X Factor - Why Do We Hate the Show We Love?

Everyone is aware that X-factor ratings have dropped in the recent years. There is still a big bunch of people who watch it every year, no matter who the acts are or what judges are on it.

Everyone is aware that X-factor ratings have dropped in the recent years. There is still a big bunch of people who watch it every year, no matter who the acts are or what judges are on it. Those are the people who want to know who the awful acts are, which ones have come back from 2011 or what the papers are talking about when they feature an artist. Those are the people who also join in on the twitter debates, moan about how the show is a 'fix' and swear that they are 'never going to watch again if that act gets through'. The simple fact is, the dedicated viewers to the show constantly complain and yet are addicted.

Why do we love but hate it at the same time?

When I'm talking about hating the show - it's concerning those acts that generate such a huge media blasting, but cannot really belt out a tune that makes the audience get goosebumps. They get through the gruesome stages of boot camp and fly through the judges houses straight to a live stage. The anger from the public stems from those acts we love that get left behind, without even a glimpse of the live stage on a Saturday night. In previous years, we have had Jedward - great entertainment, not such great voices. Wagner - awful hair, pretty awful voice. Frankie Cocozza - okay voice, alright entertainer. And this year? Although his voice can't really be justified as 'awful' compared to previous years - Rylan Clarke. The majority of this year's contestants show such dedication and seriousness when performing on stage, but he almost takes the opposite approach. His voice isn't the best, he can't belt out a tune but is he what they call 'original'? Apparently so.

So we hate it. We're annoyed the 'entertaining' and 'laughable' act has got through over the one that has true talent. Why do we carry on watching it?

Public love the drama - we love the controversy that the show pulls in. We want to see why they made the decisions they did, what the consequences are going to be and we want to read about it. Although it may not be morally right when they put through these acts just for 'entertainment purposes', it generates talk of the show and people want to know what's going on. It allows people to comment on it, get it trending on twitter.

We also love to saw raw emotion displayed on our TV. The reality of the show hits when we see the tears of anger or happiness as their fate is decided for them. We're only humans and watching a desperate contestant being told no is endearing and if not engaging to watch.

We also want to see the fate of those controversial acts. Last year, when Gary Barlow famously put Frankie Cocozza through to the live shows, those that didn't 'fancy' him were outraged that his weak voice managed to put him on that stage every weekend. It became such a scandal that Frankie even ended up leaving the show - and we loved the controversy.

With the huge social media boom dominating our every-day lives, with even the show itself presenting their own hash tags (#beerfear), viewers are keen to get in on the debate during the programme on a weekend. If you're on Twitter you know other people are watching it and tweeting, whether it be good or bad, it's hard not to express your own opinions on the show. We want to get involved, we want to say what an absolute idiot Gary is for putting 'him' through... or how we are so glad Tulisa put 'her' through.

But however much we hate the show, one reason the majority of us watch it, if not to simply moan about it, is because we do want to follow those acts that have that spark of talent. This year, for me it is Ella Henderson. I also loved Amy Mottram, Jake Quickenden and Adam Burridge - why they weren't automatically put through to the lives I will never know.

Any yet I am still going to be watching it this Saturday. And the one after that.

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