Mariah and Nicky were an utter disaster. Ellen, even more so. 

You really can’t beat the original three. It might have been a dynamic that only worked in that day and age, but it worked. As soon as they threw in Kara, everything shifted and went downhill from there. (Though it was clear Simon was over it by then too.) 

I actually think Luke, Lionel, and Katy aren’t horrible, but I dislike an Idol that’s more focused on its judges than the contestants, which is what it’s turned into. 

Idol's judges used to be their biggest asset — now they're what makes the show boring. 

Season 8 (Kris vs. Adam) was the last legitimately good season. Ever since, it's been slowly but surely morphing into The Voice, which, from a music perspective, is completely irrelevant and useless. The whole benefit of Idol was seeing real stars come out of it — now, the show provides more camera time to the judges than contestants, making it impossible for someone to break out of the show. 

Was the OG panel of Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell your favorite? Or maybe the chaos of the Keith Urban, Mariah Carey, and Nicki Minaj era? How about when they threw in a little Steven Tyler? Or, do you like the current panel of Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan?

 I want to hear your thoughts.  Personally, the original panel can't be beat for me,  but I do truly appreciate the current panel as my second favorite throughout the years. I think they work well together and can spot major talent.

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News, commentary, and exclusives about 'American Idol,' starring Ryan Seacrest, Luke Bryant, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie.