Why do you watch American Idol?

That question was subtly posed last night, as the Atlanta auditions actually highlighted a few potential breakout stars - but Fox ended the episode with General Larry Platt, leaving viewers with the impression of a man that was only there for comedic purposes.

At this point in Idol's run, it's hard to complain about the early audition episodes largely focusing on terrible singers that just want their 15 minutes of fame. We know that's coming. We can always not tune in until Hollywood.

But the performance of Platt's "Pants on the Ground" seemed particularly excessive, considering the 62-year old was clearly over the show's age limit.

We'd prefer to focus on other aspects of the evening, such as Mary J. Blige's entertaining turn as a guest judge and the four contestants that stood out for their talent and potential. Read more about each one in our full American Idol recap!

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.