American Idol,one of the longest-standing reality competition shows on the air, has been on in one form or another since 2002, but after a revamp in 2018 and the addition of formerIdolwinner Carrie Underwood to the judges' table, things need to be revamped. WatchingAmerican Idolhas been a part of my life since I was 10 years old, and seeing Carrie,the winner ofAmerican Idolseason 4and bona fide country superstar, joining the judging panel was exciting. While I was hopeful Carrie would do well, I’ve also tried to be realistic about her performance.

With the addition of Carrie toAmerican Idolseason 23, I was ready to see some new chemistry between her, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie. While Katy Perry was an eccentric judge, I was hopeful Carrie would be able to bring a different sense of the music industry to the table. Although she was a similar archetype to Luke as country artists, I was hopeful that Carrie would be able to bring the perspective of a formerIdolcontestant and winner to the table. While a lot of that remains to be seen,I’ve noticed other issues withAmerican Idol.

American Idol’s Carrie Underwood flanked by Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, each looking distressed.

The Pool Of Contestants Are Incredible

American Idolseason 23 has come out of the gate with some incredible talent. While there’s typically a lot of talent to be seen and praised during the audition phase of the competition, there have been a lot of people who are genuinely blowing the socks off of the judges this year. Even with the high level of talent, the competition has felt eerily similar this year to past seasons ofIdol,which isstrange for viewers like me who were expecting something different with Carrie’s entry to the show. While I’m enjoying the season, something feels off.

American Idol Hasn’t Shown Negative Auditions This Season

The Show Is Only Showing The Positive Outcomes

Although I’ve been interested in seeing all the wonderfully talented singers that have been part ofAmerican Idolthis year, I’m surprised that there haven’t been more no’s shown in the audition room. WhileCarrie’s been judging people a bit more harshlythan Lionel or Luke, offering a “no” rather than “yes” to some contestants, the majority of the auditions shown on screen are people who have the chance to make it through to the next round. In earlier seasons ofAmerican Idol,the show featured auditions of all different qualities to showcase everyone auditioning, but that’s been lost.

American Idol Is Losing Its Identity With Its Major Judging Change

It Needs To Find Its Footing

AlthoughI don’t think bringing Carrie in to judge onAmerican Idolseason 23 was a mistake, I do think it may have caused the show to try to stick with an identity it doesn’t have anymore. With the judge’s panel consisting of Luke, Lionel, and Katy, there was a little bit of a different group identity featured in the panel and how they judged each contestant. WithCarrie as a part of the panel, now, the show has to find its footing again, shaking things up instead of clinging to the same formula.

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WithCarrie being an unexpectedly tough judge, it’s clear thather time onAmerican Idolis going to be a lot different than viewers expected. Carrie’s time on the show hasn’t been long, but her familiarity with the competition is much more intense than the other judges. Drawing on that and allowing the show to reveal some of the talent that’s almost ready, or some of theAmerican Idolauditioners who don’t make it, could help form the new identity of the series moving forward.

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