Is The Time For 'Idol' Over?

When Simon Cowell announced earlier this month that he would be leaving American Idol after the current season ends in order to judge an American version of his British show, X-Factor, my first question was: Wait, wasn’t American Idol supposed to be the American version of X-Factor? And, more importantly, if X-Factor offers everything AI does, plus more, all without forcing Ryan Seacrest into our homes on a weekly basis, does this mean American Idol’s time is over?

Well, to be fair, American Idol is not exactly the American version of X-Factor; it’s actually a spin-off of the British series Pop Idol. Cowell was a judge on Pop Idol, but the show was replaced after two seasons with a series called X-Factor. This happened not so much because the Pop Idol was unsuccessful (American Idol is only one of dozens of spin-offs) but because Cowell wanted to work on a show owned by his production company, Syco. While Simon held out much longer as a judge on American Idol, he will be filling both the executive producer and judge position in 2011 at X-Factor. Hm, look at that—history going off and repeating itself again. While he claims he wants to leave Idol “bigger and better than it was in the past,” it’s hard to imagine he’s not vying for Idol’s rating and pop culture throne.

X-Factor has the potential to make Idol obsolete because while it retains the components people love—the awkwardly hilarious auditions, the earnest and relatable contestants, Simon’s biting sarcasm, and perhaps even Paula Abdul if rumors are to be believed—it is just different enough to seem fresh, new, and exciting. The primary differences are that groups, in addition to solo performers, and people over the age of 28 may audition for X-Factor. Including older contestant may not seem like a sexy idea, but consider what a worldwide phenomenon 49-year-old Susan Boyle became. Kelly Clarkson is doing well for herself, but she has never gone viral.

X-Factor is like your favorite recipe, familiar and comfortable, dressed up with a special new secret sauce. And while both shows will be airing on the same network, at different times during the year, will we really have an appetite for both? Viewers will have their preferences, but they will be shaped at least partly by the preferences of future contestants and potential judges. Will talented performers be more likely to audition for one show over the other? Both shows have judge’s seats to fill–which will score a more impressive, qualified, or entertaining lineup? Something tells me the pop-culture allure of Simon Cowell will draw in more star power than Randy Jackson.

It’s true that the current ratings and innumerable references to “General” Larry Platt’s “Pants on the Ground” song on Facebook suggest that Paula’s departure has not slowed Idol down. Simon, however, will leave a bigger void. With a tenuous future, now could be the best time to end Idol – while it is still on top.