesterday - even at this early stage, I'd say that a female will win this year.

So many good singers going through!

I'm loving Mariah and Keith so much more than Jennifer & Steven, but to be honest, I think it could do without Nicki, I've had enough of her already!

I'd get rid of Nicki the Mouth and get Tyler back before the series crumbles .

trying to stick with watching the 2nd episode but i'm finding it unwatchable because its more about the panel & their stupid spats than the contestants! o.O

aaaw i want the guy with the stammer to win & i havent even heard him sing yet! SUCKERED!

with Urban on the panel I am looking forward to a distinct country flavour. Some good voices so far just hope the bickering settles down.

woah @ charlie askew singing queen! o.O great potential!

Some people in the US think Nicki is the "breakout" star of the show..

I agree - I wish she would breakout of the show! I did think that this week they had settled down a bit though.

I don't understand why they seldom show the bad auditions - surely at the audition stage this is what we watch the programme for (certainly I do).

It amazes me how some singers come across as average on the TV but the panel suddenly think are incredible - perhaps the sound on the TV is different?

It's great he chose a lesser known song by them (to casual fans anyway) from the 'The Miracle' album rather then some generic chart hit

I may have to call Nicki "Dun-dun" now!

Was there more to Nicki and Mariah's argument than was broadcast? I was expecting a screaming match!

*sigh* they need to get rid of minaj asap to maintain the integrity of the show, shes a complete joke

Tell me about it I dont even want to watch the show any more and I have been a fan of AI from season one.

What on earth were they thinking about when they put through the colourful character (presumably because she performed the national anthem, even though IMO she massacred it) as well as the boy who looked to be about 10 years old just because he would attract sympathy votes (IMO his voice was far too weak)?

There will be a lot of acts to weed out quickly in Hollywood.

Me too. I don't think Nicki is to blame. The whole show is missing something? They spend far too long with the video segments then us getting to see the contestants audition.

I am finding myself fast forwarding most of the time. There is not one contestant that i have seen that appeals which has never happened before. Next week is Hollywood week, I hope I get to see someone there that interests me.

Many year ago I used to like watching wrestling, but then the programmes became all about the stories and there was hardly any time left for actual wrestling. It seems to be the way that Americans like their shows to go.