American Idol season 23 judge and season 4 winner Carrie Underwood's return for season 24 hasn't been announced, and I'm convinced that she'll be the next Ellen DeGeneres and leave the show after one season because she's uncomfortable in the role. For American Idol season 23, Carrie took Katy Perry's place at the judging table alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan when Katy left the show after seven seasons to focus on her own music career again.

As a Carrie fan since her American Idol season 4 audition, I was thrilled to hear the news that she'd be ing the show as a judge, but I quickly realized that her past experience with the show was more of a detriment than an asset to her. Because Carrie knew what it was like to be a finalist and receive criticism on national television after a performance, I believe she might've held back with the contestants out of fear of hurting their feelings, and therefore, she failed as a judge. Here's why I feel that she could become the next Ellen and leave American Idol after one season because she disliked it so much.

Ellen DeGeneres Wasn't Comfortable As An American Idol Judge

Carrie Underwood Felt The Same Way

During American Idol season 9 in 2010, Ellen took Paula Abdul's place on the judging , ing returning judges Simon Cowell, Kara DioGuardi, and Randy Jackson. Although I was skeptical at first because, unlike the other judges, talk show host and actress Ellen had no real connection to the music industry, I quickly warmed up to the idea that she was chosen because she was going to represent the fans. However, it soon became very clear that Ellen didn't like having to critique the contestants.

I wasn't surprised when Ellen announced that she'd be leaving American Idol after season 9. In a statement (via People), she said, "A couple months ago, I let FOX and the American Idol producers know that this didn’t feel like the right fit for me. I told them I wouldn’t leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure out where they wanted to take the next. It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for."

Ellen continued by explaining that it was difficult for her to be an American Idol judge because she didn't like critiquing the contestants. She itted, "I also realized this season that while I love discovering, ing and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge and sometimes hurt their feelings. I loved the experience working on Idol and I am very grateful for the year I had, I am a huge fan of the show and will continue to be."

At the time, Ellen was known for being one of the nicest people in show business, so it's likely that she didn't want to risk her image by saying or doing anything that could be misconstrued as mean. I believe that Carrie, who has an image as America's Sweetheart, might've felt the same way, based on the way that she behaved throughout the season.

This was especially evident when Carrie refused to help Judges' Song Contest winners Lionel and Luke decide between Mattie Pruitt and Josh King during the Judges' Save. She didn't want to be a part of ending someone's dream, and looked noticeably upset when Lionel and Luke saved Mattie and sent Josh home. I was surprised when Carrie took herself completely out of the decision, especially because Katy, Lionel, and Luke always consulted with each other during the Judges' Save. I felt bad for Carrie because she looked so uneasy at that moment, but, at the same time, it's part of American Idol.

Carrie Is Too Nice To Be An American Idol Judge

Carrie Was Worried About Coming Across As Mean On The Show

At the beginning of American Idol season 23, Carrie confessed that she had a hard time saying no to people during their auditions and that she was worried about coming across as mean on the show. I feel that, like Ellen, she just didn't have the heart to truly judge the contestants. I think that, because of this, Carrie might be a one-season American Idol judge.

Throughout American Idol season 23, Carrie, Lionel, and Luke became more like cheerleaders for the contestants, and they rarely ever gave them any negative . This was a detriment to the contestants and made the show boring to watch. When everyone gets a standing ovation, they mean nothing, but a standing ovation from a judge like Simon was an honor. I don't think that Carrie was cut out to be an American Idol judge, and, like Ellen, she never really settled into the role. Carrie's became very repetitive as she critiqued each performance, which made it kind of meaningless.

While American Idol judges don't have to have the meanness of Simon, they do need to be able to express their opinions without feeling guilty. Even Paula, who was known for being one of the nicer judges, gave constructive criticism to the contestants that they could use to improve their performances. The ABC era of American Idol has been much kindler and gentler than when it was on FOX, but I wish that didn't mean that the judges didn't do their jobs. It's one thing to be nice, and it's another to offer no advice at all.

Carrie Doesn't Seem Excited About Returning For American Idol Season 24

Carrie Had A Lukewarm Response When Asked If She'd Come Back

In an interview with E! News, Carrie shared that she thought it would be "cool" to return for American Idol season 24, but she didn't seem too eager to come back. She said, "I had a lot of fun, for sure. I didn't know how I would feel about it. And Luke and Lionel, and the crew, [and] the people who work on the show are just so easy to be around." When asked if she felt that she, Lionel, and Luke should be back next season, she replied, "I mean, that would be cool, I think."

I believe that Carrie's use of generic words like "fun" and "cool" seem to indicate that she's not jumping at the chance to return for American Idol season 24. While she might've been playing coy because she's not allowed to announce her American Idol return just yet, it seems more likely that she might not be coming back for a second season. In addition, Carrie's comments confirmed what I suspected all along: she loved the people she worked with, but not the actual experience of being a judge.

Other American Idol Judges Only Lasted One Season

Mariah Carey & Nicki Minaj Were One-&-Done Judges

If Carrie doesn't return for American Idol season 24, she'll be following in the footsteps of not only Ellen, but also one-season judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj, who were judges season 12 in 2013, along with Randy Jackson and Keith Urban. Unfortunately, the two women feuded throughout the season, and I often found myself cringing at their behavior. They made the show hard to watch.

When Mariah left American Idol, she told HOT 97 that she hated her experience, and she described the show as being like going to work every day in hell with Satan, but then she said that she was just playing, and it didn't really affect her that much. She also added that she loved the contestants.

I don't think that American Idol as Mariah did because she seemed to get along well with Lionel and Luke, but I do think that she'll probably last only one season on the show because she didn't seem to enjoy her time there. I feel that Carrie loved meeting the contestants and performing on the show, but, when it came to judging, it was very much outside of her comfort zone, especially when compared with her predecessor, Katy, who was never afraid to speak her mind.

Before they were American Idol judges, Ellen and Carrie were both known for being kind, and they simply weren't suited for American Idol. After going through the process as a contestant, Carrie surely ed how crushing it could be to receive negative after working so hard on a performance. She never experienced being eliminated because she won, but I believe that she identified too much with the contestants to be a strong judge. I think that Carrie will end up being the next Ellen, and she'll leave American Idol after just one season because she's simply too nice to do the job.

American Idol is available to stream on Hulu.

Sources: People, E! News, HOT 97/YouTube