Lots of entertainment industry mavens have noticed the drop in Idol ratings over the past few years. The finale is tonight and the question in the air is “American Idol – does anyone still care?”
But that’s the wrong question. What’s wrong with American Idol is that it’s not telling its story in the right way. It’s got storyline confusion.
Readers of this blog will know that there are only a few basic, powerful stories you can tell, and the most fundamental is the Quest. American Idol sets off with its contestants on a Quest to survive elimination and win first the Golden Ticket to Hollywood and then, of course, the top prize, becoming the Idol.
So far so good. But the problem comes with the end of the road. The show has been around long enough that it has become all too obvious that winning American Idol is no guarantee of becoming a pop star. All too many of the winners have fizzled rather than dominated the pop charts.
American Idol is a false quest and we all know it. The show can’t deliver on its implicit promise. The record shows that winning American Idol doesn’t mean all that much.
Contrast that flawed ending with the Hunger Games. At first, Katniss is on a simple quest to survive the games, but the stakes keep getting raised, and soon she must figure out a way to win the survival of 2 people, herself, and the other contestant with whom she may be falling in love. And of course, as readers of the trilogy already know, she ultimately figures out a way not only to cheat that fate, but to win something far bigger and more important, an end to the wicked Games themselves. Her true quest is revealed and the world she lives in is transformed.
The implications for American Idol and its contestants are clear. The show needs to figure out a way to make its ending a real, complete Quest. Perhaps the winner gets a million dollars and a house in the Valley? Killing off the losers is probably out.
And if you’re a contestant on American Idol? The smart move is to pull a Katniss and refuse to play along (after you’ve gotten to, say, the top 3 or so). Pull out and focus on the real quest – to take the wicked, corrupt music scene by storm. It’s not about getting to Hollywood. It’s about having a real career in a very, very tough business by dint of your talent and determination to survive – and staying authentic no matter what. That’s a quest everyone can love.
Real quests always end with a celebration with your friends, one that marks the completion of a difficult journey. Winning American Idol these days is more like attending your college graduation – it’s all too clear the fun is over and it’s time to get to work.
Never again will I watch American Idol. No one can deny that Phillip Phillips seems to be a great nice guy. But, there’s just no comparing his talent with Jessica Sanchez’s talent. It’s heart wrenching to see such a talented singer like Jessica Sanchez not win the title. It seems that votes now days are better won due to people’s sympathy towards-one of the contenders to the tittle instead of true gifted singing talent.
Noemi — I understand your feeling, but I think the voting has more to do with the voters: teenage and pre-teen girls, who are naturally more attracted to the cute boy than the cute girl. The solution is to persuade more teenage boys to vote!
Nick-
As an avid AI viewer (curiously enough, I am not a voter, although I own an ATT cell!), I had never really thought about your premise of the mirage of the AI Quest.
We all know that the actual “winner” is guaranteed a recording contract; it is up to the Idol to capitalize on achieving the Quest.
Ironically, these days, anyone in the top 5 does NOT want to win – you owe AI a percentage of your royalties into what may seem forever. Just ask Kelly Clarkson and Chris Daughtry!
Hi, Kristin —
Thanks for your comment. The problem with the AI Quest is similar to the problem all hikers have experienced while climbing a peak. You hit what are called “false summits,” only to discover that you have to keep going and going. But a good quest, like a good mountain, has a clear end point, and you’re done when you get there.