Reviews & Ratings for
"The X Factor" More at IMDbPro »

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35 out of 49 people found the following review useful:

455th Review: LOVED it!

Author: intelearts from the big screen
22 September 2011

For a genre that after ten years of Idol, and rivaled by the Voice, and a ton of other shows, this is proof that go big or go home really works - it was exciting, captivating, and by opening up the age limits we had youngsters and over 30s who proved that singing is universal, and it's never too early or too late to try.

As I write this 63 votes cast on IMDb and half of those gave this a 1, what show were they watching? - are they on the Idol production team? This was big and fun - less bad auditions, a huge stadium of people to give their opinion, and the return of Simon Cowell, I mean come on, what more do you want?

This is going to be a very long haul - from now all the way through to Xmas - but I've looking forward to every moment. Having watched and seen the amazing success that the X Factor has had in the UK (The number one show producing the number one artist and the UK Christmas number one for the past four years) I feel sure that this is the show that Idol now longs to be; brilliant, brilliant stuff, and the 30 who hated it can vote down my comment, but me, I'm just the audience, and we LOVED it....

19 out of 23 people found the following review useful:

What You See Is What You Get

Author: Alex Frey from Thailand
25 September 2011

This kind of show has been seen and done a dozen of times. Due to my travels I was able to see The X-Factor in the UK, Germany and Australia already and the US Version is not much different but bigger.

Obviously you need to like casting shows to enjoy the program, having said that, people giving this a 1 star rating should be banned from further reviews and ratings since there is more to the production of a TV Show than the likable factor. This program is produced and directed very well, there is a nice flow and speed going on, the scenery shots from the cities alone are worth more than 1 star so what's it to ya? Let me be very clear, it is Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and LA. Reid, you get exactly what is on the package and someone who's rating 9 stars for American Idol and 1 Star for The X Factor is a hypocrite. If you like American Idol you like this show, if you don't like American Idol you won't like this either. Opening the age limits is a fantastic decision because that gets really interesting later when the contestants will be split into Boys, Girls, Groups and over 30s and receive personal training from the judges and coaches. This is where the show will be different from Idol and since it has worked in other countries very well, it will work in American just fine, despite the hypocritical ratings on this website.

If you're looking for something entirely different you won't find it here, but if you feel entertained by great voices and quirky auditions this is a great show to watch. As long there are 20,000 people auditioning in every city this show clearly deserves it's space.

13 out of 18 people found the following review useful:

I Was So Ready To HATE This Show...

Author: dcscribe8860 from Somewhere In A Red State
15 October 2011

As it was, with the over-saturation of Simon's smug puss on GAWD-only-knows how many promos about it, I was sharpening up my knives for this, ready to cut a "b" (finish the spelling on that one yourself.) I'd already stuck a fork in American IDOL...I had reached my limit of seeing anyone who had even a remote lick of talent get tossed to the side, while some twit barely out their teens shrieking a cover of some great rock or blues song got to take home the Grand Prize, instead of a "booby prize" they were more than worthy of. (Sorry, but when the greatest agony of your life is running out of ProActiv, you have no business attempting to sing Rod Stewart, Aretha, Al Green or anything that grown-ups SHOULD be singing.)

I was mostly familiar with the Brit version because of the overwhelming successes of both Paul Potts and Susan Boyle, two talents possessed of great voices, but with 'faces for radio,' as the old joke goes. Still, I was intrigued by the idea that it would be a singing competition now open to ALL ages and ALL styles, (unlike AMERICA'S GOT TALENT, the more big-budgeted version of THE GONG SHOW, where anything goes...and I do mean ANYTHING!)

But with Simon involved, I mostly expected an 'American IDOL' clone for much older people. Fancy my shock and surprise when I gave it a chance, and discovered that even though it's just as slickly produced as its ageist counterpart, it actually has something shocking...people who really CAN sing! Now that it's reached the latter stages of the competition, where the judges have been assigned the groups they'll be working with, things are starting to get even more interesting than with the Audition phase, though it was a lot more entertaining to watch than AI, with less of an emphasis on nutjobs and what I like to call the 'granola' contingent (fruits, nuts and flakes of every kind).

The only bone I have to pick with the producers was the pairing of judges to groups. Nicole Scherzinger, she of "Pussycat Dolls" infamy, would have been much better off with the groups, while L.A. Reid got the over-30's, Simon got the boys and Paula Abdul the girls. In fact, having Nicole and Enrique "More Auto-Tune, Please" Iglesias judge and work with the over-30's borders on being downright disrespectful. This category of contestants are old enough to have KIDS their age, not to mention that they probably own SHOES older than him or her.

But enough ranting about my personal biases regarding the show. Overall, do I think it's good, bad or indifferent? The answer is always subjective, and depends on your tolerance level these days for reality shows, competitive or otherwise.

Me? Warts, Simon and all, I don't think I'll be going back to American IDOL anytime soon. And if it weren't for Sharon Osborne and Piers Morgan, I probably would never give AMERICA'S GOT TALENT the time of day, either. Only time will tell, but personally, I believe that FACTOR may have what it needs to take everyone else down both ratings and quality-wise.

It's Own X Factor

Author: francescalauta from United Kingdom
8 November 2012

The X Factor is an awe inspiring show. The way that the show finds real talent from average people is phenomenal. Voting and critiquing is done in a fair, impartial, and legitimate way. Not only can X Factor find talent, but that have the ability to take that talent and create colossal albums and records, as well as friendships that will last a lifetime.

To demonstrate, bands such as One Direction have been formed on this reality TV show, and have gone on world tours and have albums that have made number one in a matter of days. Because of the fact that they hold open auditions, the judges, Simon Cowell, Demi Lovato, Brittney Spears, and LA Reid, really get to scope out the talent in the city that is auditioning. Furthermore, they often have to say no to individuals with tremendous voices because of the fact that they do not have the a good performing attitude or the confidence to make in big. In other words, the finalists of the show all have the potential to have performances in Madison Square in the near future. Demi Lovato, one of the judges of the show, is a world redound singer and song writer. Not only is she a singer, but an anti-bullying spokesperson. Lovato's vocals have been critically acclaimed from music critics. She is the perfect person to be looking for talent that could become as big as she is someday. As you can see, there is no lack of potential on the X Factor!

In addition, the critiquing and voting process is based on talent, not favouritism. Even though the judges cannot decide the winner, their comments in previous episodes really inform the viewer on which contestant can make it the farthest or who has the most potential. It is extremely rare that a winner is chosen based on looks instead of pure passion and the true ability to sing. I find this fact to be an appealing aspect to the show, and prefer this show to American Idol because of the actuality of the process. A certain contestant may look like the winner; however, based on comments and judges opinions, the true victor will come out triumphant. Unfair voting based on popularity is a turn off for many viewers, and The X Factor does not contain if this content.

On the other hand, people may find this show cliché or lacking its own "X Factor". Because of the fact that there are an abundant amount of TV shows such as this, it falls into the same category as American Idol and the Voice. Even though I find it unbelievable and enjoyable, I am aware that there are people that differ with my opinion.

However, the abundant possibilities opened to contestants on the show are ridiculously profitable. Record deals, music videos, movies and even the opportunity to be on Broadway open up to those who make it to the live finals. There are very strong bonds that form on this show as well. Britney describes her group: "They're like my children." Throughout the show, friendships are made that are not easily broken. This teaches the lesson of putting others before yourself, and if your friend wins the show but you get out, you will learn to be happy for them. The director, Ben Thursby, really makes it his goal to have a fun and entertaining show that also contains friendship and everyday experiences. Moreover, Simon Cowell has been in the music business for years and manages some of the top singers and bands in the world. Just working with a man like this will set contestants up for abundant careers.

As you can see, the X Factor is a creative and talent seeking show that does have its own "x factor". I would greatly suggest this show to anyone looking for a new show to get into. Although it is poignant at times, it provokes a feeling of joy for the winner and those who are doing well. These contestants may even have their own star at the Hollywood walk of fame someday. So turn off your computer and turn on the TV and experience the X Factor!

Great Show

Author: Lizzy134
13 September 2012

I love this show. Much more than American Idol and all the other that are out there. Some of the auditions are breathtakingly good and you can really see true talent. I like how they decide which auditions to show and what not. This is the only show that I would watch every single episode off. The drama between the judges are more funny than annoying and it ads to the humor.

When the show progresses the performances just gets better. I takes a lot more than just a singers voice to make it out there and in this show that is implemented. Plus it's a lot harder to sing good while your dancing all over the stage, and the outfits just make it that much more fun to watch. Almost like your at a real concert.

I think that the choice of judges was good. You can see they speak out of experience when they talk and they try to help the contestants to improve on their performances. Naturally the judges are gonna be voting for the group they worked for but that doesn't mean they stand blind to the wrongs. On the topic of Simon Cowell, I think he is great, yea he can be mean but he is straightforward and when he gives someone a compliment they can really appreciate it because you know he won't just say something unless he really means it.

I would recommend this show to everyone!!!

And to the people who say bad things, well, why don't you start your own show then?

Much better than Idol

Author: Anthony Buccaroni from United States
4 June 2012

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

This show is much more fair and a lot less biased than American Idol. In this day and age, America has biased tendencies. Look at the past five winners of American Idol; all WGWG's (white guys with guitars), and with the exception of David Cook, the best person each of the past four seasons didn't win. On The X Factor, Melanie Amaro was the best contestant, and she won (and beat out two contestants that were WGWG's, though I would've been okay with Josh winning, but how Chris beat out Rachel is beyond me). On top of that, with the exception of a couple of screw ups (and those two judges are gone now, by the way), the judges ultimately deciding who goes home is much more fair than America deciding everything. Look what it's done to American Idol for the past four or five years. If American Idol employed that system, Pia wouldn't have went home when she did back in season 10. As for the downsides of season 10, like I said, Nicole was a terrible judge. She let her emotions get the best of her. As for Paula, well, she dropped the ball when she sent Drew home instead of Marcus. The only other flaw that I can think of was Steve Jones, who was terrible as the host, but he's gone as well. Other than those minor blemishes, this show is going to be way ahead of AI in the future. Keep an eye on this show, because while American Idol is seeing its fall from grace, The X Factor is going to soar to the top. Trust me.

3 out of 6 people found the following review useful:

don't listen to the "critics" on this one

Author: Ionut Velichi (johnnnnnye@yahoo.com) from Romania
12 September 2012

I've seen thousands of movies and hundreds of TV shows, and I can tell a good one when i see it. And this is not one to throw away... Of course, you must be into this kind of TV shows, but if you are that person I really think that you gonna like it... maybe not everyone will love it, but i'm sure it deserves at least a 7 from the most critical critic... And men, there are some good voices in this show... no spoilers but I gotta warn you that there's a very ugly scene in the beginning of the season, which I think that judges could have stopped before getting to the votes (if you have seen it you know what i'm talking about) All the things considered, a good family show for a nice evening.

Enjoy it !

0 out of 1 people found the following review useful:

Luke Warm

Author: JBshu from United States
17 November 2011

Judging from the 5.7 rating, it would seem that the majority of viewers are as Luke warm about X Factor as I am....such a disappointment! The irony is....the show just seems to be missing its own X Factor...that elusive quality that makes it appealing, addictive, thoroughly satisfying. Way off the mark from "Idol".

No real human connection. The judges seem to be more interested in besting each other than in mentoring (if that is even an appropriate word in this case) their brood of wannabees.

Simon is beyond redemption as a caricature of himself, Paula will soon be without a group to mis-mother. LA should try NY, and Nicole should just ride off into the has been sunset.

4 out of 9 people found the following review useful:

Really bad show

Author: Modnar4 from United States
20 May 2012

I do not like this show at all. I really hate how there are millions of commercials, and I hated how long auditions are. A person would sing for 2 minutes and the judges would critique them for 3 minutes. This got really annoying because they didn't get through many people. I like how American idol shows a long audition and then they would show a few quick ones. You get to see more people audition this way. I also hated how they showed that guy with his pants falling down, and everybody there was able to see his privates. It was disgusting. This audition went on for about a minute and a half and the judges didn't stop it nor did security come out and stop this. Kids are probably watching this and they had to see this.

Then there are the judges. La Reid does not know what he is talking about. He always has something negative to say and it annoys me. Simon Cowell is the same; he's an a**. Paula Abdul is too nice, it gets really annoying, plus her and Simon don't stop arguing, which is no surprise. Nicole is the only judge I like. I always liked her opinions, plus she was neutral when it came to judging people. So I'm not a fan of the judges. I hate that guy that hosts the show. He always rushes everybody. That gets really annoying.

On result night, the people who voted don't have too much of an opinion. They take the two people or groups that got the lowest votes and the judges pick who goes home. I hated this so much because, somebody might go home that has more votes than the other person. If there was a tie on who should go home, by the judges, it is decided by the votes called in by the people, which is the way it should be.

The only thing I actually like about the show is how the age limit is. You can get singers that are senior citizens, and I think that's pretty cool. But this is the only thing I actually like.

So, I would not recommend this show to anybody. I would suggest American idol over this, or even the voice. This show needs some work, maybe season 2 will be better.

1 out of 4 people found the following review useful:

A look from the beginning

Author: Clayton Davis (Claytondavis@awardscircuit.com) from New Jersey
10 July 2012

Season 1 – Auditions #1 and Auditions #2 The highly anticipated U.S. version of the popular UK show from American Idol's ex-judge Simon Cowell had its premiere this week on FOX and it seems that it may give Idol a run for its money. Though the ratings this week weren't anywhere near Idol's, much potential however, it strongly sensed. The entire dynamic of the show is altogether more compelling and moving than most reality-competition shows on television. What stands for beyond Idol is the judges' panel. Consisting of Cowell, old Idol judge Paula Abdul, Pussycat Dolls' lead vocalist Nicole Scherzinger, and record producer and executive, L.A. Reid all have a foot and hold on the music industry and offer quality criticisms. Abdul and Scherzinger are not as strong for the criticisms, often offering pillow talk commentary to otherwise terrible singers but they hold their own. The breath of fresh air is the diverse range of contestants set to perform this season. The contestants can perform as soloists or groups, boys or girls, at least 12 years of age to as old as Jesus himself. This gives the show a true opportunity to find the next Backstreet Boys or Lady Gaga or Susan Boyle. The sky's the limit. There have already been many standouts from the Audition episodes #1 and #2: Dexter Haygood – formally of the 80's band Xavion and originally sang James Brown's "Sex Machine" in platform heals and parading on stage like a drunk wedding singer. After the judges were unimpressed, Simon gave him one more chance to sing one song, a capella, 15 seconds. The pressure was on. Haygood busted out a beautiful, soulful, a capella version of "This is a Man's World" and blew the judges already. At 49 years old, this is Dexter's last chance at the music business. Can he live up to it? Cailtlin Koch – A female rugby coach and player, Koch's beautiful exterior doesn't match the occupation by a long shot. She delivers a slowed down version of "Stop in the Name of Love" and distinguishes herself as an early frontrunner with killer looks and killer pipes. Looking forward to more of her. Melanie Amaro – 18-year-old college student explodes the stage with her version of Beyonce's "Listen" from the musical Dreamgirls. What can Melanie bring to R&B that Beyonce and Rihanna aren't already bringing? We'll see. Chris Rene – A trash collector that is 70 days sober delivers an original song titled, "Young Homie." It was the highlight of episode 1 and I can only hope a talented guy like him can stay sober enough to share his music with the world. Simon said it he loved it and he met a star. Couldn't have said it better myself Simon. Rachel Crow – The spunky 13 year old that lives in a 2 bedroom with her family sings "Mercy" by Duffy and presents herself as the next Jordin Sparks. Can she deliver or will her inexperience be her downfall? There are many more of auditions worth noting, Stacy Francis, Marcus Canty, and the boy group, the Anser were all notable watches during the episodes. X Factor shows massive promise and hopefully the LIVE shows will offer just as much for entertainment, substance, and music.

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