Reality judges range from wise to wacko

A tiny little show called "American Idol" affected television in profound ways, but one of its most significant — and pernicious — influences on other competition shows is that its template has been widely copied.

Although more than a few shows have borrowed heavily from its format, what most competition shows steal from "Idol" is the panel of three judges offering critiques to the contestants' faces.

Far too many shows just think they can sit three people behind a table, call them judges, and then give them a few minutes to make allegedly witty comments. But that rarely works as well as it does on "Idol."

At the worst, an assembled panel can be disastrous and drag down the whole show (hello, "Celebrity Circus"). In the best scenarios, however, the judges are the highlight of every episode.

The greatest judges are a mix of personality and expertise, and likewise, the best panels draw from different types of judges. Not all types work on all shows, nor are all types ideal, even though they can be found on more than one show.

The Truth-Telling Mean Judge with an Accent
Any discussion of judges must start with one man: Simon Cowell.  It was his brutal honesty and abrasive commentary, heavily featured in commercials, that drew audiences to "American Idol" when no one knew what the show was. While his shtick has gotten a little tired, he's still consistently honest, and others have followed his lead.

"Dancing with the Stars" has its Cowell in grumpy Len Goodman, who also judges the UK version, "Strictly Come Dancing." Other judges in Simon's mold include Piers Morgan on "America's Got Talent" (which is produced by Simon Cowell) and Nigel Lythgoe on "So You Think You Can Dance." Besides producing "Idol" for its first seven seasons, Lythgoe previously judged the UK's "Popstars," where he was known as "Nasty Nigel." Clearly, both British and U.S. audiences had the same reaction to his attitude.

The Smart, Informed, and Condescending Judge
Ideally, a reality show judge is an expert who's exceptionally knowledgeable about the show's subject. There are too few judges like this, but those who exist stand out as some of the best judges on TV.

"Project Runway" panelist Michael Kors and "Top Chef" head judge Tom Colicchio are the best models, even they have entirely different personalities. Kors is witty and incredibly descriptive, praising or dismissing contestants' work with quick one-liners, while Colicchio is serious and grumpy even when he's smiling.

The third judge on "Dancing with the Stars," Carrie Ann Inaba, also fills this role; she knows her stuff and sticks to it. Just ask any couple Inaba penalized for lifting a foot off the floor a few millimeters during a dance in which such a move is unacceptable.

Some judges are professionals who are also insiders, like the Food Network executive panelists on "The Next Food Network Star," or the band members on CBS' "Rock Star" who were essentially selecting a future bandmate; they bring even more weight to the judging table.

The Star Power Judge
Some people sit in judgment of reality show contestants simply because they bring names to the panel — even though they do not know how to judge. Thankfully, there are fewer of these than one might imagine, and even when they're present, they tend to graduate into other judging categories rather than just emit star power all the time.

Paula Abdul filled that seat on "American Idol" its first season, and is now more well-known for being on that show than for her singing, while David Hasselhoff fills that seat on the "America's Got Talent" panel. Even smaller cable network series try to get a name to draw viewers and credibility; designer and former "Trading Spaces" cast member Vern Yip, for example, is the only HGTV "Design Star" judge who's close to a household name.

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