American Idol's ALMOST Perfect Season

Maybe it took American Idol 16 seasons to figure out how to do what it does flawlessly. But if you're one who gave up on the show seasons ago, your judgment has ripped you off from experiencing the greatest season of an American talent search show, potentially in history.

And while Season 17 has just wrapped, the secret sauce actually started last year, in ABC's debut year of the Fremantle show, but it was this year where from audition to finale, where all the pieces, from judges panel to talent, to song selection, mentors and beyond, snapped into place like a cabinet purchased at IKEA.

It was the idea of Katy Perry that drew me in to the show last year, but pretty quickly, the camaraderie of Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan and Katy together, both in fun times and sincere serious moments, gave a hint that this show would have a soul, something that Harry Connick Jr., J.Lo and Keith Urban provided to an audience that had waned so much, that nobody really noticed much.

Even in Idol's highest-rated seasons on that other network, the finales usually created moments more embarrassing to watch than those to be wowed by, doing group numbers of songs that appeared in execution to be more inline with a high school musical than a moment where the world was to be introduced to a new star.

The ABC's Of American Idol Success

Also typical of the past, was that when it came to the end, it was obvious who would win the show, or should once the field be narrowed to top 20 and smaller. When Fox said goodbye to the show a couple of years ago, the talent had gotten so lean in those last few seasons like a pond that had more fisherman than fish, getting something worthy out of those waters would be difficult, so, even the show's winners were barely heard from again.

ABC's approach has been completely different as the campy moments of past contestants like William Hung singing 'She Bangs,' became less of the focus, and instead aiming the energies on what is good, honorable, commendable and excellent, and this showed true in a finale that was mind-blowingly stellar. From Adam Lambert's duet of Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' with contestant Dimitrius Graham to Katy Perry's 'Unconditionally," where she paired with Art Garfunkel lookalike contestant Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon for a bafflingly beautiful, show stopping performance; and these were guys who would have easily won any of those weaker seasons of Idol, but in this years' crop of goods, weren't invited to the winner's circle.

As the field was narrowed to the Top 20, a performance of an old Cheap Trick song led me to believe I knew who this year's winner would be, Laci Kaye Booth, but somewhere as the Top 10 was getting smaller still, America voted the contestant off. It was at that moment that Katy, Lionel and Luke used the "one save" they had in this season to right America's wrong; if only they could have used it in the finale.

Something we saw more of in this season than any other was the personal growth of the contestants, some like Wade Cota, who had glaring confidence issues, but by the last five shows revealed that what others were seeing in him, he could see in himself as well, giving credit to show mentor, Bobby Bones for instilling confidence through honest, encouraging dialogue, which proves that Mr. Bones is much more than his award winning dance moves, and as I've attempted to reveal in other columns, an exhibitor of "real human qualities" that make him more than just some personality on a radio station.

Bones and Seacrest, Idol's One-Two Punch

While nobody is touching the abilities of Ryan Seacrest as a host, and yes, I am alluding to the fact that, except for Kevin Frazier, Ryan is the best, it was refreshing to see a show when Ryan's health had him taking a day off and Bobby Bones filling in without missing a beat. It's what good teams do, take up wherever there is slack.

Season 16 surprised by getting the winner right, in Maddie Poppe, who through the weeks of the competition showed great personal strengths, revealing new talents week to week and shining bright in last year's finale. That is something I would have to fight America about this year, was their choice for the winner, but apparently my vote isn't enough to pick a President, or the winner of American Idol.

I would have bet that the words on that card that Ryan read in the end would have said, "Alejandro Aranda," but it didn't, but it should have, and that's how the perfect season found its blemish.

Tori Kelly, Kane Brown, Bebe Rexha, Colbie Caillat, Hillary Scott, Maren Morris, Lauren Daigle, Jennifer Hudson and others are proof that not winning on Idol isn't everything, but how hard you continue working once it's in the rear-view mirror.

If you need proof Idol got it right in Season 16, listen to the new single from Maddie Poppe, "Make You Miss."