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'The X Factor': 6 things to watch for in the premiere

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September 21, 2011 3:50 PM ET

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x-factor-judges.jpgIf you've watched FOX at all in the past few months -- or set foot outside your home -- the relentless promotion for "The X Factor" has been virtually inescapable.

Wednesday (Sept. 21), the show will have to start proving that all the hype has been worth it. FOX and "X Factor" creator Simon Cowell certainly hope so, because this is a production that does not come cheap. The winner's prize alone -- $5 million -- dwarfs that of any other competition show.

That's all great, but will "The X Factor" make good television? We'll let you be the judge of that. Zap2it attended the show's red-carpet premiere last week and saw a mashup edit of the first two audition episodes; based on that, here's some of what you can look forward to seeing when the show debuts:

It's big, big, BIG! From the start, "The X Factor" announces itself as a spectacle. Auditions take place in front of live audiences of up to 4,000 people, on a stage that threatens to swallow up the lesser performers. The hotel conference-room auditions of "American Idol" look low-rent by comparison, and even the soundstage-size audience of "The Voice" doesn't really compare.

Less mean (maybe): Most of the auditions the show's producers cut together for last week's screening featured strong singers. We're not certain, though, if that's how it will be on the show as a whole. A couple of the bad singers were really atrocious (and one guy was downright offensive), but here's hoping that "The X Factor" dwells less on the parade of the clueless and more on those with actual talent.

The age range works: It's very likely that the winner of "The X Factor" will be someone between the ages of 16 and 30. But the fact that the competition is open to anyone over 12, and groups as well as solo artists, adds a lot more variety to the show. Some of the better performances and stories in the first two episodes come from people outside the "Idol" contestant demographic.

What was wrong with Cheryl Cole? The British pop star's exit from the panel of judges early in the audition round -- she was replaced by Nicole Scherzinger, who was initially hired to host the show with Steve Jones -- was blamed variously on her accent and a lack of chemistry with fellow judges Cowell, Paula Abdul and L.A. Reid. If that's true, it doesn't really come across in the segments Cole did tape. She seemed perfectly at ease with the other judges -- and perfectly easy to understand.

Keep a box of tissues handy: "The X Factor" is manipulative, but it's really good at being manipulative. The show does an excellent job of laying out contestants' hard-luck stories before they hit the stage. When they turn out to be good, the audience's cheers and the judges' reactions (which are played up much more than on "Idol") build the emotion to a huge crescendo. The premiere audience was in tears several times.

Alpha-male faceoff: Simon and Paula, we know about, and they quickly ease back into their goofy, amusing love-hate relationship. The more interesting dynamic among the judges -- and one that gets a whole segment of the premiere devoted to it -- is between Cowell and Reid. Because of Reid's success in the music business, he doesn't defer. Cowell told us at the premiere that ego plays a role in their jousting, but it also seems like they have genuine differences in what they're looking for. It's fun to watch Cowell spar with someone who's on equal (or perhaps even stronger) footing.

"The X Factor's" two-hour premiere airs at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday on FOX.
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Photo/Video credit: FOX
 
« Video: Eva Longoria confronts her 'H8R' From Inside the Box main 'CSI,' 'Law & Order: SVU,' 'Revenge': Old vs. old vs. new on Wednesday nights »
 
 
 
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