'Rising Star' Premiere Review: You Raise the Wall Up
Rising Star premiered on Sunday on ABC, ushering live voting via an app to reality singing competition shows in the U.S.
First of all, I just have to rant about all the "haters" on Twitter who write for various publications on the Web. Their general consensus after just one or two contestants in during the premiere, was just that: hate for this new reality singing show on TV (that didn't capture their imaginations like American Idol did a decade ago when they were all younger).
One wrote that's it's not as good as The Voice to like... and not camp and bad like The X Factor USA, to hate-watch.
Hate-watch? Really? That's why they watched The X Factor USA?
Just a hint for these writers: A majority of people in America do not watch TV shows to hate-watch. That's just unique to your journalist culture as a way to cope with balancing your personal sensibilities and the responsibilities of your work as a "journalist". If you are covering a beat you don't really want to do -- you hate-watch, plain and simple.
Clearly, these guys are tired of their jobs covering reality shows (it can be draining in fairness) and that frustration is just manifesting in their opinions.
So where am I getting here?
Well, for one: These pundits hating on Rising Star are the very same people who hated on The Voice when it premiered a couple of years ago. Seriously. It was only in Season Three when they universally accepted that The Voice was a "good" show when The Voice ratings were clearly beating American Idol. So now, a majority of them are saying The Voice is good (and American Idol is horrible). They are not even questioning the fact that The Voice doesn't have a "star" (like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood) as hard as they did before -- because they've lost that debate every season with The Voice ratings staying strong.
And let's not forget, and I'm dating myself here, journalists also hated on American Idol a decade ago when it premiered. It was only after Kelly Clarkson became a pop star with "Since U Been Gone" from her second album that the tide turned in Idol's favor.
Personally, this is exactly the same thing that is happening with Rising Star: It's new so it's going to take some getting used to from everyone -- and the knee-jerk reaction is to not like it. But the fact of the matter is: it's a perfectly decent show for the summer and it's not a trainwreck.
People are curious to see new talent. That's why there are so many reality shows and people on YouTube go viral every week. We want to see what's out there. If you are tired of reality singing shows -- that's you -- the human race couldn't care less. I'm sure a lot of viewers have already embraced Rising Star as a way to discover new talent in their lives.
So please, don't listen to these "pundits".
I'm giving Rising Star a chance... and in fact, I love it already. Live voting and instant gratification are simply the best. (And getting back to the "pundits" hating on this show -- they actually really hate the extended "results shows" on Idol and The Voice. That's why their aversion for Rising Star doesn't make any sense. They are getting what they want, and now it's the worst show they've ever seen, LOL.)
That said, a new show always has growing pains off the bat, and Rising Star has a couple things that it has to overcome:
1. It's on Sunday and America is not used to watching a show like this on Sunday. Sunday is reserved for HBO stuff and whatnot. But I think this is the best solution that ABC has come up with since live voting is essential. ABC just needs to keep the word out that their event show is happening on Sunday nights.
2. There's this weird West Coast voting rule that is confusing. They should just make it live nationally.
Aside from that, it's regular reality singing show fare with a great twist, a decent set of contestants and "experts" and a great host.
I love the chemistry between the "experts" in getting each other to vote yes or no. I think it's a really good panel. Ludacris or Luda as he wanted Josh Groban to call him, was the most brutally honest of the three. Brad Paisley meanwhile was his usual easy on the eyes self. And Kesha -- the most controversial "expert" since a lot of people eyeroll at her being an "expert" -- was surprisingly good. A lot of the things the contestants on the show are doing, she did early in her career -- and she made it to the top of the charts. I think she can offer a lot of insights for the contestants.
Josh Groban is an amazing host. I love him. He is the heart and soul of this show in my opinion. You really can't go wrong with Groban. He also acts as the mentor to the contestants during practice which is a great addition.
The live voting of course is my favorite. During the course of the show, contestant names trended in the United States on Twitter and occasionally worldwide.
There were a couple of standout contestants, middle of the road ones, and a few not so good ones. If you've been watching every single reality singing show like I do -- that's pretty much what goes on in every show. I'm just happy that there are a few contestants in the premiere that got viewers excited and anchored for future episodes.
Jesse Kinch, Lisa Punch, Macy Kate and Meepat Molloy were the standouts.
I think this show has a lot of potential and ABC should not give up on this show in the face of criticism from the "pundit experts". As I said in the beginning: They don't know what they are talking about.
I give this show a solid "A". Looking forward to voting via the app next week.
For videos of the performances please visit Rising Star