A Popularity contest not a talent one (Britain's Got Talent)

Member Name: iamasadlittleboy

Product:	Britain's Got Talent
Date:	09/09/09 (28 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The occasional great contestant

Disadvantages: who get overlooked for the guff of singers and dancers

The idea that Simon Cowell's face automatically means the show he is on will do well seems to, for some reason, turn out to be true and with shows like Pop Idol, X Factor and this, Britain's got Talent all go to prove it. However what's an equally true fact is that ITV seem happy to show these cash cows of glorified popularity contests due to the popularity they seem to have competing against whatever non-entity BBC are showing against it. The masses have been happy to eat up these shows one after the other which despite all being pretty much the same all seem to be hugely popular and almost holding a revolving door slot on ITV's main channel.

The niche that Britain's Got Talent has over the others is of course it's not aimed at just singers (well the concept is for general "talent") but allows dancers, magicians, jugglers, ventriloquists and the ilk to all showcase themselves on national TV. In principle this sounds brilliant, variety shows back on TV at last, sadly 20 years too late, right, mixing all the different fields of talents out there and giving the viewer a brilliantly varied viewing experience. The most talented man, woman or group in Britain gets the prize of performing on the Royal Variety Show in front of the queen and usually publicity to perform either under the Britains Got Talent label, or publicity to springboard their own careers.

Great right? Well sadly it becomes little more than a glorified singing and dancing competition in the end which, like expected from previous experience of similar shows, is voted for by "You, the viewers" over a premium rate phone number (smart ITV). In fact the final few shows are all live and governed by us calling the numbers to put 2 contestants from the final week's daily shows through to a Saturday night final. This is after a regular Saturday night light entertainment show which sees the three judges filter the "talent" down to the most TV friendly singers and dancers (usually) that they can. Yes it really is almost always down to the Singers and the Dancers, whilst things like Comedians, Magicians and more risqué acts are eliminated early on.

The judges of course are chaired by TV's high trousered one, with Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan helping to fill out the three places of the proverbial jury. With Simon Cowell you know fine well what you're getting, a self righteous verbal scythe happy to penetrate the hearts of any poor young thing with a poison dart of words. Amanda Holden on the other hand is the direct opposite, the stereo typical blonde, put on as a bit of eye candy for the guys who are forced to watch the show by their girlfriend, though the constant crying and the obvious preference for pretty boys with little talent against pretty girls with talent gets grating. Also on the conversation of Miss Holden, what talent has she actually got her self, other than the ability to turn the water works on with ease? And Finally Piers Morgan the former tabloid editor who has since become a "TV Personality" who actually seems void of personality other than the feeling of his own self importance. With the Baddy of Simon and the Goody of Amanda poor Piers has to try and play the middle role and sadly he seems unable to fully till such a role, in fact the only thing he seems good at is getting punched by Jeremy Clarkson.

As the show becomes more and more a popularity contest than a talent contest and more of a dance and sing-a-thon the show seems to finish as a parody of Cowell's other shows as he seems to want to have an open audition for the next singer (or dancer) to sign up to his huge promotion vehicle. Yes Cowell is effectively filtering down and seeking a new employee to sign up, a new cash cow for himself who the public are now used to due to having them shoved down their neck. Despite yet to release a single Susan Boyle is bound to be a huge success (despite only being a runner up and not incredibly talented) based on the show and not her stand alone talent. Sadly this seems to be the next step on the road to super stardom, whilst the hard work and the drive for those in the past that went the old fashioned scene growing from local band to being spotted and becoming national has gone. It's now a matter of appearing on a TV show and short cutting it all.

Thankfully it seems to be dancers and not singers that have been the past 2 winners, though I can't say I'm a fan of dancing any more than I am a fan of sub standard singing. Sadly it would seem that the shows idea of talent doesn't extend any further than singers or dancers, so those hoping to see the next Paul Daniels need to look else where.

Hosted by the nations favourite Geordie duo Ant and Dec who despite being likable enough on their own just seem like they are their to make cheeky comments and "console" the victims of Simon's words. Sadly lacking their own trademark ability to be personable almost seeming to be robots taken in by the steamrolling Cowell productions network and sadly they seem to have lacked the things that make them so well loved.

Nothing more than an over the top popularity contest.

Summary: Another way for Simon Cowell to get a pre-made star