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After watching a movie in our friends’ home theater over the weekend, I truly think that if I had that setup, there would be no reason to go to the movie theater. I can buy a 3D Blu-ray for much, much cheaper than the cost of taking our family to the movies, and  my theater snacks would be healthier, more fun, and way less expensive. Plus, my theater would be filled with good friends and family. We don’t need anything bigger than a 110″ screen. Really.

It’s not that I think the day is coming when most families will have luxurious home theaters of their own, making movie theaters obsolete. Having a separate room dedicated just to movie watching and the expense of buying the equipment simply isn’t realistic for many families. However, as technology becomes cheaper and time goes by, a lot of people will have some type of home theater, or at least friends who have one.  The dwindling numbers at movie theaters over the years could mean that movie theaters will become fewer in number, or they will have to adapt.

Which makes me wonder, what will movie theaters be like in the future? Will they try to go 4D or add some other component to the theater experience that can’t be replicated at home? The 4D component was attempted recently with the movie Spy Kids 4. Fail. Even kids didn’t love the scratch n’ sniff card, mostly because the smells were indistinguishable from each other and having to watch for the cues in the movie was distracting. Or, maybe movie theaters will become more like those simulation rides at fairs and amusement parks, with seats shaking and the floor moving up and down. A lot of people don’t like that kind of gimmicky stuff, though, so maybe they would just all become more like IMAX theaters with a bigger, more immersive experience.

We have a decent home theater system, though not a dedicated media room, and we do go out to movies less since we got a nicer TV. I have a feeling that if we do get a media room, my kids would use it just as much as a stage to perform their “shows” they love to put on as they would to watch movies or play video games.  Yep, if my husband ever gets his wish for a decked out media room, my requirement will be that it has a proper stage, and we’ll probably spend a lot of time watching the performances of three little girls who love to sing, dance and act. And were it not for my job, we would also spend a lot less time at movie theaters.

American Idol Season 12 crowned a winner this week.

But there’s a good bet you didn’t tune in. Okay, sure, 14 million of you did, but that’s a drop of 7 million from last year.

Whatever the reason for those dismal ratings, it’s a shame more people didn’t watch this year’s winner, Candice Glover–because she was worth the time.

How good was Glover this season?

• So good that Judge Keith Urban literally prostrated himself at her feet.
• So good she had diva Mariah Carey gushing, “You have an undeniable talent. It just surpasses what I could have ever even imagined I’d see here.”
• So good critics called her “too good for American Idol.”
• So good that Randy Jackson–the only judge who has sat through every performance of the past twelve years–applauded her for “one of the greatest performances in the history of 12 seasons of American Idol.”
• So good that she’ll make you a believer–one of these days.

But it’s still a shame she didn’t get to prove it to you on Idol.

Photo © Fox.

Pop Quiz: Who’s the newest American Idol?

Last night American Idol crowned Season 12′s winner, but no one seemed to notice.

Ratings–already bottoming out this season–continued to break record for how low they could go. Only 14.3 million viewers tuned in to the finale to find out if Candice Glover or Kree Harrison won the million dollar recording contract.

It was the first time an Idol finale dipped below 20 million viewers and it’s a 33 percent drop from last year,  when 21.5 million watched  Phillip Phillips’ triumphant night.

What happened?

I mean, we all know that Idol peaked years ago and it’s far from its glory days. And we know that The Voice has been siphoning away viewers since it launched.

But what changed in 12 months that chased away 7 million Idol fans?

Have new judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj driven away viewers?

Do American Idol fans hate women? Did they tune out when the last Season 12 contestant with a Y chromosome was eliminated before breaking into the top five? Is it a coincidence that this season–with it’s record breaking low ratings was also the first time in Idol history where all the men were eliminated before a single top 10 girl was cut?

Are American Idol fans all white girls who want cute white boys as their idols? Or is it just a coincidence that Candice Glover is the first African American singer to win since Fantasia in Season Three?

Is it a coincidence that Glover and Harrison are both a little pudgy? Or does America care less for female singers who have a little junk in the trunk?

Whatever the reason for the plunging ratings, it was hugely unfair to Candice Glover, who is arguably one of the most talented vocalists to emerge from American Idol in the past 12 years.

Since you didn’t watch, you may have missed how good she really was.

How good was Candice Glover this season?

• So good that Judge Keith Urban literally prostrated himself at her feet.
• So good she had diva Mariah Carey gushing, “You have an undeniable talent. It just surpasses what I could have ever even imagined I’d see here.”
• So good critics called her “too good for American Idol.”
• So good that Randy Jackson–the only judge who has sat through every performance of the past twelve years–applauded her for “one of the greatest performances in the history of 12 seasons of American Idol.”
• So good that she’ll make you a believer–one of these days.

But it’s still a shame she didn’t get to prove it to you last night.

Now the only question remains, will the abysmal ratings make Idol producers reconsider their stance on the remaining three judges?

After Randy Jackson announced he’s leaving the show, Fox Entertainment Chairman Kevin Reilly insisted the other judges were all “welcome back.”

What do you think? Should they replace the judge(s)? Is there anything Idol could do to get you back as a viewer?

Photo © Fox