Well it is all over for another year. Even Mrs SOG is getting fed up with it now and is suggesting we dont bother with it next year
I know that the bar isnt high, but it has been particulalry poor this year. The girl who won it was a really good singer and will probably go on to have a half decent career, but the two who came second were truly dreadful. They sang (shouted) the same song through the whole competition until they had to actually sing the Bob Dylan song in the final. It didnt go well. Reggie’n.Bollie they are called. They seem a nice couple of lads and the audeience clearly like them but it is about singing and they cant. We also had Coldplay (who I usually like) with their worst record ever, One Direction (boo) who are about to split up for a year (yay) and Adele who for me is better when she is talking rather than singing. So then, not a great night of TV watching on Sunday. Pap, you wonder why I prefer to go on TSW and get torn to shreds?
I don’t think that historically, anyone has had too much of a problem with Saturday night TV being aimed at the lowest common denominator. Damn, the amount of shite I watched in the 1980s was incredible. A-Team, Airwolf, Blind Date. I was fine with all of that. The kids aren’t going to be up for harrowing documentaries every day, after all.
The X-Factor has come to dominate the entire weekend, and also has an effect on the charts. Completely agree with Gay Abandon’s earlier point about RATM’s number one. I think I bought six copies There is a campaign to get War Pigs to number one this year. Again, it’ll be in conflict with the X-Factor.
Really though, I think i was sick of the whole damn enterprise by the second series. That would have been the time it was revealed that they were pre-screening and only letting nutters or potential superstars through. It’s a really shite show for music in any event. Anything they decide to bring in from outside of the mainstream they sanitise and fuck up. That goes for the music and the contestants.
It is cheap TV though Pap. Just like I’m a Celebrity. It fills slots and is candy floss for the brain, like most reality tv shows. I didnt bother with the first few years and only started watching it as a trade off with the Missus (honest). She promised to give up soaps if I sat with her through X Factor and IACGMOOH. A lot of the time I let it float over me and there are some good cover versions occasionally. As I said before I did actually think that Leona Lewis and Matt Cardle were well worth watching the show for. I also fell for the guff that the deluded people who cant sing were just on stage as part of the process and when I heard that they were actually put through by the producers that left a sour taste. It looks like we have at least another year of it before it is either dumped or picked up by SKY but when it goes I hope that they find something decent to replace it as weekend telly in the main is pants. All of the decent shows are in the week (well, the ones we think are decent). I was looking at the Radio Times the other day to see what was on on Christmas Day. Bugger all. We used to spend all day in front of the TV when I was growing up - now it looks like TSW or YouTube
I am proud to say I have not intentionally watched a minute of the X-Factor this season! I just don’t “get” it, a talent show where the judges are more important seems bonkers.
Mrs BTripz has been complaining that this year’s show is crap yet still watched it, however she Sky+'d it and fast forwarded through the singing to hear the judges comments!
As I’ve said before she did once try to get on the show but never got past the first audtion, this despite being a decent enough singer that the local hotels and social clubs employ her talents most weeks. What really galled was the Tango man at the audtion she was at that made it to the Televised auditions despite not being able to sing. And I still feel sorry for that young girl who was savaged by SC for not being able to sing despite the fact that she went through 4 auditions to get to the telly stage.
Wonder how many auditions Europe’s Got Talent (I refuse to call it Britain now) contestants have to go through to make the televised auditions.
Reality television is cheap and easy to make. What irks me is that it make celebrities of people who really should not be, Chantelle Houghton anyone, she won CBB despite being dropped into the show as a joke!!
I get the bit about the judges comments because I used to like it when they were bickering, especially SC and LW. There wasnt so much banter this year which is probably why I got bored. Thing is although they say it is about finding the next big thing, it mostly isnt. Every now and again someone actually has a career (usually those who dont win) but what it really is is a show about finding the next big thing. So the judges and the compares (bloody hopless this year, dont know why O’Leary was ditched) are actually more imporatnt than the singers. Its why I sit through Im a Celebrity. It is for Ant and Dec and their comments rather than the contestants. They are just there as foils for the production and to pad the show out. Its like the Apprentice. I am sure when they select the contestants that they chose 2 or 3 potential winners and the rest are brought in because they are a bit bonkers to make good TV.
As well as being from outside Europe, they were professional / veteran talent show competitors, extremely well coached, costumed and flown around the world by a mega rich family. Nothing not to like there.
I don’t think that historically, anyone has had too much of a problem with Saturday night TV being aimed at the lowest common denominator. Damn, the amount of shite I watched in the 1980s was incredible. A-Team, Airwolf, Blind Date. I was fine with all of that. The kids aren’t going to be up for harrowing documentaries every day, after all.
<sigh> if only you had been around in the 70s, Pap
There is a campaign to get War Pigs to number one this year. Again, it’ll be in conflict with the X-Factor.
