TVSquad

The Daily News has put together an article comparing the judges from American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance which confirms what I've been feeling all along: So You Think You Can Dance is the superior competition show.

Take a look at the comparisons after the jump.

The Mean British Judge: Simon Cowell Vs. Nigel Lythgoe

Both judges are respected because they never sugarcoat their critiques. But when a performance is undeniably good,they give credit where credit is due. But the difference lies in Cowell's "delight in squashing the dreams of pop hopefuls," a sadistic pleasure Lythgoe doesn't enjoy himself. The article points out that Lythgoe is genuinely interested in getting the contestants to improve. I agree with that. Nigel wants those who don't make the Top 20 to take classes and get better, then come back and try again next year. Twitch on this season's show is great example of that. He didn't make the Top 20 last year as the judges opted to go with beat boy b-boy Hok. But after taking some dance lessons, Twitch is on the show and Nigel never misses a chance to congratulate him on his growth.

There is one thing I can't stand about both these judges. I hate how frequently hey both use superlatives in their comments. "You just won the competition." "You're the person to beat." "You're the best hip-hop dancer I've ever seen." It takes away from the compliment when it's used too often.

The Halfwitted Brunettes: Paula Abdul Vs. Mary Murphy

The Daily News says that the one thing Paula Abdul and Mary Murphy share is that they both comment too much on the contestants' appearance. I'd like to add that they're both completely annoying. I'm still trying to perfect my timing on the mute button for when Mary screams or tells someone they've got a ticket on the mystical "hot tamale train." What the hell is hot tamale train and where does it take you? And then there's Paula -- if she could find it in herself to do a taping sober, she might give some good feedback. John Rich of Nashville Star thinks she's downright disrespectful to contestants with how nonsensical her commentary is.

The main difference between the irritating brunettes is that Murphy actually criticizes the performances when she thinks they were, er, hot tamale trainwrecks. The article sums it up, "Murphy is a ballroom-dancing champion, so she actually knows what she's talking about. Abdul sang "Opposites Attract" next to a cartoon of MC Skat Kat." Ouch.

The Third Wheel: Randy Jackson Vs. The Rotating Third Judge

Lastly, the article compares Randy Jackson to the rotating third judges on SYTYCD (i.e. Mia Michaels, Dan Karaty, Shane Sparks, Wade Robson). According to the Daily News, the purpose of these judges is "to help the viewer understand the technical aspects of what the contestants have accomplished, whether it's singing off pitch or dancing too flexed." After all, Randy Jackson is an accomplished producer who knows talent when he hears it. And the rotating judges on SYTYCD are at the top of their industry. All of them are highly sought-after choreographers. They give master classes all around the country. And some of them even have their own dance companies. Debbie Allen, a dance icon, has her own dance academy in Los Angeles. Mia Michaels founded and is the artistic director for her company RAW. Hunter Johnson and his wife/dance partner Maria own their own school in Houston, TX.

Here's the difference though: those choreographers on So You Think You Can Dance make their living mostly by choreographing or teaching (not just by cashing in on a summer reality show). All of those choreographers are serious working performance artists -- all of them embedded in the trenches of their industry. Yes, I know Randy Jackson had an album come out this year (it debuted at 50 on Billboard and sold 13, 000 copies its first week). But it seems to me like Randy got on the Idol gravy train (another train!) and focused his talents elsewhere. For example, he produces America's Best Dance Crew for MTV.

Just one more thing ... Cat Deeley is way better than Ryan Seacrest.

So, I put it to you for discussion. Which show has the best judges? Which are more helpful? More entertaining?