Those are good points. Maybe it comes down to trends in what people perceive as arbitrary or biased. Or maybe, regardless of a show's approach, there is just a range of arbitrariness / bias that an audience will tolerate, and once it gets into intolerable range, an outcry erupts, like the one we've seen re this season…

Nice analysis! I too take the "will never watch again" comments with a grain of (well, how 'bout a teaspoon of) salt. Personally, I will likely watch again, but my attitude toward the show—its judging, its values—has changed. My trust has been lost, and with it my enthusiasm. You were right to mention "The Voice." Its…