ShareThisBy TERRY MORROW
Scripps Howard News Service
Thursday, May 17, 2007
"American Idol" is wraps up its latest edition (8 p.m. Wednesday, Fox) without one of its most popular contestants of all time.
Yes, the show had plenty of talent this time around -- the power singing of Melinda and the beat box of Blake -- but ousted contestant Sanjaya managed to overshadow them for most of the season.
Sanjaya may have lacked the chops, but he was able to manipulate the system long enough to be in the final 10, overcoming singers who, by most opinions, were flat out better.
The teen from Federal Way, Wash., got tongues wagging with his outrageous hairstyles and puppy-dog eyes. America fell in love with him for a little too long.
Forcing to choose between seeing Sanjaya's antics for another week or keep in singers with more deserving talent, America decide to bump him off.
So what does that say about "Idol"?
Well, for one, the smash hit may be showing signs of wear. Some armchair critics have declared this the worst season of "Idol" ever, that the show has lost its way and allowed gimmicks to override talent.
Of course, the ratings don't indicate there's anything wrong with that.
"Idol" still attracts more than 27 million viewers with each installment, making it the No. 1 show in primetime week in and week out.
But despite the breast beating to the contrary by the show's judges and producers, "Idol" is not a talent contest. It's a popularity poll of unknown singers. Heck, for that matter, the singers could already be professionals, but not very well known.
A few of this year's finalists did professional backup singing for major stars already.
In the end, who really cares? "Idol" still gets people to watch and people to talk. At the end of the day, that's all that really matters anyway.
Other highlights for the week of May 20-26 (all times are Eastern; listings are subject to change; check local listings):
SUNDAY
_ "The Simpsons" (8 p.m. Fox). It's the 400th episode. D'oh!
_ "Desperate Housewives" (9 p.m. ABC). There's a wedding or two in the works. Gaby may be a bride, and Susan may get there, too. Upstaging all this is the arrival of Lynette's mother (Polly Bergen), a whirlwind in her own right.
MONDAY
_ "Heroes" (9 p.m. NBC). Will Peter finally blow up already? The first-season finale is supposed to show us what happens when one guy goes nuclear.
TUESDAY
_ "Dancing with the Stars" (9 p.m. ABC). The dancing competition declares its latest winner. Who won't be surprised if Laila Ali doesn't make it to the final two?
WEDNESDAY
_ "Lost" (10 p.m. ABC). The lowest-rated season to date of this once-hot show comes to an end. The mystery will take nine months to return, with 16 new and consecutive episodes in early 2008.
THURSDAY
_ "So You Think You Can Dance" (8 p.m. Fox). The singers have sung, and now the dancers come along for the summer.
(Contact Terry Morrow of The Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee at www.knoxnews.com.)
