I've been bored ever since Sanjaya got the boot. I couldn't stand Sanjaya, but once he was eliminated I realized that there was nobody left that I really liked.
American Idol is a show that has to be watched with a DVR. You can crank out the hour long show in about 20 minutes.
Idol is starting to kill the golden goose. They dragged out this season for way too long. It needs to be tightened up. The upcoming spinoff involving bands will further dilute the brand. I predict that the "band" show won't do that well because it's much harder to relate to a band versus just one person. You won't form the personal connections.
I would be more impressed with American Idol if it became more like the olympics - every couple of years.