The first was very painful IMO and both should have gone, but the 2nd and 3rd were better - though both with the wrong result IMO. The main thing though is the production - we know it's pre-recorded but it's cut and paste to shreds and Reggie and Holly are presenting it with as little personality as possible. We're lacking that honesty from the judges too.
According to the Daily Mail the battle round episodes were originally 100 minutes long. Apparently the episodes were re-edited in the last fortnight or so after learning ITV had changed the BGT start time to later. This probably explains why the episode seemed to be cut & paste to shreds.
That has been the BBC's excuse for overrunning - but it's rubbish really. Just because ITV moved BGT to 8.30pm doesn't mean the BBC had to finish The Voice by 8.30pm - and even if they did they could have begun The Voice at 6.50pm as F1 qualifying could have begun 10 minutes earlier. Similarly on the Sunday they could have aired a 2-hour F1 show (as they did for earlier Sky rounds) then 20 minutes of news and ditched the 45 minute Countryfile compilation.
A 20 minute overlap didn't matter for the first 4 weeks so I'm not sure why a 10 minute overlap would matter in week 5. The Voice has won every overlap, so if anything I think it was the opposite move from BBC- they saw BGT was starting later so they edited some things in to make the show that little bit longer.
That has been the BBC's excuse for overrunning - but it's rubbish really. Just because ITV moved BGT to 8.30pm doesn't mean the BBC had to finish The Voice by 8.30pm - and even if they did they could have begun The Voice at 6.50pm as F1 qualifying could have begun 10 minutes earlier. Similarly on the Sunday they could have aired a 2-hour F1 show (as they did for earlier Sky rounds) then 20 minutes of news and ditched the 45 minute Countryfile compilation.
I think the BBC is contractually obligated as part of the Sky-BBC F1 deal to show F1 highlights at prime time as a 90-minute show instead of 2 hours. The reason the earlier races were 2-hours was because they were earlier in the day. All of the evening highlight shows are to be 90 minutes from what I have read.
If that is a case then they'd have just needed a 30-minute filler rather than a 45-minute filler, something the BBC could do probably still with Countryfile. (Off topic but I find the BBC having 30, 45 and 60 minute version of shows annoying - choose a length and stick to it. I suspect by showing edited or extended versions of shows they're technically not repeats!)
REALLY struggling to see what makes this different now. Well, apart from the chairs. But again, it's just The X Factor with slightly tamer production values and slightly more annoying contestants. The coaches are trying too hard to be positive.
Glad they've chopped down the OTT titles seen in other countries, though.
This show is built around even more hype and cliché than the X Factor I feel.
They say it's about 'the voice' but 99% of the time you need more than just the voice to succeed in the music industry. Once a 'coach' has turned around they are now on in not being judged on voice alone. It becomes about age (as a lot of comments have been throughout), weight, stage presence and so on.
The blind auditions were even more controlled than X Factor. It seemed most people were hand picked and from the industry (or had been a singer in the past). I know acts audition in front of X Factor producers, but it seemed to me on The Voice everyone had been famous, backing singer, or somewhere on stage. They also seemed 'polished' to the fact there were no 'ugly' people if I can use that term.
I don't know if I am viewing it different but that is how i see it.
This show is built around even more hype and cliché than the X Factor I feel.
The thing is, The X Factor is all about exploiting the mentally ill and the deluded. The Voice is just really positive and a celebration of talent, I feel this differentiating factor is more important than the blind audition element.
It seemed most people were hand picked and from the industry (or had been a singer in the past).
Why does it matter, they're all humans with great talent and potential to do better than they currently are. They're all usually new to the judges and the viewers. Is this not better than a set of producers putting through people they know are bad and don't stand a chance, unless they reckon they can be marketed as the next Jedward or Wagner and dumped on joke act judge Louis Walsh when it's clearly all Cowell's master plan.
Fantastic set for the live shows, but the opening performance by the judges was woeful - and only Danny really seemed to cope with live TV. The show is just trying that bit too hard to be trendy too - there was no disguisging tonight it's a blatant X Factor clone.
Also wish they'd give them smaller chairs now the Blind Auditions are over - wouldn't want to be sat behind them.
Interesting though having mobile voting numbers - surely if mobile companies can make sure the short code charges no more than 25p they could do the same for the long numbers too.
There is a definite difference between T.X.F. and T.V. live shows, song delivery. The X Factor seems to encourage 'putting your own spin' on a song to the point where its brutal and unrecognisable, whereas The Voice can make do with just singing it well, proven by some of the performances (the girl at the end was incredible).
The coaches could do with stop being so positive about some clearly duff and run of the mill performances, and critiques could be shortened a bit. Reggie could be used more, maybe involving Holly in a 2 way link from the V Room and the stage, the social media element is a great addition though.
My one main concern for the live shows are the fact that Sunday nights are a pre-record. Social Media and forums are pretty much a no-go for those not wanting to find out the result.
My one main concern for the live shows are the fact that Sunday nights are a pre-record. Social Media and forums are pretty much a no-go for those not wanting to find out the result.
Has the result leaked? It doesn't seem to have been a problem for Strictly which also has a pre-recorded results programme.