American Idol: Your Days Are Numbered

Enough already with the talk about American Idol becoming a permanent fixture at the top of the US television ratings.

Yes, the show is currently as hot as ever. Hooray for everyone. But it will flame out with the same predictability as every other show, regardless of the hype you keep hearing from the media machine. (Can anyone say "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire"?)

Let's review the path to destruction:
1. Themes on show become completely repetitive and predictable: Check
2. Show is syndicated in various forms: Check
3. Stars (in this case, "judges") start commanding exorbitant salaries that will be unsupportable when ratings decline: Check
4. Ratings begin to fall: 2008
5. Ratings plummet: 2008 or 2009
6. Show is cancelled: 2009