Netflix’s Star Search will let you vote to decide who wins

Though Netflix’s upcoming Star Search reboot will feature a panel of celebrity judges, viewers are going to have a hand in choosing which contestants win the competition.

Ahead of Star Search’s premiere tonight, Netflix has announced that it is launching a new real-time voting functionality that will give you the ability to tell the streamer which performer you want to see succeed. Rather than having to send in a text message or visit a special website as was the case with American Idol, Star Search’s voting can be done within the Netflix app while the show is airing live on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9PM ET / 6PM PT.

In addition to the app, it will be possible to vote via smart TVs and streaming devices like Apple TV, Roku, and Fire TV. But in its post about the feature, Netflix stressed that voting will not be available if you’re watching via a browser, and voting will be limited to a specific time window while Star Search is streaming live.

While Star Search is airing, viewers will be prompted to give each performance a rating of 1-5 stars, with each episode’s results being tallied and shared by the end of the broadcast. Each Netflix profile will be limited to one vote per performance, and once a vote has been submitted, it can’t be changed.

Everything about the feature makes it sound like Netflix is angling for Star Search to be the kind of event that keeps the audience engaged enough to keep their eyes on the screen. That would be a welcome change of pace in this era of casual viewing, but Star Search’s success is going to hinge on how good the show’s performances are.