Automated Attack Monkeys, Scalpel Mines, & Acid

Magister is correct; the original plan was for both Saturday and Sunday's episodes to contain 10 performances. In order to minimise the overlap with Britain's Got Talent, Saturday's show was chopped down from 100 minutes to 90, one performance moved to Sunday, and the splices were more obvious than they might have been.

This is the first UK series, but about the twentieth around the world. Owners Talpa keep very tight reins on The Voice of Holland structure: nowhere has had any second chances. Ever. Indeed, all the series follow the same format - off-screen weeding out, on-screen auditions, duelling singers, find the champion amongst each squad, superfinal. All series have similar presentation elements: the hand making a V sign holding a microphone, describing the groups as "Team Whoever", the chair design, even the typefaces.

The BBC contract is for two series. Will Young was excluded because he, like Mr. Jones, Miss J, and will.i.am, records for Universal Records, which will sign the winner. Mr. O'Donoghue lessens the charge that this is a massive product placement in the way Fame Academy was.

Facts above are facts; opinions are my own. I think the similarity of male voices comes from this being a contest in the pop genre, rather than opera or musical theatre. This weekend was painful, too many contestants confused "show off your vocal abilities" with "perform with as much volume as you can, never mind the tune."

Only a handful of performances this weekend grabbed me as being outstanding, and a couple of those were negative views. I liked Bo Bruce, almost able to get through the unhelpful arrangement and reach the emotional quandary at the heart of "With or without you". I was really impressed by Frances Wood, she found something even Alanis didn't get in "Ironic", and there's a big talent lurking there. Both are into the Top 20.