Simon Cowell’s new reality show on Fox, “The X Factor,” didn’t leave television viewers much choice on what to watch this week. Wednesday and Thursday were boggled down with a total of four hours of “The X Factor” premieres, revealing what former contestants knew all along – Cowell is just about the ratings. The show was hardly revolutionary, which even after a four hour premiere is surprising considering all the hype that was built up via Fox commercials and YouTube videos.

As was the case with Cowell’s other hit, “American Idol,” the first few periods of the show highlight national auditions, where as we learned in our interview with a finalist for September’s cover story, the actual four judges don’t even show. The run-of-the-mill auditions television viewers get to watch are only after a handful of singing in front of no nonsense stand-ins. Of course, no one could have told college freshman and overall standout Melanie Amaro that she wasn’t in the finals – as the aspiring singer actually got a standing ovation in Miami’s United Bank Center.  

For all the hype that this show sparked prior to arrival in the United States, it was a little disappointing to see the same thing we’ve all seen before – a simple reality show. There were some “sit on the edge of my seat” moments, but then again it’s just the beginning – and considering how lackluster Cowell and Paula Abdul were acting, it made us at least craving some kind of drama. 

For any huge Simon Cowell fan, which are surely smaller in the US than in the UK, the man can do anything and see success. Americans, we’re a little pickier about our television shows – and we don’t fall so easily into the sappy story routine that so many others have told before. Here’s hoping that either Cowell starts doing a jig to keep us entertained, or they deliver some serious Leona Lewis competition.