Simon Cowell Reuniting with Paula Abdul on X Factor

Simon Cowell understands the importance of the judges' chemistry when it comes to creating a ratings winner out of a glorified talent show. When Fox brings X Factor to the airwaves in a few months, the judges will include the ultimate American Idol reunion of Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul. It remains to be seen whether that will be enough to drive the success of a show that is going to be pretty similar to American Idol and America's Got Talent, but it certainly can't hurt.

It was largely on the chemistry and antics of Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul that American Idol grew to become the biggest ratings winner on American television. And while it's true that many viewers tune in to see the performances, it's really the judges that carry the show from week to week. Especially in the early stages when the talent varies so widely from performance to performance. American Idol struggled a bit after the departure of Paula and Simon, but it seems to have regained its footing with Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. At the very least, it's impossible to question the musical credentials of the new judges.

Now that Simon and Paula will be judging on a new show - but on the same network - it will be very interesting to see what kind of following they can generate. The issue they'll face now is that the format of X Factor is going to be so familiar to most viewers. It's hard to imagine devoted Idol fans "adding" X Factor to their viewing queue, especially given the time commitments required for Idol alone. But Simon and Paula are a powerful draw, perhaps too tempting for true Idol fans to resist. We'll find out soon enough.