Popstars

God why do people really rate and watch things like this?! It is just crazy! It's sad that so many talented musicians get left behind when the TALENTLESS ones are just screaming and shouting in public to be noticed! Everyone on this show is pathetic! Not one of them sing in tune and everyone thinks they are the best! AWFUL! 0/10

With so many reality shows around, finding a new idea is not that easy – especially one that works (Celebrity Wrestling and Love Island are evidence of that) so in fairness the idea of staging a big karaoke contest with the winners getting a shot at the big time is actually quite a good one; certainly from a financial point of view for those behind it! Also in terms of ratings, viewers seem to get into the idea of following the people from the early ambitions, through the contest itself and then into the preparation stages before releasing their first record.

Personally I found it to be a bit trashy and, as someone who doesn't like karaoke, it wasn't to my taste but that doesn't mean that it wasn't well done, because it was. It did surprise me that it was so successful, mainly because it is clearly very cynical in how easy it assumes it is to manufacture a band and produce something that has an immediate fan base of screaming girls rather than letting it build up. Of course this has always happened but to see it happen in front of the public made me wonder would it cause people to reject it and not allow themselves to be manipulated so. Of course, as we've seen, this is not the case, as the band was produced from the very start, right up to the last live show where the British public sat with baited breath to find out that they had managed to get the groups' single to enter at #1. Of course it is easy to feel good when you see the young dreamers of Hear'Say jumping in glee, as opposed to the real winners of the production company of the show and the band. However this is me being cynical and cynics are not really welcomed into the show because they don't buy into the spirit of the competition. Personally I tuned out after the "look how bad these guys are" audition episodes because at least those were funny if a bit cruel.

Overall, years later and Hear'Say are long dead with only Mylene Klass keeping a career in the public eye going well, while Liberty X are surely close to being dropped for good and we see that you can't manufacture longevity. However the show did manage to win over the public, draw them into a product that they supposedly formed and then but that very same product in mass amounts – paying for it at every step. A cold and cynical show but one that seems to make money in vast amounts while also pleasing the public; personally count me out but you can't deny that it has been massively successful.

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs

In the early monthes of 2001,the whole of the country was tuning in as the clock ticked to the finals of the ''Popstars'',to see who the final selections would be out those auditioning for their shot at superstardom.When the finalists were finally drawn,and the single recorded,such was the alarming widespread success of the show that the band's (Hear 'Say,in case nobody knew)debut single flew straight to the No.1 spot on the Pepsi Countdown,and becoming the 3rd biggest selling British record to top the charts behind Elton John's Candle In The Wind and Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas?

Were the viewing public not kept so up-to-date with the proceedings,this could be deemed a shameful process of elimination.But instead of evoking scorns,Popstars is actually an engrossing parody of all the manufactured pop that clitters the charts these days.And more to the point,it's real life,making it even more engaging.Sure,the final band members picked are kind of common and cocky,and a lot of emphasis is placed on their sex appeal rather than any actual genuine talent they may have,but it's hard not to become endeared to their personas as the weeks drag by.It's almost mind-bending that the musically gifted Myleene was finally picked to be honest.But it's not just the finalists that should receive the most attention.Who could easily shake off sly panalist judge ''Nasty'' Nigel Lythgoe,Tony Hadley lookalike judge Paul,and idiotic University attendant Darius,with his awful rendition of Britney Spears''Baby One More Time''?This show intelligently grips you in a week-by-week affair ,until it's gripping climax.Shrug off it's initial appearance,and you are left with quite the year's biggest surprise so far.****