It's even shitter this year than last, isn't it? This was the show that was supposed to widen the search from POP IDOL, to find international recording artists rather than cookie-cutter pretty-boy pop fodder. As such, it's a dismal failure, reduced to a display of preening and bitching between the three prima donna judges, completely overshadowing the meagre talents of the contestants. They've been relegated to mere ammunition as Cowell, Walsh and Osbourne pillory each other at every opportunity. Pathetic.
I suppose it's mathematically obvious that if you have the same search every year, your chance of finding major talent diminishes annually. Really, who is going to apply next year who didn't already this year? Cowell and his cronies really must rest this format, or they're in danger of killing the goose that laid the golden egg. But then again, seeing as they're a cartel that has been strip-mining the music industry in this country for years, I presume they'll just be greedy and keep on going until the entire nation would prefer to tear its own ears off than hear "Unchained Melody" being mangled ever again.