AMERICAN JUNIORS

What's the deal with this one? Is it American Idol for tweens or something?

i think so, like maybe 10-14? it looks horrifying. and wonderful.

It's a good weird title for a show.

I wanted to watch it to see all the crazy parents getting much more excited over their kids then they should be.

(what's a tween?)

Like a pre-teen.

His name is NOT Canyon Grove.

prepubescent girls singing love songs while looking at their father in the audience = AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

this whole show seems designed to invoke the same queasy feeling involved in watching an on screen sex scene with your parents in the room

I wonder if I can get it on one of my four channels.

Jess, is that worse than watching an on-screen sex scene starring your parents?

The best part of the first episode was hearing the squealing passenger (grandma?)'s reaction as the SUV-driving mother of a would-be contestant was told to go home without a tryout. "No... No... Noooo!!!" -- as if she was about to be driven into a fiery pit.

I liked the cynical geeky white kid who danced like a young David Byrne.

it wasn't quite as disturbing as i had hoped

the shots where the little girl was singing desperately after being cut and the grandmother in the wheelabout was framed across from her chain smoking in disdain were virtuoso filmmaking

this hasn't really got going properly yet, though next week the home-judging begins. glad to see there's a thread on it - could turn into something good: did anyone check the S Club Juniors (now 'S Club 8')connections?

some of the contestants invoked queasy preteen pagaent territory reaction, but many were talented with nuff performing skills and confidence. I like the voting format this time: once they're down to 10, highest polling each week gets into the group.

i missed this weeks episode but i didnt quite feel the same pang of guilt i would have if it was an episode of big people american idol

American Seniors?

i'd pay cash money to watch that

ok for funny who'd be on the panel?

specifically who is the paula abdul?

A bunch of Bobby Darin clones singing "Mack the Knife" whilst an enraged ringamster pokes them with extensive sticks. Hell I'd watch that.

Rex Reed should somehow be involved

I don't know about the extensive sticks part though. You kinda lost me there.

bea arthur!

"How you doing tonight man? Yeah? Good? Good man, I liked that. Yeah, that felt good man."

They're sticks. They're extensive. Possibly to the point of being MASSIVE

Lewis Lapham in the Simon Cowell role

haha

agreed with most of the top vote-thrus, except that Kristinia DeBarge should have been among them.

A.J. Melendez gave an amazingly strong & confident performance. Chauncey Matthews is one of the most adorable kids in the world ever. and never mind Tyler, they should give Chauncey's little sister her own TV show!

this week was even better - I had a hard time deciding among 5 of the 10. fortunately, those five all got voted thru!

the 10 they've now culled down to (from top 20) are so strong, it's hard to work out who's going to make the group. ...and will the remaining 5 also become a group (Hear'say / Liberty X -style)?

A.J., Lucy and Chantel are good bets if they continue as confident, although one of the best things about the show is how it reveals performance strengths & growth over time - so it's still anyone's game.

each week from now on they have to give the best performance of the night (in theory) to make it into the group, so they'll be pulling out all the stops!

can't believe no one else is watching or at least commenting on this show:
American Juniors is BETTER than (young adult) American Idol!

this week's performances were more consistent than ANY single episode of the 2 seasons of American Idol. and this is only the first week of finalists...
this batch of kids are dynamite - it's so hard to single out the best.

Tori, Chantel, Morgan, Chauncey and Jordan impressed me the most, but the others were great too. watching Tori (& her sister) is surreal - here's a 9-year old kid singing like she's already a Country Legend.

hmm that's strange - this didn't show up on new answers
I pulled it up on a Search, maybe that's why - instead of Show All Updated.
anyway I don't know who's the first to make the group yet, but about to find out thanks to TiVo.

Taylor (Tori's older sister), of Dolly Parton-esque voice, is the first American Junior! quality level is so high I think they'll have to make a second group or expand above five.

Chauncey not only sang the best tune last night: "Hey There Lonely Girl" - his performance was best of the competition so far!

Danielle's voice is so clear and bright that during one chorus of "Close To You" I had a Cocteau Twins flashback!

although some of the arrangements & backing vocals are (unfortunately) overwhelming the singers, it's now possible to start comparing consistency vs peak performances. the best singers should become apparent - break out from the pack - though anyone could have a one-off highpoint.

due to sports events, we had to wait a week to find out the results.

Chauncey should have got it, but he received 2nd highest # of votes.
instead, Tori (who I thought best of the previous week) joins her sister as first 2 members of the group. part of the tension of the show was: would the sisters get split (one make it, one not)? no worries there then...
the sisters are both great, but a little scary in that they're almost robotically perfect/comfortable entertainers. I'm not sure that they're especially expressive, but the vocal sound is there so who knows? Chauncey certainly gave a yearning, emotive rendition of "Hey Lonely Girl", so we know he's got it! I think this vote is further proof of the middle-America Clay Aiken posse, who luv country - and took Kelly Clarkson as one of their own, too.

Danielle White didn't make the top 3 (for votes) but should have.

there's a real risk now that the oldest kids (13-year olds) will get shut out. of those 3, so far I like Chantel's singing best.

I have no idea of what to make of "Cheeseburgers for Me."

(Is it a delayed answer to Go4?)

Chauncey was magical again last night with "Moon River".

Lucy finally broke thru again with her best performance of the series, though she oversings to an incredible degree - stretching syllables and melodies like taffy.
Chantel, who also had a great night, has a less-florid/more-direct emotional approach which I prefer, though Lucy's talent is undeniable.

Katelyn, who seems more of a light entertainer so far, even found the right song and hit home.

in all, a good week for the older kids, as most younger ones like Danielle and Jordan seemed lightweight with their cute, peppy tune choices.

YAY Chauncey's in the group! plus America acknowledged Chantel & Lucy too.

(finally went back and watched "Cheeseburgers For Me", which I'd skipped to get to the results last time - this and the new "Raise The Roof" video show that the sisters are already naturals for the biz.)

hahaha Simon Fuller's using American Juniors as a vehicle to prepare S Club 8 for U.S. domination!
last night the trio of Taylor, Tori and Chauncey performed "Sundown" (on video), which I bet (even though I hadn't heard it) is the next S Club 8 single...!
please let it be true that S Club 8 will perform as guests on this show - they're so good now, America will go BALLISTIC! (their choreographer is godlike)

as for remaining contestants:
A.J. excelled with a delicate, emotional "Still" (Lionel Richie).
Lucy tore it up on "Call Me" (Blondie) and has the most consistently strong voice across her range. I finally caught the Gwen Stefani influence in her trills.
Chantel is best in high range where her distinctive sound nonetheless reminds of Carly Simon.
Jordan is the most skilled performer in working the stage, if not quite having the pipes (yet) to match.
Katelyn continues to improve.

Morgan and Danielle, both of whom I like, didn't seem as vocally strong or confident this week.

and Lucy it is...

one more slot left - but how many more weeks/episodes of the show?
and fingers crossed that S Club 8 will feature in person!

anyone's guess tonight...
Katelyn gave the most seamless performance last week
but Danielle had the most spark - her best moments are promising
the others were all good

2 of the performances were of S Club 8/Juniors songs:
"You Are The One" (the lovely closing ballad off their album Together)
"Sundown" (sounds inferior to "Automatic High" and "New Directions" - hope S Club 8 are able to work it better)
and the American Juniors group's first single will be a cover of S Club Juniors' debut single "One Step Closer" (also the theme music for the American Juniors show)

forgot to mention:

each contestant was backed up by the four already-in members of the group - so we were able to see the different possible permutations. nice surprise! & one fun part of that was seeing irrepressible personalities temporarily subjugated to backing role for the entire show! Tori in particular was smouldering: "turn me LOOOSE!"

and Danielle is the fifth member / completes the group!

it was sad seeing the others not make it - odds would have gone in favour of A.J., Katelyn, Chantel and probably Morgan in the beginning. even by then I was a fan of all of them, but my favourite of the five who didn't get into the group is Jordan McCoy, who gave the best final performance of the night with a rerun of "I Love You More Than Yesterday" - fantastic, one of the best of the season! I've said above that she's a GREAT performer and it's clear now that this show has strengthened her voice to the point where she can pull off the whole thing. I hope she keeps going, because she's a joy to hear & watch: someone who loves being on -and commands- the stage.

much of the same could be said for the others, especially their comfort level on stage - this show has given them the confidence and experience to tear it up just about anywhere, so good luck to 'em all!

I'm amazed at the talent on American Juniors - the consistency level has been waaay higher than on the regular and (check this thread) more popular young adult version, American Idol.

the final show, a showcase for the new group: American Juniors, was great.

I say this with understatement, because I'm a bit tired of sticking up for the show by myself here. it's a kind of loneliness of witnessing something *actually* good, which is popular among many people nationally, but not recognised or at least acknowledged by one's peers, mates, etc.

much as I enjoyed both seasons of American Idol and have wonderful (really) memories of the performers, it will come as no surprise that I like the American Juniors show best. viewers nationally did not agree with me - compare, in approx remembered #'s, the votes:

final vote/slot:

AMERICAN IDOL (season 2?): over 20 million votes
AMERICAN JUNIORS: over 8 million votes

ultimately, I thought American Juniors was better, because the level of talent was higher and spread amongst more performers. also, inevitably - in general, younger kids are going to approach performing pop with more spark, less make-or-break professionalism. they put more FUN into it.

so what of THE JUNIORS? (as we can call them now that the ol' Juniors have become S Club 8)

in some ways, they're an odd group - looking at the 10 finalists, we'd probably have tried to balance it better:
more even guy-to-gal ratio
a little more hair-color variety - add one of the blond girls, maybe
surely not both sisters (although they do add a curious dynamic)

but watching them perform, it somehow feels right.
at least, they've got the goods (even if you're not a huge fan of each, you'd have to grant at least one or two of 'em major accolades!) and the team behind them is working them right: choreography dynamics, singing roles - it's already together!

highlights of the show:

a blinding version of S Club 7's "Have You Ever" with Lucy's best performance evah!
Gladys Knight bidding the kids faretheewellblessings with a powerful, magical "If I Could".
a video performance of "You Are The One", surely one of the best-loved songs from S Club Juniors Together album.
their first single, "One Step Closer" - which was also S Club Juniors first, showing that Chauncey can do a natural vocoder effect with his voice

Fuller's team has cleverly raided the 19 Entertainment vaults for the show/group - so far, I count the following S Club 7 / S Club Juniors -> S Club 8 songs:

S Club 7:
"Bring The House Down"
"Reach"
"Never Had A Dream Come True"
"Have You Ever"

S Club Juniors:
"One Step Closer"
"You Are The One"
S Club 8:
"Sundown"

that's it from me - here's hoping the S Club 8 album lives up to our high expectations - and best wishes to the AMERICAN JUNIORS!

Paul and his Tivo made me a believer last weekend. It really is better than American Idol, for the reasons he says (and possibly others). Some of the kids use adult dance moves that look freaky when done by their differently-proportioned limbs, though; I didn't like that part. They were ALL better than Rickey from Am Idol though, Paul!!

thanks Tracer! I still rate Rickey, though

Tori and Talor R the best singers on Earth!!!!!!!