I used to love American Idol. I would watch every episode, even if I had to record it. I voted literally hundreds of times for my favorite contestants, and could name off all of the winners and judges from the show. But last year, something weird happened: I quit watching halfway through the season. Why? Simply put, it wasn’t entertaining. And for this reason, I can’t decide whether to watch the show’s premier tomorrow.

Talent was the first reason I enjoyed American Idol. Everyone on the show had an amazing vocal ability and each had their own special qualities within performance. The judges were very knowledgeable and helpful, and the show was competitive. With season 12, this changed.

First off, I wasn’t really too big of a fan of any of the finalists last season. Some of them were great vocalists, but their performances just got repetitive. Also, the competition aspect of the show was undermined by the placing of each contestant being revealed on results night. The placings tended to be the same every week, so viewers already had a general idea of who to expect to get eliminated. The judging panel was also drastically revamped, with Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban and Mariah Carey all given positions as judges. Carey and Minaj were always fighting for the spotlight, leaving Urban and Randy Jackson as the only credible judges.

Even though the show struck rock bottom last season, there is a part of me that is hopeful for season 13. With Harry Connick Jr. and Jennifer Lopez being added to the judging panel and Keith Urban returning for a second season, this season seems to have a more knowledgeable group of judges. The production of the show also seems to be saved, as both executive producers and the director were replaced, and in house musician Ricky Minor returned after leaving in season nine. In house mentor Jimmy Iovine is also reported to be replaced by former judge Randy Jackson. The only remaining problem here is the contestants.

Without a doubt, there are many talented people in the U.S. The only question here is, will Idol find them? Nothing will give the shower a bigger pick-me-up than showcasing the next Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Adam Lambert or Chris Daughtry. If the show can do this, then they definitely have a chance to get themselves out of the rut that they are in. And with the newfound hope given by major changes to the show’s format, I might even be watching the premier tomorrow night.