REVIEW: The Voice

I know what you’re thinking. We just don’t have enough talent shows on TV these days, but fret not because The Voice has arrived.

From the guy who created Big Brother, The Voice is sold as a talent show with a twist, and constantly uses it’s unique ‘blind judging’ (where star judges don’t see the contestants and have to base their opinion entirely on the voice) to poke fun at The X Factor. If anyone remembers Fame Academy way back when, they might have been bracing themselves for another hugely disappointing borefest, and although The Voice has a lot of room for improvement, it certainly didn’t disappoint.

The show is much more stripped back compared to its ITV rivals, and even when the judges banter it comes across pretty naturally. The show certainly does enjoy emphasising just how famous and important the four judges are as Will.i.am, Jesse J, Tom Jones, and some Irish fellow who constantly name drops and gloats about his many awards.

One of the most surprising positives to come out of the show was Holly Willoughby and Reggie Yates. Their presenting was low-key and just right. However, it hasn’t quite managed to balance the drama with the spectacle, and at times it lacks a little bit of much needed razzle dazzle. This is, after all, prime time Saturday night and we’re not tuning in for the intellectual stimulation. For the first show there are definite signs of promise, but it is clearly trying to differentiate itself from The X Factor so much that it’s placing unnecessary limitations on itself.

The Voice avoids the big crowd scenes and massive auditions, choosing to show the contestants as a group of talent-scouted individuals given the chance to show what they have. As a result there were no outrageous auditions, no cheesy montages, and no comic relief, so the last twenty minutes started to drag. But these issues can be ironed out. What is clear is the BBC’s deliberate effort to promote The Voice as a genuine talent show, and if it can retain the subtlety and the drama but inject a little bit more flare, it may well give The X Factor a run for its money.

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