American Idol Recap: Season Premiere

The ninth season of American Idol started off a little different than we’re typically used to last night. First, this was the first episode without judge Paula Abdul (it was strange for a moment but then I had forgotten all about her by the end of the night) and then secondly, we found out on Monday that this will be Simon Cowell’s last season as an Idol judge. Simon will certainly be a greater loss than Paula - as he has become the face of the show - but if last night proved anything, it’s that the American Idol machine is going to keep on rolling no matter who is on board this year.

One of the big reasons I’ve always enjoyed the show is that is broken up into three completely different parts. I like that it goes from the audition process to the Hollywood week to the actual competition, and through that we get to see certain contestants evolve as the rest of the field gets weeded out.

The auditions kicked off in Boston and on the whole it was everything we’ve come to expect from this portion of the series. We got a good sampling of the good, the bad, and the crazy, and as I tweeted last night, I always forget how much I enjoy the delusional contestants until I see them again. Good to have you back, crazies! For some people, it’s like watching a train wreck, but it goes beyond that for me. It’s like a fascinating sociological observation that’s focused on subjects with absolutely no self awareness.

I just don’t know how you can go through life thinking you are so talented at something when there’s obvious evidence to the contrary (and please refrain from the "then why are you writing?" jokes).

In my opinion the singers that stood out the most and could make a legitimate run if everything breaks right for them were, in the following order:

1. Tyler Grady – the drummer that broke both of his hands falling out of a tree. I really liked his Jim Morrison/classic rock vibe and his personality in general (despite the fact that he fell out of a tree and broke both of his hands).

2. Ashley Curtis – Simon said she has “it” and he knows better than most of us, so let’s keep an eye on her.

3. Maddy Curtis – the 16 year old girl that has three brothers with Down’s Syndrome. I think she just caught me off guard because I had no expectations for her going in. I need to see her again in the Hollywood setting to get a better read.

4. Justin Williams – good looking guy + great voice + cancer survivor = a winning American Idol formula. He has potential to go very deep on this show.

5. Katie Stevens – another young girl that has the grandmother suffering from Alzheimer’s. She had that Jordan Sparks quality about her but, like Maddy, I want to see a little more from her in a more pressure filled situation.

What did you think of the Idol premiere? Who were your favorites and who were your favorite crazies? And what did you think of the show going sans Paula and Victoria Beckham’s stint as a guest judge?

I’ll be back tomorrow with the new TV News & Notes Feature and a quick recap of tonight’s Idol. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!