Very well written! I personally thought the show "jumped the shark" after the original judges changed and Simon left. The ratings got very low after this and this year, I'm finding myself still sucked in hoping that it will change for the better and actually produce a successful winner. Why do the winners win at all if they are not successful after getting the Idol crown??
I enjoyed reading this piece very much and found myself nodding along in agreement. However, I wouldn't be so quick to give Nigel Lythgoe credit for the turnaround we are seeing. Not only did American Idol get a new judging team, but it also got a new production team which has a lot to do with how much better the show is this season. Nigel was fired from his position as executive producer. While I would agree that So You Think You Can Dance has generally had a bit better vibe, I have gotten the impression that much of what was pointed out in this editorial as being wrong with American Idol, was due to choices made by Lythgoe.