Leading up to the Season 14 premiere of The Voice on February 26, the show revealed a game-changing new addition to the blind auditions…a block button. During an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, host Carson Daly explained how the block button works.
“In addition to the big, red button we all know, each coach’s chair has three new powerful buttons with the names of the other three coaches,” Daly said. “These allow each coach to block another coach from getting an artist.”
To keep coaches from consistently blocking each other, The Voice made a rule that coaches can only use their block button once over the course of the blind auditions. Once they use it, it can’t be used again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hulkqR4EBH4
Daly also provided a more detailed explanation for how the block button works:
“Let’s say Kelly hears a voice that she really wants, but she doesn’t want Blake to get that artist. She will just hit her Block Blake button. It both turns Kelly’s chair and blocks Blake from getting that artist. The thing is, Blake won’t know that he’s blocked until he hits his big button and turns his chair around to see [the words, ‘Blocked’ in front of him].”
While some were looking forward to the drama that the block button could cause, other fans were skeptical about the new feature. However, following the show’s season debut on Monday night, outrage seemed to be the prevailing feeling.
Many fans were upset about the block button, saying it’s unfair to contestants to keep them from freely picking a coach. “#TheVoice should not block a contestant from choosing any coach that turns to them,” wrote one viewer.
https://twitter.com/JeffDoser/status/968306508495818752
Another fan called the block button a “bad choice” for The Voice, saying it places more focus on the coaches than the contestants.
Hey @NBCTheVoice, I’m NOT a fan of the new “block” option. It makes the competition more about the coaches vs. the contestants, which isn’t cool—or fair to them. Bad choice, The Voice! #blocktheblock #TheVoice #VoicePremiere @blakeshelton @adamlevine @aliciakeys @kelly_clarkson
— VM (@valopatra) February 27, 2018
One viewer didn’t hold back when it came to critiquing the block button, writing, “Whoever came up with the new block idea should be blocked from their job.”
The fan went on to add that it almost seems like The Voice is playing a game with its contestants.
https://twitter.com/TheVoiceTea/status/968327603126919168
Not all fans had something entirely negative to say when it came to the block button. One viewer suggested that the show should get rid of it, then replace it with a different type of button.
“Honestly, instead of a block button #TheVoice should have a redo button for when people regret not turning around.”
Honestly, instead of a block button #TheVoice should have a redo button for when people regret not turning around. I'd be way more into that. #VoicePremiere
— Olivia Truffaut-Wong (@iWatchiAm) February 27, 2018
In case you missed The Voice‘s premiere, check out the clip below to watch the block button in action.
We want to hear from y’all…what do you think about the block button? Do you agree with the critics? Or do you think it adds a fun, new dynamic to the show? Let us know!