Biggest Loser or American Idol?
By thorgrym
@thorgrym (675)
United States
January 13, 2009 3:19pm CST
Tonight, at 8 Eastern, American Idol will be premiering on FOX while the second week of Biggest Loser will appear on NBC. Which will you be watching?
In my opinion, Biggest Loser has more of an inspirational aspect to it. It is great to see people learning how to reclaim their lives by losing the excess weight that they are carrying. While there is more of a competition aspect between the 'players' as they are the ones that decide who stays or goes, I think that it has some redeeming qualities.
American Idol, at least in the early audition weeks, has more of an entertainment value. Seeing the 'bad' auditions is always a sure source of laughs for me.
On the plus side, it is possible to see both because NBC will post the full episode of the Biggest Loser on their website www.nbc.com a day or so after it airs. While FOX also posts full episodes of some their shows, American Idol does not appear to be one of them.
As well, it is possible to record one while watching the other but not everyone has that ability.
So, my question is: if you could only watch one of the two, which would it be?
3 people like this
7 responses
@patgalca (18181)
• Orangeville, Ontario
13 Jan 09
I was thinking of taping one tonight but it's kind of ridiculous to watch the auditions on AI after the fact so I will just skip it. I would rather watch The Biggest Loser. I am going to have to tape another show tonight anyway. It's a toss-up between "Without a Trace" and "Law and Order: SVU".
For anyone who cares, CANADIAN Idol, due to the economy, has suspended production of the show for what would be an upcoming season this summer. There will be no Canadian Idol this year. 
1 person likes this
@patgalca (18181)
• Orangeville, Ontario
13 Jan 09
Well, I know L&O SVU is a new episode tonight and will watch that and tape the other. But tomorrow night we will have a satellite dish with a PVR so I will be able to tape alot easier. Right now with all the tapes and the VCR it's ridiculous!
1 person likes this
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
13 Jan 09
I am really kind of tired of the Law and Order shows. NBC always seems to put on re-runs when they have nothing better to show - which is fairly frequent. I would probably go with Without a Trace between those two.
Taping is not really an option for me. By choice, I do not have cable. I rely on over-the-air broadcast. For some reason, my VCR does not get any reception so I have to either watch a show as it airs or hope to catch the online replay.
1 person likes this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
14 Jan 09
I have been taping all of the L&O shows but I have a whole grip of them sitting in my recorded show queue and I haven't watched them. 24 started back up again, I see Bones is starting again, House, Medium, plus there's Biggest Loser, American Idol, Survivor will be coming back, during the off times there is NOTHING and Netflix gets the majority of the love, but when the seasons begin again, holy moly it's like raining shows like cats and dogs! Heroes (which I have gotten into) and Lost will also be starting new seasons....
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
13 Jan 09
There are certainly better pursuits than watching TV. Reading is always a better choice. I tend to multitask, though, and reading is not something that I can do while doing other things. Currently, I am working on a knitting project so watching TV fits nicely with that - especially shows like these two as I don't need to put my full attention into them.
I think that NBC's strategy of airing their first episode last week makes a lot of sense. Viewers have had the chance to 'meet' the participants and take an interest in their stories. I think that people will be torn between watching the progress of their weight loss and seeing the first auditions of AI.
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
13 Jan 09
Um, I just can't get myself to watch either. Last year I watched Idol on and off. I did, however, make sure to see David Cook's performances. Yep, he won because I voted. 
I would imagine that Biggest Loser would be very inspirational.
I would imagine that Biggest Loser would be very inspirational. @gtargirl (5376)
• United States
13 Jan 09
Hehehehe . . . he is a cutie. But don't forget I shall be a true rocker forever and ever. And he just rocks. Plus I couldn't stomach teeny bopper idols. Gag me!
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
13 Jan 09
Actually, I think my desire to watch Idol diminished when Chris Daugherty was voted off a couple of seasons ago. He was clearly the most talented that season and should have been the winner. With the exception of Carrie Underwood, I think Daugherty has sold more albums than any of the other Idol winners - certainly more than his competition that season.
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
13 Jan 09
For some reason, I really didn't watch Idol very much at all last season. I saw it once in a while, but I wasn't too impressed by some of the 'talent' that made it to the final rounds. David Cook was good - though I have a feeling you liked 'watching' him more than 'hearing' him.. ;-)
I missed the auditions entirely, and that was always the best part of Idol for me.
1 person likes this
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
14 Jan 09
Oh, sure...go and add a third show into the mix! :) You probably got the bet of the three there, though. I keep forgetting about NCIS only because I don't get very good reception on CBS. I got the digital signal converter box and that helps quite a bit, but after so many years of dismissing an entire network it is hard to remember what shows I was missing out on. Even with the digital signal, I still don't get ABC in at all.
Thanks for the reply!
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
20 Jan 09
Sorry about the delay in responding but I didn't get a notice that you replied.
I just have the converter box hooked directly to the TV, no other devices in between. There shouldn't be any snow whatsoever with the cable signal, so the DVD player might be causing the trouble for you. If you have additional AV inputs on your TV, then I would recommend using one to run the converter directly to the TV. My TV has one input occupied by my Wii, another by my XBox, a third by my DVD/VCR, and a fourth by the converter box. When the analog signal is dropped, I might run the converter through the co-ax cable input rather than one of the AV inputs. Unless you have limited inputs on your TV or you are using the DVD to record over-the-air broadcasts, there is no reason to link the DVD player between the TV and the converter.
Hope that helps!
@DCMerkle (1281)
• United States
14 Jan 09
thorgrym,
Well, darn, sheesh sorry! ...lol It's funny that you mentioned the converter box. I have one and I know it's hooked up right, but I still get snowy , ghosty like lines that run the whole of my screen. I need to find someone to double check it. I do have a DVD player hooked up also. That might be what's causing me the trouble.
BTW, Ducky cried. Just thought I throw that in there...lol
DCMerkle
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
14 Jan 09
We recorded both shows and watched American Idol in real time and then Biggest Loser afterwards without commercials 
. I was at the desk while American Idol was on multitasking and gaming and LAUGHING.
AI is totally fluff entertainment, and I love to watch it because of some of the stinkers that get thru the first rounds of auditions. I don't think that some people realize that not every hopeful gets to the judges and gets filmed. Thousands get turned away in the big open cattle type of casting calls in the arenas, they get listened to by OTHER no-name judges. I still can't figure out what makes them let some of the horrible ones though and also to film the background stuff about some of those people!
I was watching old stuff on youtube and this one chick goes nuts after her audition and talks about 'actressing'... huh... what is that? Like waitressing? And she tells Simon to 'take that' and she's practically howling at him. LOL!
As far as Biggest Loser, I am a staunch watcher of that too, I love to see what they are able to do on the show. I'm disappointed that they sent home half of the people already, what a blow to get accepted on the show and have to go home the first week - on top of leaving it up to their teammate who is left to perform well and bring them back! Pressure.... evil trainers.... no comfort food... no family... man that's tough.
If I could only pick one, I'd watch whichever one I could NOT watch the whole episode of later online. 
. I was at the desk while American Idol was on multitasking and gaming and LAUGHING.
AI is totally fluff entertainment, and I love to watch it because of some of the stinkers that get thru the first rounds of auditions. I don't think that some people realize that not every hopeful gets to the judges and gets filmed. Thousands get turned away in the big open cattle type of casting calls in the arenas, they get listened to by OTHER no-name judges. I still can't figure out what makes them let some of the horrible ones though and also to film the background stuff about some of those people!
I was watching old stuff on youtube and this one chick goes nuts after her audition and talks about 'actressing'... huh... what is that? Like waitressing? And she tells Simon to 'take that' and she's practically howling at him. LOL!
As far as Biggest Loser, I am a staunch watcher of that too, I love to see what they are able to do on the show. I'm disappointed that they sent home half of the people already, what a blow to get accepted on the show and have to go home the first week - on top of leaving it up to their teammate who is left to perform well and bring them back! Pressure.... evil trainers.... no comfort food... no family... man that's tough.
If I could only pick one, I'd watch whichever one I could NOT watch the whole episode of later online. @thorgrym (675)
• United States
14 Jan 09
I agree, there is a lot going on 'behind the scenes' of AI regarding the auditions. The 'stinkers' get through just for the entertainment value, not because the 'pre-judges' think that they really have some talent. In some ways, that is really cruel to let them think that they even have a chance. On the other hand, they are getting exposure on national TV. Some of them have gone on to get more fame than they deserve. Sadly, I think this is what drives some of them to audition even though they probably already know that they are bad.
I ended up watching Biggest Loser. I was saddened to see who ended up 'below the yellow line.' I was amazed at how little weight some of the contestants lost. Not that I hope for anyone to have to go home, I really wanted to see Jerry stay on a lot longer. His collapse in week one showed that he really needs the help offered by the crew of experts the show has on hand. It was nice to see his transformation, though. He has been able to keep up with the program and lose quite a bit of weight since going home. His wife also has done well.
Thanks for the reply!
@hisbabydoll (228)
• Ecuador
13 Jan 09
I've watched both in the past, and my decision this season is NEITHER. Not that I don't like the shows, but American Idol in particular is very time consuming. Two nights a week, two hour long episodes... This season we are watching DVDs of other shows season's past. No commercials! No waiting!!
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
13 Jan 09
Good point. Personally, I kind of like the instant gratification of watching it as it airs. As well, I am not that big a fan of either show that I would spend money to buy or rent the DVD.
I forgot that AI airs on multiple nights. That does add another variable...
You are right about the commercial interruptions, too. They do get annoying and I personally hate the musical lead in that AI uses when they return from the break.
Thanks for the reply!
1 person likes this
@natsvelascotan (665)
• Philippines
13 Jan 09
American Idol for me =) I've always been a fan of the show since they broadcasted it via satelitte here in Manila. Happy Mylotting
