April and May. These are the months when sports and entertainment peaks. NBA goes to full gear as it reaches the playoffs. To be honest, this – the first two rounds – is usually the most exciting times in the NBA. Sixteen teams battle it out and there is surely at least one NBA game on TV every day (although I have not gotten to watch any lately except on weekends). Having the seven-game format also helped the first round series to be extra fun. Unfortunately, it has negative side effects by June when you experience NBA playoff fatigue. This is why NBA becomes more exciting in the first two months – you are still craving for the playoffs because it is just starting. Also, my favorite NBA teams are not yet eliminated during the first two rounds.
With regard to entertainment, the best network shows prepare for its climax during late April. We witness the season finales in time for the May sweeps. This is the time of the year when Grey’s Anatomy becomes the best TV show because it always climaxes well at the end. American Idol is also awesome because the fodders have been eliminated and we reach the finale that showcases a boatload of artists. Lost reveals its final twist of the season (this year would be extra special because it is the last season). And of course, we have How I Met Your Mother which is legen – fucking – dary.
So, how does it go this year? Let’s find out…
Note: This is a mega blog entry because I have not been able to write for a while. A lot has happened already so instead of writing separate entries (where one would be overlooked because the other is the latest writeup), I chose to write a long entry and separate it into parts so that readers who are only interested in, for example, American Idol can skip the paragraphs about NBA.
NBA Playoffs
Most of the first round series have ended right now and even if I had a feeling that it would be predictable, there have been several surprises. I thought that Charlotte’s suffocating defense would make Orlando suffer for at least two games. What really happened: Charlotte got swept. I thought that we will have an interesting series when the Celtics and the Heat clash. I was wrong. It became a snoozefest when the Celtics exposed Miami’s glaring weakness – they had no good player after Dwyane Wade. Oh great! The first round is already predictable and the series that had a shot at entertainment became snoozefests already.
Not so fast. There were more surprises. Oklahoma gave L.A. a huge run for its money by almost forcing a Game 7. Oklahoma City fans even won me over because of their solid fan support. Sorry, Seattle. There is a reason why Oklahoma got the Thunder. They deserved an NBA team. Their end-game applause was also remarkable. That was a heartwarming display of sportsmanship! Maybe, it was because it’s their first time in the playoffs. But, these instances are the times I feel glad for watching sports. It’s these times when sports fans show they really care for their team. OKC, you got yourself a new fan (I liked Kevin Durant’s team ever since anyway).
With regard to entertainment, the best network shows prepare for its climax during late April. We witness the season finales in time for the May sweeps. This is the time of the year when Grey’s Anatomy becomes the best TV show because it always climaxes well at the end. American Idol is also awesome because the fodders have been eliminated and we reach the finale that showcases a boatload of artists. Lost reveals its final twist of the season (this year would be extra special because it is the last season). And of course, we have How I Met Your Mother which is legen – fucking – dary.
So, how does it go this year? Let’s find out…
Note: This is a mega blog entry because I have not been able to write for a while. A lot has happened already so instead of writing separate entries (where one would be overlooked because the other is the latest writeup), I chose to write a long entry and separate it into parts so that readers who are only interested in, for example, American Idol can skip the paragraphs about NBA.
NBA Playoffs
Most of the first round series have ended right now and even if I had a feeling that it would be predictable, there have been several surprises. I thought that Charlotte’s suffocating defense would make Orlando suffer for at least two games. What really happened: Charlotte got swept. I thought that we will have an interesting series when the Celtics and the Heat clash. I was wrong. It became a snoozefest when the Celtics exposed Miami’s glaring weakness – they had no good player after Dwyane Wade. Oh great! The first round is already predictable and the series that had a shot at entertainment became snoozefests already.
Not so fast. There were more surprises. Oklahoma gave L.A. a huge run for its money by almost forcing a Game 7. Oklahoma City fans even won me over because of their solid fan support. Sorry, Seattle. There is a reason why Oklahoma got the Thunder. They deserved an NBA team. Their end-game applause was also remarkable. That was a heartwarming display of sportsmanship! Maybe, it was because it’s their first time in the playoffs. But, these instances are the times I feel glad for watching sports. It’s these times when sports fans show they really care for their team. OKC, you got yourself a new fan (I liked Kevin Durant’s team ever since anyway).
San Antonio is back at being the menacing force in the West after they ‘upset’ the highly reinforced Dallas Mavericks. After hibernating the past two years, San Antonio Spurs return to my Hate List. Why? Because they are threats again. Do I like it this way? Entertainment-wise, yes. I may hate San Antonio advancing but it is fun to root against them. However, I cannot say that I fully like them being threats because they always spoil the fun the rest of the way when they are threats. There is a difference from today’s San Antonio from the San Antonio of past: I respect them a lot now. They are not as predictably invincible as they were so whenever they beat strong teams like Dallas, I applaud them for stepping up their game. Nevertheless, I still hate Team Duncan. Heck, they spoiled my bracket for two rounds. But you know what, I have a fearless prediction: they will advance to the Western Conference Finals. Sorry, Steve Nash.
Utah, despite of the injuries, managed to defeat Denver. That was awesome. I predicted Utah to beat Denver in seven before Okur’s injury happened (and before I knew that AK47 was out for the series). The Jazz were able to do it in just six games. I think this series proves several things. Deron Williams, even if he was criticized as inferior to Chris Paul, is actually the best NBA point guard right now. I want to play the durability card here but he got injured in the dying seconds of Game 6. Nevertheless, the main reason is that D-Will has a stronger drive in winning than CP3. We witnessed Chris Paul advancing before but Deron was able to carry a severely injured Jazz team to defeat Melo’s Nuggets. I think that is a harder feat. CP3 is flashier and is more entertaining but Deron knows how to win better. Utah’s win also proves that Jerry Sloan is one of the greatest coaches ever (and he is my favorite coach ever). From the Stockton days to the Kirilenko days to D-Will’s era, there is one constant – Utah’s execution in offense. Jerry Sloan’s system is what made me appreciate slow ball basketball. The ball rotation and unselfish play is just magnificent to witness. It is very frustrating that he never won a single Coach of the Year award. This year should have been the perfect year for it but he was snubbed again. Eff you, media. The series also showed that even if Melo still cannot will his team to win, he still continues to mature. I never was a Melo fan and his performance in this series (except for Game 1) never turned me into one, but I applaud him for being classy at the end. Melo might be inferior to LeBron James in most aspects but Anthony did the right thing by approaching Deron Williams to congratulate him after the better-seeded Nuggets were eliminated. I applaud Melo for that. Aside from OKC fans’ display of sportsmanship, Melo’s gesture was easily the most heartwarming incident in this year’s playoffs. Lastly, this series shows how great of a coach George Karl is. I know he would love to see his Nuggets advance. But since they did not, it just goes to show how valuable Karl was. Pundits have been making fun of him for years. I think it is time to give him his due. He knows what it takes to make a competitive team. Hats off to you and get well soon, George Karl!
Fear the Deer! Milwaukee just put Atlanta on the brink of elimination. I never thought it would happen this way after Bogut’s injury but the Bucks were able to pull a Cinderella story of their own. Will they be able to finish it with a happy ending? We’ll see. As for the Cleveland-Chicago series, Joakim Noah made it interesting and controversial that a predictable series still ended to be exciting. Heck, it led LeBron James to go into another level when he pulverized the Bulls in Game 4. Phoenix-Portland was also good. Brandon Roy has the heart! Unfortunately, it was not enough.
Round 2 Outlook
Fear the Deer! Milwaukee just put Atlanta on the brink of elimination. I never thought it would happen this way after Bogut’s injury but the Bucks were able to pull a Cinderella story of their own. Will they be able to finish it with a happy ending? We’ll see. As for the Cleveland-Chicago series, Joakim Noah made it interesting and controversial that a predictable series still ended to be exciting. Heck, it led LeBron James to go into another level when he pulverized the Bulls in Game 4. Phoenix-Portland was also good. Brandon Roy has the heart! Unfortunately, it was not enough.
Round 2 Outlook
The Cavs have the toughest route from hereon to the NBA Finals. Media might have downplayed the Boston Celtics this year but I do not think that they are done yet. You have a fanbase that knows how to win (yup, I think it is necessary because they know how to react properly). You still have the core of Rondo, Garnett, Allen and Pierce. Last year, they were Garnett-less and they were able to hold the Orlando Magic for seven games. They understand and reinforce the concept of teamwork and defense. KG is a shell of his former self but Rondo, Perkins and Davis are so much better than they were back in 2008 when Boston defeated Cleveland. Of course, Cleveland is so much better now but we are talking about their opponents, right? After Boston, they face an elite team in Orlando. Man, the Cavs need to beat the teams that eliminated them the past two years. Exorcising the ghosts of NBA playoffs would have to be part of their agenda.
I think the Lakers will have a fairly easy time against Utah. I love the Jazz but they are too injured to give the Lakers a run for their money. San Antonio and Phoenix series would be interesting but nothing has changed my perspective that the Spurs easily beat the Suns. Phoenix losing two games to Portland and San Antonio disposing Dallas in six just reinforced my thinking. As for whoever Orlando battles, the Magic will easily win it in the 2nd round.
TV Shows
The main reason why April and March are the best months entertainment-wise is the fact that network shows improve significantly for their season finale. You are assured of at least four weeks of awesome episodes and show breaks would be rare. The landscape is quite similar this year to last year’s but here are some notable ones:
• Heroes is not participating in the May sweeps. Why? Because it sucks. Yup, I finally quitted watching Heroes after two to three mediocre seasons (making Season 1 the only good season). The plot is just terrible and there is nothing refreshing anymore. Heroes is not even showing in the critical months of network TV anymore.
I think the Lakers will have a fairly easy time against Utah. I love the Jazz but they are too injured to give the Lakers a run for their money. San Antonio and Phoenix series would be interesting but nothing has changed my perspective that the Spurs easily beat the Suns. Phoenix losing two games to Portland and San Antonio disposing Dallas in six just reinforced my thinking. As for whoever Orlando battles, the Magic will easily win it in the 2nd round.
TV Shows
The main reason why April and March are the best months entertainment-wise is the fact that network shows improve significantly for their season finale. You are assured of at least four weeks of awesome episodes and show breaks would be rare. The landscape is quite similar this year to last year’s but here are some notable ones:
• Heroes is not participating in the May sweeps. Why? Because it sucks. Yup, I finally quitted watching Heroes after two to three mediocre seasons (making Season 1 the only good season). The plot is just terrible and there is nothing refreshing anymore. Heroes is not even showing in the critical months of network TV anymore.
• Glee is the new popular show in the May sweeps this year. It has a strong audience and is also raking in awards. Furthermore, it gets pimped by the show that loves pimping – American Idol. But, is it really good enough? Hmmm… I do not know if the final stretches of episodes prior to the Sectionals were too awesome that the current Glee episodes are not living up the hype. Songs are good but it feels forced as they pack each episode with five songs. The Rachel-Finn love story would have to rank up with the lamest love story transitions ever. If you want drama, Glee is one of the worst in portraying it. Heck, even Sue Sylvester is not awesomely wicked as she was. She even gets burned by Schuester about her hair. WTF?!
• Finally, I got to watch Modern Family and I must say that it is the best new TV show in US this year/last year. It is well-written and it is very hilarious without the need of a laugh track. Its valuable life lessons are also well done. The writers really thought of it as these are not cheesy, overused lines about family values. I am actually intending on showing Modern Family episodes on our next family reunion. In today’s changing world, a family-oriented show like Modern Family is a welcome relief. It also helps that there are two MILF’s in this show: Sofia Vergara and Julie Bowen. I used to have a TV crush on Julie Bowen when she was still playing Jack’s wife in Lost. By the way, I think Glee stole the Golden Globe Award from Modern Family for the best comedy/musical show this year. Either they stole it or they bought it.
• How I Met Your Mother is my favorite show of the previous decade for one important reason: it is consistently great. You can also watch reruns easily because it has a light mood and has only twenty minutes per episode. Unfortunately, I am disappointed in the past two episodes that they produced. They had a break and we got two sloppy episodes. Getting mugged by a monkey? Seriously?! The writers can think more believable plots than that. The new house episode had progression on the main story but there was no incredibly funny line (crying on a song and pinpointing is lame). But, the past two episodes also made me realize why I like the show so much – HIMYM on its worst is still good. I watched the monkey mugging episode feeling sleepy and I ended up wide awake after watching it.
• I have not yet watched the recent Grey’s Anatomy episode but I am expecting something big from its mediocre season this year. If there is one thing remarkable about Grey’s Anatomy, it was the fact that the show peaks at the right time. We arguably had one of the best season-enders ever last year.
• And of course, Lost…
Lost
Lost’s final season has been a weird one. The writers attempted to turn us off by confusing us further at the start by introducing alternate realities. For a show that has confused its audience 90% of the time, it was a huge blow for the morale of the viewers to see it continue in confusing us in the final season instead of revealing the mysteries. But since I wasted more than a hundred hours of my life watching Lost, I kept my patience for one last time and watched the final season. If you are patient and understanding, good things happen. That was what American Idol’s Top 12 showed me after the triple shocker elimination week that made me figuratively puke at my TV set.
If there is one show that started my addiction on US TV shows, it has got to be Lost. It has the rich mix of drama, suspense, mystery, sci-fi, philosophy and politics. Lost, despite its jumbled main plot, was actually a cohesive, well-written and well-acted TV show. Maybe, this is the reason why Season 1 is still the best but for what the final season has shown so far, it has produced mixed reactions of delight and frustration from me.
Let us begin with the positive points. For once, Lost has revealed its deepest mysteries about the numbers, Richard Alpert, the ship in the middle of the island and Jack’s Dad. Lost is back at having great relations between the flashback/forward and the current decisions of the characters. The plot has become good again that I am back at applauding by the time the word ‘Lost’ is shown in my TV. Right now, Lost Final Season has a shot at being the show’s second best season ever. I do not think that any Lost season can ever hold a candle to the first season because the story then was still unadulterated from all the Others storyline that was shoved to our throats.
There are unfortunately some negative things that hinder this season. We get few Benjamin Linus acting scenes. There are still some filler episodes (how the heck do they even think of having one as the show is already about to end… sheesh!) like the Sawyer episode. I know Sawyer has a lot of fans and I am on the minority side of Team Jack, but the Sawyer episode made me doze off.
Nevertheless, Lost is as good as ever. If we get a great final stretch, I may consider rewatching the whole show from Episode 1 again.
I know I will not be wasting more than a hundred hours for that as it would be well-spent if ever (although I have a solid feeling that it would take me a year to finish everything from the start). After all, Lost remains to be one of the best TV shows ever.
Other Notes Before We Move To The Final Topic
We have Major League Baseball again! The reason why I love sports in these summer months is the fact that I can switch to ESPN to watch a baseball game in case I get bored with a lopsided NBA playoff game. What makes it awesome this year is the fact that ESPN is not Yankee-centric again.
Ateneo’s loss to La Salle in Fil-Oil is not a cause for concern. Why? It was basically what happened last year. What happened in the actual UAAP season? Ateneo finished as the champion while DLSU placed sixth. I have not checked on team details but it is still a long way to go before the season starts. Team chemistry still needs to be figured out and rookies can still switch teams. But this I know: DLSU will return stronger this year and it would be almost impossible for Ateneo to repeat the 13-1 feat from the past two years. The Blue Eagles still have a good shot at winning it all but there will surely be a stronger adversity.
Nevertheless, Lost is as good as ever. If we get a great final stretch, I may consider rewatching the whole show from Episode 1 again.
I know I will not be wasting more than a hundred hours for that as it would be well-spent if ever (although I have a solid feeling that it would take me a year to finish everything from the start). After all, Lost remains to be one of the best TV shows ever.
Other Notes Before We Move To The Final Topic
We have Major League Baseball again! The reason why I love sports in these summer months is the fact that I can switch to ESPN to watch a baseball game in case I get bored with a lopsided NBA playoff game. What makes it awesome this year is the fact that ESPN is not Yankee-centric again.
Ateneo’s loss to La Salle in Fil-Oil is not a cause for concern. Why? It was basically what happened last year. What happened in the actual UAAP season? Ateneo finished as the champion while DLSU placed sixth. I have not checked on team details but it is still a long way to go before the season starts. Team chemistry still needs to be figured out and rookies can still switch teams. But this I know: DLSU will return stronger this year and it would be almost impossible for Ateneo to repeat the 13-1 feat from the past two years. The Blue Eagles still have a good shot at winning it all but there will surely be a stronger adversity.
Kick Ass is an awesome movie but Shutter Island is still the best movie of the decade for me. I know that some movies could easily topple it but that’s how it goes for now. Main reason why Shutter Island trumps Kick Ass: Plot. However, I would surely watch Kick Ass again while I cannot say the same for Shutter Island. Chloe Moretz (Mindy/Hit Girl) knows how to charge testosterones. OK, that sounds wrong. I do not mean it in a jailbait way as everyone knows that Hit Girl is awesome because of the violence in the movie.
Iron Man 2 is awesome! I like how they utilize the corporate perspective in it. Tony Stark continues to deliver his cleverly-written lines. And Black Widow is Scarlett Johansson. You know a celebrity is awesome if you use her name as an adjective. I also liked the fact that the movie did not utilize as much motion blur. Unfortunately, there is something lacking in the plot. Having too many subplots always leads to unresolved/hastened parts of the story. Shutter Island is still the best of the year for me but Iron Man 2 is a very close second.
And to our main topic…
American Idol
One of the reasons why April and May sizzle in an entertainment perspective is the fact that American Idol hits the serious stages. The fodders are probably eliminated by Top Five and we get to witness the Idols perform multiple times in one episode. But the question is, will it be like that this year?
Let’s start with the Idol Gives Back week. Finally, Tim Urban – the resilient fodder – gets eliminated. After weeks of getting frustrated because of premature eliminations, Tim Urban gets the boot at the night where my initial prediction that he will get over the Top 7 could have come true. But you know what, I felt glad that I was wrong on that one. The fun in betting for your least favorite guy is the fact that it is just OK to be wrong. However, I did not actually gloat or enjoyed the moment that much. It’s probably a mix of the fact that I was busy celebrating my grandfather’s birthday with my relatives or the fact that Tim Urban actually improved that he is not the least competent contestant (Aaron Kelly is). But as I mentioned in my previous write-ups, the middle of the pack contestant is usually eliminated.
I admit that I reverse jinxed Tim Urban by making him the best candidate of the Kris Allen of this year. Well, that was when he was still underachieving.
A week after, Karma (if you think that not gloating is a bad thing) strikes back at me. In the most unexpected time, Siobhan Magnus – my favorite this year – gets eliminated. That became the shocker of the shockers to me because of the following reasons:
1) Siobhan was never part of the Bottom Three.
2) Siobhan is the overwhelming favorite in Internet communities. Pro-Siobhan polls always win by a huge margin in Idolforums. People pegged him as an early frontrunner as well.
3) Siobhan had the pimp spot and received great praise from the judges.
4) VoteForTheWorst backed Siobhan. For once, I have agreed with VoteForTheWorst's choice because they are definitely sticking it to The Powers That Be as they select the most entertaining contestant that the judges hate to win.
Amidst these facts, I received one of the biggest stomach punch defeats as a fan.
And to our main topic…
American Idol
One of the reasons why April and May sizzle in an entertainment perspective is the fact that American Idol hits the serious stages. The fodders are probably eliminated by Top Five and we get to witness the Idols perform multiple times in one episode. But the question is, will it be like that this year?
Let’s start with the Idol Gives Back week. Finally, Tim Urban – the resilient fodder – gets eliminated. After weeks of getting frustrated because of premature eliminations, Tim Urban gets the boot at the night where my initial prediction that he will get over the Top 7 could have come true. But you know what, I felt glad that I was wrong on that one. The fun in betting for your least favorite guy is the fact that it is just OK to be wrong. However, I did not actually gloat or enjoyed the moment that much. It’s probably a mix of the fact that I was busy celebrating my grandfather’s birthday with my relatives or the fact that Tim Urban actually improved that he is not the least competent contestant (Aaron Kelly is). But as I mentioned in my previous write-ups, the middle of the pack contestant is usually eliminated.
I admit that I reverse jinxed Tim Urban by making him the best candidate of the Kris Allen of this year. Well, that was when he was still underachieving.
A week after, Karma (if you think that not gloating is a bad thing) strikes back at me. In the most unexpected time, Siobhan Magnus – my favorite this year – gets eliminated. That became the shocker of the shockers to me because of the following reasons:
1) Siobhan was never part of the Bottom Three.
2) Siobhan is the overwhelming favorite in Internet communities. Pro-Siobhan polls always win by a huge margin in Idolforums. People pegged him as an early frontrunner as well.
3) Siobhan had the pimp spot and received great praise from the judges.
4) VoteForTheWorst backed Siobhan. For once, I have agreed with VoteForTheWorst's choice because they are definitely sticking it to The Powers That Be as they select the most entertaining contestant that the judges hate to win.
Amidst these facts, I received one of the biggest stomach punch defeats as a fan.
Wait a second, what is a stomach punch defeat? For Bill Simmons readers, a sports stomach punch is a level of defeat where fans, who have consistently come up short every year, put off their guard because they finally feel that this is it but gets defeated just like they always do. Normally, stomach punch defeats occur to those who always had a shot but end up failing always. As an American Idol fan, I think I qualify to those criteria.
• My favorites have been competent or have been tagged as frontrunners in some way or another: 2008 – Brooke White; 2009 – Alexis Grace; 2010 – Siobhan Magnus/Didi Benami
• My favorites usually receive the worst kind of defeat – shocker eliminations. Alexis Grace’s exit at the 11th was considered a shocker. Both Siobhan and Didi’s eliminations were shockers this year.
• Due to past disappointments, I have learned to put my guard on in case my favorite gets eliminated prematurely. However, I put my guard down twice this year. When Didi got the boot, I thought that she would get a free pass because two girls were already eliminated. As for Siobhan, the four reasons I previously stated are enough to make me think that she was safe. Note that I am not wishing that she wins the whole thing, however I was hoping that she at least makes it to the Top 4 or Top 3.
I learned of Siobhan’s elimination while I was at the office. I did not know how to react then. I could not punch a pillow to release the frustration and I could not shout F****************K!!!! Ari Gold (of Entourage) style. It was the ultimate stomach punch defeat as I was helpless. It was a nightmare.
It was actually poetic because it rained hard that day (the first rain that we had in order a month). It always happens to me. When things get effed up, it always rains. For a person who likes happy sunny days, it become ten times worse when it rains. Add to that the fact that it was full moon that night. (you know the gravitational pull theory where people’s emotions are extreme during full moons?) The worst thing was that we had a brownout by the time I arrived home that I missed to see Siobhan’s final performance. And of course, electricity returned right exactly at 9 PM when the show exactly ended.
Seriously?!!!
• My favorites have been competent or have been tagged as frontrunners in some way or another: 2008 – Brooke White; 2009 – Alexis Grace; 2010 – Siobhan Magnus/Didi Benami
• My favorites usually receive the worst kind of defeat – shocker eliminations. Alexis Grace’s exit at the 11th was considered a shocker. Both Siobhan and Didi’s eliminations were shockers this year.
• Due to past disappointments, I have learned to put my guard on in case my favorite gets eliminated prematurely. However, I put my guard down twice this year. When Didi got the boot, I thought that she would get a free pass because two girls were already eliminated. As for Siobhan, the four reasons I previously stated are enough to make me think that she was safe. Note that I am not wishing that she wins the whole thing, however I was hoping that she at least makes it to the Top 4 or Top 3.
I learned of Siobhan’s elimination while I was at the office. I did not know how to react then. I could not punch a pillow to release the frustration and I could not shout F****************K!!!! Ari Gold (of Entourage) style. It was the ultimate stomach punch defeat as I was helpless. It was a nightmare.
It was actually poetic because it rained hard that day (the first rain that we had in order a month). It always happens to me. When things get effed up, it always rains. For a person who likes happy sunny days, it become ten times worse when it rains. Add to that the fact that it was full moon that night. (you know the gravitational pull theory where people’s emotions are extreme during full moons?) The worst thing was that we had a brownout by the time I arrived home that I missed to see Siobhan’s final performance. And of course, electricity returned right exactly at 9 PM when the show exactly ended.
Seriously?!!!
The funny thing was, I actually predicted Siobhan to get eliminated at Top Six in a blog entry a month ago. However, I expected that she could be saved. Well, her performance was so save-worthy. Unfortunately, the judges wasted it on Big Mike. This stomach punch of a defeat is so epic that it was rubbing salt on my wounds.
And with this, I am fulfilling what I wrote a month ago. I am saying farewell to American Idol for good. This season is the worst ever that I am giving up in the middle of it. After all, (in the words of VoteForTheWorst) it is like watching paint dry from now on. The remaining contestants are not that entertaining and interesting enough for my taste. I am not expecting anything good after this season because the teenage girls would just continue to dominate the voting. Trust me, there will never be a female winner ever. The show is American (Male) Idol.
But other than these, I am ultimately giving up on American Idol because of the huge realization that I had while I was rooting for Siobhan. The show that has its charm because of the real-life Cinderella story it brings is a fluke. The judges are so biased that they are just dead set on praising their favorites and eliminating the threats. Simon Cowell lost all his credibility to me this season when he overpraised mediocre talents like Aaron Kelly while he lambasted threats like Siobhan, Didi, Alex and Katelyn. Kara lost my support this year because she was Simon’s bitch. She maybe technical but she is too inconsistent. The classic example was her praise on Siobhan when she sang House of the Rising Sun. Simon criticizes Siobhan then Kara immediately turns on Siobhan. Make up your mind, Kara! I am thinking that having Kara as a judge was the worst decision they ever made. I maybe bitter but these things really happened.
The pimping was just too blatant this year. Crystal was actually coasting for three weeks but the judges (especially Simon) always found a way to praise her. Lee was terribly out of pitch in his Shania Twain song but the judges continue to overpimp him like he is the second coming of David Cook. But when it came to Siobhan and Didi, they threw all the insult they could when they see an opening for it. Simon actually never gave Siobhan a clear-cut praise all throughout. He just says she is weird when she actually has a good performance. Simon even called Siobhan’s technically great performance of When You Believe ‘all over the place.’ For once, I was on the same page as VoteForTheWorst. They stood against all the favoritism and manipulation that American Idol’s The Powers That Be had. People love American Idol because a regular joe can make it big. Dreams like these won’t come true if the producers are already biased on one specific contestant already. Suddenly, I am loving Kris Allen’s victory last year because it was a major Eff You to Simon and company.
Sorry, I had to get it out. Time to turn off Fan Mode. Analyst Mode On.
Siobhan’s exit was actually not as horrible as Didi’s was. At least, Siobhan reached the Top 6. At least, she was the 2nd best female performer in American Idol this season. It was enough for me to have 11 Siobhan mp3’s in my iPod. However, I still feel sad for Siobhan…
OK, I don’t think I can really turn this off right now. Fan Mode On.
I felt sad for Siobhan when they showed her final montage. You know that the Goodbye Song of the season has a meaning when your favorite leaves. After all, Siobhan had a fairy tale storyline. The Evil Idol Producers just did not choose to show it. Her house in Cape Cod shows that they are not a well-to-do family. She lives with several family members and reports show that her father is actually disabled. That is probably the reason why instead of being a college student, Siobhan is an apprentice glassblower. Her montage also featured her simple look (which I like better than her curly haired and weird attire lately) when she was auditioning. It was the Siobhan that we fell in love with when she belted Living For The City in Hollywood Week. I felt terribly sad because it is another Cinderella story put to waste. I just hope that she pursues her musical career.
As much as I like Siobhan, I have to say that I understood her downfall. Her fans became too complacent after weeks of voting hard for her. After all, she had the pimp spot and the judges’ approval (which appeared to be their strategy in eliminating her). Siobhan also used her polarizing scream that did not attract any casual voter that night. But the most glaring weakness that Siobhan had was the fact that she did not have a genre. Whether she likes it or not, musicians should have their genre. It seemed apparent in the semi-finals and the Top 12 that she was gunning for a pop/rock route. But she did the Didi route of doing styles that are very different from her strong genre. She was able to pull off Across the Universe and When You Believe (and to some extent, Superstition and Suspicious Minds) but all of these were not suggesting a consistent style from her except from her distinct voice. She may have attracted fans from various genres but it was not strategic on a marketing perspective because she was not able to take care of her niche market. Thus, on a night where everyone was good, Siobhan struggled as she did nothing to reinforce her initial fanbase.
Other than which, Siobhan Magnus will be my last American Idol favorite contestant. I just do not see myself religiously following the show next year. I will surely watch the season finale this year and maybe watch a bit from time to time next year. The only way I see myself following American Idol next year is if I have a girlfriend who would force me to watch that show with her.
Without much further ado, I finish my (possibly… it depends on the finale) last American Idol blog entry this year with my power rankings.
5) Michael Lynche. I hate this contestant. The fact that the save was wasted for him makes me hate him even more. OK, but if I were to judge Big Mike without the biases on his cocky attitude, Big Mike is still one of the most consistent technical singers. He maybe a bit boring and I am not a fan of his technique but I have to admit that I actually liked his performance in the Shania Twain Week.
4) Casey James. Casey had the best performance in the Shania Twain Week (along with *gulp* Aaron Kelly) but it was not enough to merit an improvement in the rankings. He had so many forgettable performances in order for him to crack inside my Top Three.
2) (Tied) Crystal Bowersox. I have not written my American Idol Power Rankings in the past few weeks but Crystal held the top spot in those weeks. However, she was coasting then. The good thing about her is that she attempts to change her style every now and then but she still sticks with the tried and tested formula for most of the time. However, the last Crystal Bowersox performance that I liked was Midnight Train To Georgia (it’s in the Top 10, right?). Crystal is decent at her worst but she is also overpimped by the judges. She was slightly criticized last week but the judges were just doing that to pave way for a galore of praise in the next few weeks. Enough with the brainwashing, Simon Cowell. This is my way of saying Eff You to you.
2) (Tied) Lee DeWyze. I have lurked in forums and Internet communities from time to time and Lee has been the subject of several criticisms because he has been overpraised despite of his pitch issues. I agree with that especially during Shania Twain Week. I thought his style had potential (to the effect of David Cook’s Always Be My Baby). However, it was horribly delivered. Then, why is Lee at par with Crystal? He is overpimped, right? Yes, he is. However, Lee was actually the most improved contestant prior to the Top 6. Here are his performances: Treat Her Like A Lady (shouty but is easily Top 3-5 of that night), Hey Jude (Pitchy but sounds very current), A Little Less Conversation (my favorite performance on Elvis Night), and Boxer (my 2nd favorite performance in Inspirational Night). Since the contestants have been bland and weak for this year, Lee is actually touching the David Cook zone because of those current and consistent performances.
And with this, I am fulfilling what I wrote a month ago. I am saying farewell to American Idol for good. This season is the worst ever that I am giving up in the middle of it. After all, (in the words of VoteForTheWorst) it is like watching paint dry from now on. The remaining contestants are not that entertaining and interesting enough for my taste. I am not expecting anything good after this season because the teenage girls would just continue to dominate the voting. Trust me, there will never be a female winner ever. The show is American (Male) Idol.
But other than these, I am ultimately giving up on American Idol because of the huge realization that I had while I was rooting for Siobhan. The show that has its charm because of the real-life Cinderella story it brings is a fluke. The judges are so biased that they are just dead set on praising their favorites and eliminating the threats. Simon Cowell lost all his credibility to me this season when he overpraised mediocre talents like Aaron Kelly while he lambasted threats like Siobhan, Didi, Alex and Katelyn. Kara lost my support this year because she was Simon’s bitch. She maybe technical but she is too inconsistent. The classic example was her praise on Siobhan when she sang House of the Rising Sun. Simon criticizes Siobhan then Kara immediately turns on Siobhan. Make up your mind, Kara! I am thinking that having Kara as a judge was the worst decision they ever made. I maybe bitter but these things really happened.
The pimping was just too blatant this year. Crystal was actually coasting for three weeks but the judges (especially Simon) always found a way to praise her. Lee was terribly out of pitch in his Shania Twain song but the judges continue to overpimp him like he is the second coming of David Cook. But when it came to Siobhan and Didi, they threw all the insult they could when they see an opening for it. Simon actually never gave Siobhan a clear-cut praise all throughout. He just says she is weird when she actually has a good performance. Simon even called Siobhan’s technically great performance of When You Believe ‘all over the place.’ For once, I was on the same page as VoteForTheWorst. They stood against all the favoritism and manipulation that American Idol’s The Powers That Be had. People love American Idol because a regular joe can make it big. Dreams like these won’t come true if the producers are already biased on one specific contestant already. Suddenly, I am loving Kris Allen’s victory last year because it was a major Eff You to Simon and company.
Sorry, I had to get it out. Time to turn off Fan Mode. Analyst Mode On.
Siobhan’s exit was actually not as horrible as Didi’s was. At least, Siobhan reached the Top 6. At least, she was the 2nd best female performer in American Idol this season. It was enough for me to have 11 Siobhan mp3’s in my iPod. However, I still feel sad for Siobhan…
OK, I don’t think I can really turn this off right now. Fan Mode On.
I felt sad for Siobhan when they showed her final montage. You know that the Goodbye Song of the season has a meaning when your favorite leaves. After all, Siobhan had a fairy tale storyline. The Evil Idol Producers just did not choose to show it. Her house in Cape Cod shows that they are not a well-to-do family. She lives with several family members and reports show that her father is actually disabled. That is probably the reason why instead of being a college student, Siobhan is an apprentice glassblower. Her montage also featured her simple look (which I like better than her curly haired and weird attire lately) when she was auditioning. It was the Siobhan that we fell in love with when she belted Living For The City in Hollywood Week. I felt terribly sad because it is another Cinderella story put to waste. I just hope that she pursues her musical career.
As much as I like Siobhan, I have to say that I understood her downfall. Her fans became too complacent after weeks of voting hard for her. After all, she had the pimp spot and the judges’ approval (which appeared to be their strategy in eliminating her). Siobhan also used her polarizing scream that did not attract any casual voter that night. But the most glaring weakness that Siobhan had was the fact that she did not have a genre. Whether she likes it or not, musicians should have their genre. It seemed apparent in the semi-finals and the Top 12 that she was gunning for a pop/rock route. But she did the Didi route of doing styles that are very different from her strong genre. She was able to pull off Across the Universe and When You Believe (and to some extent, Superstition and Suspicious Minds) but all of these were not suggesting a consistent style from her except from her distinct voice. She may have attracted fans from various genres but it was not strategic on a marketing perspective because she was not able to take care of her niche market. Thus, on a night where everyone was good, Siobhan struggled as she did nothing to reinforce her initial fanbase.
Other than which, Siobhan Magnus will be my last American Idol favorite contestant. I just do not see myself religiously following the show next year. I will surely watch the season finale this year and maybe watch a bit from time to time next year. The only way I see myself following American Idol next year is if I have a girlfriend who would force me to watch that show with her.
Without much further ado, I finish my (possibly… it depends on the finale) last American Idol blog entry this year with my power rankings.
5) Michael Lynche. I hate this contestant. The fact that the save was wasted for him makes me hate him even more. OK, but if I were to judge Big Mike without the biases on his cocky attitude, Big Mike is still one of the most consistent technical singers. He maybe a bit boring and I am not a fan of his technique but I have to admit that I actually liked his performance in the Shania Twain Week.
4) Casey James. Casey had the best performance in the Shania Twain Week (along with *gulp* Aaron Kelly) but it was not enough to merit an improvement in the rankings. He had so many forgettable performances in order for him to crack inside my Top Three.
2) (Tied) Crystal Bowersox. I have not written my American Idol Power Rankings in the past few weeks but Crystal held the top spot in those weeks. However, she was coasting then. The good thing about her is that she attempts to change her style every now and then but she still sticks with the tried and tested formula for most of the time. However, the last Crystal Bowersox performance that I liked was Midnight Train To Georgia (it’s in the Top 10, right?). Crystal is decent at her worst but she is also overpimped by the judges. She was slightly criticized last week but the judges were just doing that to pave way for a galore of praise in the next few weeks. Enough with the brainwashing, Simon Cowell. This is my way of saying Eff You to you.
2) (Tied) Lee DeWyze. I have lurked in forums and Internet communities from time to time and Lee has been the subject of several criticisms because he has been overpraised despite of his pitch issues. I agree with that especially during Shania Twain Week. I thought his style had potential (to the effect of David Cook’s Always Be My Baby). However, it was horribly delivered. Then, why is Lee at par with Crystal? He is overpimped, right? Yes, he is. However, Lee was actually the most improved contestant prior to the Top 6. Here are his performances: Treat Her Like A Lady (shouty but is easily Top 3-5 of that night), Hey Jude (Pitchy but sounds very current), A Little Less Conversation (my favorite performance on Elvis Night), and Boxer (my 2nd favorite performance in Inspirational Night). Since the contestants have been bland and weak for this year, Lee is actually touching the David Cook zone because of those current and consistent performances.
1) (Eliminated) Siobhan Magnus. OK, before you call me a fantard, I will state my reasons why I am retiring Siobhan in the 1st spot. First, she was not given her due after her impressive performance on When You Believe. Some people may not like her technique but she was technically good in there. If the judges rave a lot on Michael Lynche for being technically good, why bash Siobhan? Across The Universe was my favorite performance in Beatles’ Night. Also, Siobhan has been the most consistent in studio versions. I also do not blame her for using the high notes in A Man of Mine. It was polarizing but she has to return to what she has been known for. Lastly, her farewell performance has got to be one of the best (if not the best) farewell performances I have ever witnessed. Thank you, Siobhan.
As entertainment hits the next gear this month, I am actually stepping a bit on the brakes as I am quitting on American Idol. It is not the ending I wanted but continuing to watch a show that has me frustrated (except when David Cook won) is not a healthy show anymore. Figuratively, it would be like stepping on the gas while you are already skidding.
As entertainment hits the next gear this month, I am actually stepping a bit on the brakes as I am quitting on American Idol. It is not the ending I wanted but continuing to watch a show that has me frustrated (except when David Cook won) is not a healthy show anymore. Figuratively, it would be like stepping on the gas while you are already skidding.
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