"The Voice" Fans Are Accusing the NBC Show of “Manipulating” the Top 5 in the Finale
The Voice may want to consider changing its rule book after online outrage sparked during Tuesday night's Top 5 results show.
Ahead of the spring 2020 finale on May 18 and 19, the top nine contestants were cut in half. Following a nationwide vote — and a real-time Instant Save faceoff — host Carson Dalyannounced that this year's finalists are Micah Iverson (from Kelly Clarkson's team) Thunderstorm Artis (from Nick Jonas's team), CammWess (from John Legend's team), Todd Tilghman, and Toneisha Harris (both from Blake Shelton's team).
Of course, fans of the five advancing artists were pumped about their favorites moving on. But at the same time, some questioned whether the show's format was really all that fair to the competitors. In particular, they took issue with the fact that only the top-voted contestants from each coach's team — not the top-voted contestants overall — were selected to go to the finale. Some declared on Twitter that this rule actually "manipulated" the vote.
Would have preferred to see the top vote winners overall get into the finale rather than how it was done team by team. #TheVoice-Booo
— Randy Smith (@RSmith2708) May 13, 2020
#thevoice your process sucks! The fans voted it should be the top 5 vote getters, NOT 1 from each team. You ruined this season.
— Nancy DeMoss (@nancy_demoss) May 13, 2020
See the results as The Voice manipulates the top 5. Come on show the actual numbers for the real top 5.
— DAVID (@CAPTTIGER) May 13, 2020
@NBCTheVoice #CarsonDaly You just said “every vote counts.” Apparently not!! By #TheVoice guaranteeing each coach a singer in the finale, votes are NOT the most important thing this season. 😡🤥 #VoiceResults #NBCTheVoice #BlakeShelton pic.twitter.com/zQarfbe3uk
— Cynthia (@loyrmom) May 12, 2020
I think top 4 should be top 4 vote getters. Not 1 for each coach! #TheVoice
— Sharon Weichlein (@sweichlein) May 13, 2020
Though it might not be a totally straightforward voting process, the NBC show's current format ensures that each coach has a chance at the title. The format decision may have been influenced by former Voice coach Adam Levine's alleged demeanor during season 16. According to TV Line.com, the Maroon 5 frontman reportedly "expressed frustration" at having to be present for tapings when he had no more artists left in the competition. At that time, The Voice had just made it so that it wasn't a guarantee that each coach went to the live playoffs with the same number of team members. As a result, Adam had zero singers left by the semifinal round.
Whether that had any effect on this season's format or not, it's clear that there's a good amount of fans annoyed with the current rules. But on the bright side, it doesn't matter who the coach is when voting for the winner in the season 18 finale next week. So if you're upset by the latest results, take comfort in knowing that!
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