American Idol Week 1 of Semifinals Review

Reviews on individual performances are a dime a dozen. "This singer was great, that one was lousy." So I try to take a different, perhaps more analytical approach to the show.

After the first round of the semifinals, it is clear how previous exposure and back stories are playing a part in the voting. This is unfair, as I've mentioned before, and I would not be surprised if some fans get turned off by this.

I don't see what exactly Kara DioGuardi brings to the table. Most of the time she was in complete agreement with Randy, using different words to say the same thing. In seasons past, we understood the chemistry of the three judges - Randy, with his cool lingo, Paula's refusal to ever say anything bad about anyone and her occasional zaniness, and Simon's biting wit and brutal honesty. The differences in personalities are what viewers found appealing. Now it just feels as if we have to wait just a little longer to get to Simon. Perhaps Kara needs some time to find her sea legs, but another possibility is that the producers may want to push Paula out the door, and by getting viewers acclimated to DioGuardi this season, they can have her take the middle spot and wave goodbye to Paula. Just a theory.

Finally, having the singers go back upstairs and chat with Ryan and their family members is a bit odd. If the singer did well and got good reviews, it is enough to see them hooting and hollering in the audience. If they did lousy, it seems cruel to have them grilled in front of their loved ones. Hearing negativity from the judges is hard enough, so let them get the heck off the stage as soon as possible.