I just realized that while tooling around on YouTube, and stumbled across Kris Allen and Adam Lambert duet-ting with Queen. Also, Brian May has aged quite a bit in 10 years.




I'm not saying that was the best Season (8) of American Idol, but it was certainly the high point. Not just because of the slash fandom it spawned, but because of all the extras that surrounded it. That was the first time I got interested and involved enough to actually vote.

The watch parties and threads on ontd_ai, Michael Slezak's Idolatry videos with Kristin Baldwin (although I also love his later ones with Melinda Doolittle), interspersed with references to LOTR and BtVS.



I honestly don't remember any two finalists with as much talent and charisma in the seasons after that. Of course, Paula Abdul leaving didn't help anything. There was just so much buzz and fandom conversations surrounding that season. And also, Glee premiered right after AI aired, so there was a lot of buzz in general that spring.

I haven't watched the new version. Anyone?

ETA: I had no idea Adam and Queen were opening the Oscars. But he sounded fabulous and Brian May seemed to be having the time of his life.