After watching the first two audition shows back in August, it seemed that the talent this year was going to be the best in a long time - and I was right. Louisa, Lauren, 4th Impact, Seann Miley Moore, Josh Daniel... the ingredients were there for a fantastic line-up of live finalists.

So it is a real shame that the entertainment of this series was sacrificed in order for the producers' chosen winner to rule victorious. Now I actually like Louisa - I found it difficult to warm to her initially but her winning is definitely better for the XF brand than another Cardle, Haenow or McElderry. But considering she comfortably topped the week 1 vote, was there really any need to completely sabotage some of the other acts?

I'm not a fan of Anton but the way he was sabotaged in week 2 was extremely blatant and that car crash performance wasn't particularly entertaining to watch. It was cringeworthy - especially when you consider that he must have done *too* well in the previous week's vote. Then there was Monica's bizarre styling that same week. If she clearly looked uncomfortable in that provocative dress, why make her wear it? Simon must've known during the rehearsals at least that she was going to be wearing such a thing. 4th Impact's treatment seemed more negative as the weeks went on - why? Because they proved a threat to Louisa in the first phone vote, polling second.

I think this series could have been brilliant especially with "interesting" acts such as Alien Uncovered, Mason, Seann, 4th Impact etc. There was potential for each live show to be packed with entertaining performances because, after all, X Factor is a Saturday Night Entertainment Show. The producers want to be careful because the public are clearly getting sick of the blatant manipulation. It's understandable why they'd want to get a certain act winning (it is good for the show and brand) but weakening all of the other contestants deliberately doesn't make for good viewing since they could all be far better than how they were presented in the lives.

It wasnt the acts for me, nor any shenanigans about running orders or anything like that.

It was poor musical direction. Even song choices that should have been good were made into soulless nonsense, if it were just one of the contestants you could blame them, but all of them? It was, even in the final, very very poor arrangements for almost every song that made the live shows hard work.

Sick of the same old songs churned out year after year! I think that's why Reggie and Bollie did so well, it was a welcome change.

Simon decided before the live shows even started that he wanted a Louisa/Reggie N Bollie/Che final and everything was geared towards that end. I don't think he was even that bothered who of the 3 won and I suspect he will sign all 3.

Louisa and Reggie n Bollie were probably pencilled in for the final as soon as Simon encountered them on Britain's Got Talent and Che is no doubt an attempt at Syco's very own Sam Smith.

I don't know why they don't just let things play out organically. I suppose it is harder to launch an act if they don't last a good while.

I watched Louisa at her first audition and knew she would win. So another really predictable winner. I did think Lauren could, but wouldn't.

I agree about the musical direction. To be fair this year musically has been far better than the previous year where we had the likes of Elton and Whitney week (it was like the show was parodying itself). There were current and some inspired song choices but I don't get why the producers think the public want to watch a ballad parade every week for entertainment. Fair enough if you have somebody like Leona Lewis who excels at ballads but I think the producers give the favoured acts ballads because they are vote magnets (emotional connection etc).

I agree, some of the songs were slowed down to soulless dirges or changed so they were virtually unrecognisable (God only Knows, Yesterday and the winning song being examples IMO)

BiB - i think it would have been a much more exciting series if they had, possibly one of the best. There was at least 6 acts you could have made a genuine case for being finalists regardless of personal tastes.

It's seems so counterintuitive to me because while they're micro-managing everything to ensure it plays out how they want they're stifling acts, whether through song choice, presentation or whatever, and that in turn stifles the show. This then leads to the audience's investment evaporating, including their investment in the acts.

So you not only do you have a vastly lower rated show but it's more difficult to launch your chosen act to decent sales figures because the majority either didn't bother watching or they're all 'Meh, whatever'.

It could have been as competitive year as Matt/Rebecca/1D/Cher year with all the audience engagement that entails, with genuine excitement building to a nail-biting final, and several legitimately chart-worthy acts. Instead I think anyone beyond Louisa (obv) and R&B will struggle to get signed, and R&B's deal will probably only be on a single to single basis. It's such a waste.

Fantastic post. You basically said what I was trying to say but articulated it far better.

The final four contestants consisted of three ballad singers and an up-tempo act who can't sing (they're good at MCing though, in all fairness). Why weren't Alien Uncovered saved in the week 1 sing-off when they comfortably beat Kiera in the public vote? They had more entertainment value. Why were 4th Impact stitched up with (a) "A, B, C and D" comments and (b) the ridiculous box criticism when they could both sing and dance very well? But I guess they were too big a threat for Louisa.

I agree.

In week 1, Monica finished 4th. The following week they squeeze her into a ridiculous dress she feels uncomfortable with and give her a Beyonce track.

Anton finished 3rd. The following week he is turned into a complete laughing stock by giving him Meghan Trainor.

4th Impact finish 2nd. The following week they are on first and given a dreadful Girls Aloud mash up with a sound mix that was completely messy and all over the place.

Very subtle Simon.

We had the makings of a fantastic year but producers decided the joke act were much better than someone who charted high on iTunes and had potential! Typical XF for you!

Shame it will never change but it's a guilty pleasure!!! We had diversity, amazing potential artists, good groups - we could've had good overs but Cowell was tactful there!

I think we can establish that it is the kiss of death polling high in week 1 if you're not the Chosen One. Che and RnB were allowed to progress to the final because they didn't seem like a threat to Louisa initially.

Well, to be fair one of those 'ballad' singers was my favourite - Ché. But I recognise that they stuck him very squarely into a niche 60s soul hole that that did him absolutely no favours in terms of showing what he could do or winning over any new support. And don't get me started on the styling that made him look larger than he actually is coupled with dancing hamburgers...

I also recognise that Lauren, 4th Impact, Mason, Seann, Monica all had different things going for them, not necessarily always to my own personal tastes, but that if they'd been allowed to flourish and get creative, take risks etc could have won people over and put them way, way up there. Jennifer could have been a contender too, if they's put her through instead of the ridiculous Bupsi. It could really have been an utterly thrilling run to the finish post and kept Louisa on her toes, which actually would ultimately have been to her benefit anyway regardless of whether she won or lost.

[quote=Liete;80744688]Simon decided before the live shows even started that he wanted a Louisa/Reggie N Bollie/Che final and everything was geared towards that end. I don't think he was even that bothered who of the 3 won and I suspect he will sign all



But initially weren't people saying that he wanted 4th Impact to win?

The talent was extremely high this year but the song choices were consistently poor for everyone except Rnb.

Louisa is much cooler, fresher, younger and more interesting than the songs they gave her to sing. She showed when performing Man's World that she has performance skills and knows how to sell it but they gave her the dullest songs to sing.

Also the cutting down of the live shows was a massive failure this year imo. It meant some missed out on the opportunity to do a save me song, which I don't think is fair, and it makes the whole thing seem rushed and amateurish.

Also, the six chair challenge was a big part of the series and I found it to be the opposite of entertaining. Quite unpleasant to watch at times.

I remember seeing the fun trailer and getting really excited!
The first two episodes were amazing, as you said! However, seems they panicked about the opening ratings and brought back old habits.
Six-chair challenge was OK but very nasty (particularly Simon's bit) and went on for too long.

I think I'm the only one who actually loved Judges' Houses Live, I found the announcements in front of an audience more tense than the usual ones. The begging was awful though!

The live shows had little hype about them, the ridiculous Louisa pimping making her out to be a god each week was ridiculous. Not to mention Simon unfairly and blatantly throwing his overs under the bus. XF has always had producer favourites/preferences but never like this.

Not to mention all the press attacks the likeable presenters have had to sustain this year. I've been watching since 2013, that year was particularly fun, but now I think I'm out.

It would''ve been fascinating if they treated all 13 finalists as if they were all winners, really going to every effort to give them song choices that complimented them instead of hinder them.

Without the bias from the producers, if they had done the above then chances are word of mouth would've won the day, and people might've taken to social media to praise X Factor. The final could've easily had over 8 or 9 million viewers on Saturday had the three most genuinely popular acts got there.

R'N'B still seem like default finalists to me, and were pushed by the producers as they never stood a chance against Louisa. Now, had the final three been Louisa, 4th Impact and Anton (the three most popular on the first live show) then chances are had they made the final, 4th Impact may well have given Louisa a run for her money - there would've been no blatant sabotaging of acts and the public would've watched the final in their droves.

Instead, the producers somewhat succeeded in putting people off watching their show. The mind boggles!!!

[quote=Elle94;80745334]
A few people, but most people knew it was Louisa because of all the pre-lives history.
No one really knew Reggie & Bollie or Che were going to be the other finalists but it became obvious as the lives went on & there is a history of pushing weaker performers to the final to ensure little competition for the chosen winner.

There are two types of X Factor year. The one where they allow the young, male Cardle/Haenow type in who they know pick up a lot of votes and will be difficult to dislodge. In these years they push the act into second place to launch post show.

The other type of year is when they exclude the Cardle type and push a Sam Bailey or Lousia type. In these years they have to ensure the competition is weakened and push lesser acts to the final to allow the chosen one an easy win.

I think they should have done that from the start (indeed, from XF's inception, but the early days threw up more surprising results - eg Steve in S1, Leon in S4). Thats what it should be if it's a true competition imo. Everyone should be treated equally, not as if a winner is decided beforehand! This would make it much more exciting!
I wanted to see 4th Impact in the final too

whilst I agree with the overall sentiment of your post I do not agree with the bit in bolded.
I did not watch ben haenow, but I hope he goes on to get something out of his x factor experience and a worthwhile career.
Joe and Matt were worthy winners of the the X factor and very talented singers, and deserving winners in the years they won, they both continue to have a career in music but most of the braying public say..joe who? matt who?
they have now got a very talented 17 year old girl as a winner. Why is this better for the X factor brand? do you really care? I hope to god she will not be used and spat out by the X factor brand, they seemed to have worked with ella so I hope not. 1D were worked to death.
as you allude to in your post why ignore and sabotage the contestants, the X factor brand is tarnished that's why soo many people are bored with it and have turned off

I'm still gutted Jennifer didn't make the final 13

But there was no way Simon could have her steal the title

I would have much preferred a Jennifer/4th Impact/Lauren final

But I know exactly what xfactor is

Seann should have made it further on the show. I don't agree he should be on the tour ahead of people put out after him.

[quote=Thiswillbefun;80746765]
Sam Bailey wasn't their Chosen One though. She was the best of a bad bunch of potential winners. Tamera was the Chosen One but the fact she (a) was unlikeable to the voting public and (b) forgot her words a few times meant that she was a lost cause. After that, the producers probably wanted a Sharon win (to make up for her no-win record during her first stint) and also because Sam was a better potential winner than Nicholas McDonald (her biggest competition).

[quote=Stube;80751335]
Every theme was 80's week because they knew if they gave out modern songs Sam Bailey would've been crushed by Tamera, Luke, Abi, Kingsland Road (basing it off their sing-offs) Miss Dynamix, Lorna, and even Sam Callahan going by his sing-off, and of course Hannah.

Nicholas was used as the Reggie n Bollie of that year though because he was talentless and was easy fodder for Sam Bailey to beat.

As soon as it was announced Louis and Dermot wouldn't be returning - I knew this series was going to be a failure. They've both been the heart of the show for a long, long time and have always played so well against Simon. Without them there it really highlighted how terrible Cheryl is and how Louis' spot at the end of the table can never be replaced.

What I didn't predict, was how bad it actually was and how low the viewing figures and social media interaction sunk.

It's also been blatantly obvious they wanted Louisa to win from early auditions, even going as far for Simon to sabotage his own category with his picks, which pretty much all of the public weren't blind to. Hardly an exciting ride when you know who they've chosen to win and will pull out all the stops for them to do so.