Image Credit: Lewis Jacobs/NBC
If the preview of The Voice last night had been a first date, there’d probably be a second. As a loyal American Idol viewer, I hadn’t anticipated enjoying the sneak peek as much as I did, given the comparatively complex structure of the show. (Unlike Idol, The Voice pits the “coaches” against each other, in addition to the competition between contestants.) First, contestants perform for the four coaches (Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green, and Blake Shelton) as they sit with their backs to the performers — very Dr. Claw. If a contestant gets picked, he or she gets placed on that coach’s team. If two or more coaches want one person, they battle for the contestant. After picked, these teams of eight then get mentored, and cut down to four. The 16 finalists then compete. Anyone else having Bamboozle flashbacks?
I was sure it would all be very distracting. But, as it turns out, the “audition round” on The Voice, which was teased in a sneak peek last night, was actually more enjoyable for me to watch than the auditions on Idol (mostly because I’ve never been a fan of Idol‘s pre-Hollywood Week buffoonery). I love how Aguilera didn’t mind hitting on the male contestants. (She jokingly tells a contestant in the teaser to take off his pants.) Also fun: The chemistry between the three male stars on the panel. Am I the only one who would love to see what they talk about when cameras aren’t around?
Next week, the first 30 minutes of the premiere conflict with the last 30 minutes of Glee‘s supersized episode, which is going to leave what would have been The Voice’s core audience conflicted. (Thank goodness for multi-tuner DVRs.) In its second week, however, Voice airs after Glee — smartest move ever.
Watch the preview below, PopWatchers, and tell us what you think. Are you already hooked?
Follow Sandra on Twitter: @EWSandraG
Read more:
‘The Voice’ first look: Judging the coaches’ pipes!
Blake Shelton talks ‘The Voice’ (and the start of his rivalry with fellow coach Cee Lo Green)
I’m hooked. The audition rounds for this show are going to be entertaining. I’m glad I have a multi-tuner DVR the get both Glee and this.
I will definitely check this out — the preview is fun and I hope the rest of the competition is. The coaches’ interaction is interesting!!!
If 4 coaches have 4 singers each, then it would be 16 total singers, not 12….
Dr. Claw! Cool points for Sandra!
I like Blake & Adam — they crack me up and I like their music — so I was in regardless.
I’m definitely watching this. I usually never watch singing shows like this, but I have to admit this looks good. The coaches have great chemistry and I really like the idea that they only get to judge them based on their vocal talent alone. And that performance was amazing. They all sound great together. Hopefully that’s a regular thing, because the show would be worth watching for just that alone.
At least in Christina, they have a female judge who can really sing, something American Idol has never had…
@ JoeC – Did you ever hear Kara DioGuardi sing? She has a great voice and a heck of a lot of a lot of writing/producing experience. Just sayin’…
I dont know if I will watch yet but I hope that after it premieres, NBC will take off those extra large ads on the bottom of every show and jif Cee Lo takes off those freakin glasses. I may take a chance! That first contestant was CUTE!
I’m totally intrigued!!
I think it’s going to flop around like a fish out of water and make life a lot easier for X-Factor this fall!
Oooh, looks good. I like each of these coaches, I have cd’s in my car from all four. But if I were on the show, I couldn’t have Adam Levine as a coach. I wouldn’t be able to focus. Mmm, Adam=yummy.
Yes! Yummy indeed. I’d be in Misery with him that close by! LOL!!
Wow, this is such a rip-off of X-Factor. The whole premise of that show is the “mentors” competing with each other. Wow.
Actually, it’s based on a Dutch format, and there are plans to bring it to Belgium, Finland, Germany, Ukraine and Canada. Those whole premise that that contestants are judged solely on voice, not appearance.
The blind auditions are a new concept and in X Factor, the mentors actually get a particular group of people (like Simon mentors just the guys on the show or something). Not all of the judges actually have to agree on who should go on and plus, these singers are actually semi-pros. I can see where Jackie’s coming from though, but it’s not like reality shows haven’t done similar things. Wasn’t there a show a year ago about mentors competing against each other?
You’re kidding me, right? How could Simon Cowell possibly teach someone how to SING better? He only knows how to tell people “That sucked” or “That was wonderful”…. not a lot of “mentoring.” If I were an aspiring singer, I’d much rather be mentored by an actual platinum-selling recording artist. Just sayin’…
BTW Sandra, are you sure Christina was joking when she told that dude to take off his pants? LOL!
This looks really awesome! Definitely will check it out.
Loved it from beginning to end. I’m looking forward to pure entertainment finally after a glut of violence-blood-murder offerings.
Loved the judges; loved the concept.
ML
Really looking forward to this! Hopefully it will be better than Idol :p