American Idol Season 10

I wasn't sure what to make of all the changes this season on "American Idol."  I think it was good for Ellen DeGeneres to go -- DeGeneres is talented in many things but judging singers is not one of them.  I thought Kara DioGuardi was a great judge (as well as great eye candy) and was crushed when she decided not to return. 

But I feared the biggest loss was Simon Cowell.  I don't blame him for leaving.  I mean, he had to sit through thousands of hours of horrible interviews -- we only saw the highlights.  But I wondered if the show would be the same with Randy Jackson as the only remaining original judge.

We're only two weeks in, so it's still early, but I've been pleasantly surprised with Season 10.  The two new judges are great.  Jennifer Lopez is tough but honest.  She also fulfills the eye candy role vacated by DioGuardi.  Steven Tyler is most definitely not eye candy, but he's also a smart judge who has a surprising range considering he's been a rocker his whole career.  And he's also kinda creepy when the younger women audition, which is entertaining.

I think what I like the most is that the three of them are all more of less equals.  Nobody is the Simon Cowell dickhead or the Paula Abdul softie (Tyler is probably the closest to being too lenient).  They all have their moments.

And what really clinches it for me is that, at the end of the day, the entertaining part of the show is the singers.  Not the good singers, because I don't care about them, but the bad singers, and most of all the bad singers who don't understand how bad they are and have hissy fits when they can't understand why they just got three "No's."  For that alone, I'll keep watching.