First of "The Voice": After the incident of John Legend, when the "block" goes too far?

It's a rite of passage for a successful reality TV show: Over the years, producers are infusing new "twists" to get things moving. NBC's "The Voice", which launched season 16 on Monday, is no exception.

There are two seasons, "The Voice" has launched a new gadget called blocking button: during blind auditions, star coaches have the opportunity to prevent a colleague from coaching a singer in his team. The blocking button can only be used once by coach, otherwise it would be chaos.

The reaction to the blocking button was mixed. Some viewers like this to add an extra drama; others find that it is an unfair blow that harms the competition. Coaches willingly accept it if they are stuck but sometimes seem a bit irritated. Then there was the incident with John Legend at the opening of Monday's season, which was certainly a first for the series.

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Legend made his debut in "Voice" as he joined coaches Adam Levine and Blake Shelton (who have competed in the 16 seasons), as well as Kelly Clarkson, who is in his third season. Legend was eager to start: "It's my first day at school!" He exclaims. Except that he then found himself stuck. Two times. Apparently in his first hour on the set.

It started at the beginning of the episode, when Gyth Rigdon, a 24-year-old from Louisiana, came on stage to sing Dobie Gray's Drift Away. He was delighted that Legend was present on the training committee. "Even though I grew up in the South and I'm mostly country, I sing pop, rock, blues, soul music," Rigdon said in his introductory video. "John Legend is an exciting new coach."

Sorry, Gyth! Shelton swiveled his chair in the first 30 seconds of the song and happily pressed Legend's lock button. The legend, of course, was unaware until he decided to turn around and try to convince Rigdon to join his team. Shelton cracked when Legend realized that he would not be able to compete.

"Who stuck me? They do not want us to be together! They are enemies, said Legend.

"Man, at the first hour of his first day!" Levine observed.

"How am I stuck first person?" The legend sighed.

"I can assure you it was Blake Shelton," Levine told him.

While Shelton and Clarkson (who had also turned his chair) were arguing about Rigdon, Shelton vehemently and unenthusiastically denied that he had blocked Legend. In the end, Rigdon chose the Blake team.

"Someone & # 39; a used their block on John, "said Shelton." But thank you, God, because I was able to integrate Gyth into my team. "

"It's the new guy, he's starting to get confused," said Levine. "Is that how you treat our new friend? Cold blood here!

"Cold-blooded," agreed Legend.

A little later, Legend became the first coach to be blocked twice in the same episode, while Clarkson slammed the lock button when Rizzi Myers, 29, of Nashville, impressed them all with "Breathin" Ariana Grande. Clarkson and Legend all turned around, but again, the opportunity was denied.

"We could have done beautiful music together. But I have the impression that it is Kelly who has blocked me, "said Legend at Myers.

"John is a threat," Levine confirmed. "We're all scared of John, he's been here for about an hour -"

"I've already been stuck twice!" Said Legend.

Clarkson admitted that she wanted a "soulful" singer, so when she heard Myers, she knew that she had to eliminate the competition: "I used my block against John. He is new. He does not know you have to hurry if you want to block someone, "she said.

"It's my first season in the presidency. I'm learning as I go, "conceded Legend.

Of course, everything was fun, it was just a TV show, and so on. For coaches, this could be a little frustrating, but for the competitors, this could legitimately hurt their chances – especially if the same coach continues to be targeted for the block.

When the twist was introduced for the first time, the producers tried to eliminate the concerns by pointing out that there was a "twist" later in the competition, where if a singer was eliminated from the competition. a team that did not suit him, a better coach could pick them up.

"You are not necessarily stuck in a team. We can be stolen, we can change, so it was not enough for us not to go there and try the item, "Executive Producer Audrey Morrissey told reporters about the block. ;last year." As you will see while it's playing, things are going for the better. In a way, everything works really well. We really like it. "

Of course, in theory – although it is also possible that coaches have moved on, the singer is out of luck. Although this is the bet that many people take in competitions in reality, they are rarely fair. As the first, Legend became wise in the face of this truth.

"I also have a blocking button. Three of them. Their names are there, "warned the legend. At the end of the episode, he landed a coveted competitor (Matthew Johnson, 25, a native of Florida, who had sung "I Smile" Kirk Franklin) and seemed very happy to have defeated his fellow coaches. "I feel redeemed after all the blockage."

Read more:

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