Why a live remote version of American Idol is a terrible idea

The Muse

Idol will proceed with live shows this season amid the coronavirus crisis by having the 20 finalists perform remotely while the judges weigh in from their homes. "Although American Idol ceased to be about singing a long time ago, this new format strips away the last bit of normalcy from the singing competition and leaves viewers with one incredibly awkward televised Zoom meeting," says Shannon Melero. "Amateur singers just don’t sound good without the bells and whistles of a sound team behind them. Singing from home, presumably in a bathroom to optimize acoustics, also robs viewers of the musical arrangements put together by the Idol band. With no musicians and vocals being passed through a subpar microphone, what exactly is the show supposed to be? Canceled. It’s supposed to be canceled."