won American Idol season 4 in 2005, has been massively impactful on the current season of the long-running series. After Katy Perry spent year at the judges' with Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, she left a vacancy after American Idol season 22.

With Carrie filling the spot on the judges' on American Idol season 23, many were curious about what it would look like to have a former winner taking the reigns. While Carrie would have to fall in with Luke and Lionel, who have been part of the for the last seven years, it was clear that viewers were interested in seeing her on the show. Throughout the season, Carrie's faced a mix of criticism and acclaim for her performance, making it clear that even if viewers weren't happy, they were watching. Even so, I think Carrie's continuing on.

American Idol Experimented Putting Carrie Underwood On The Judge’s

They Weren't Sure How It Would Work

As Carrie has moved through her career, she's always kept ties with American Idol, albeit in different ways. Early on in the years after her win, Carrie would return to the Idol stage to perform during big episodes of the annual charity show, Idol Gives Back. Carrie would also go on to mentor the contestants in moments, or work with the show in other ways throughout the years. As her career grew and Carrie became more of a country superstar, she found herself ready for the challenge of becoming a new American Idol judge, even if she didn't know it.

Ahead of American Idol season 23, Carrie was announced to be the new judge of the series, replacing Katy on the . While some were thrilled, others were hesitant about Carrie coming into the space. While she had her own experiences on American Idol, Carrie had been a contestant first and foremost which was a lot different than judging the talent from a removed perspective. Though she seemed like she was ready for the challenge, Carrie had a lot to learn about judging the show as she moved through the pre-season. Her time on the series would be a test.

I Think Carrie’s Been An Okay-At-Best Judge

She's Had Ups And Downs

While I know there have been a lot of criticisms about Carrie, I don't stand firmly in the camp that she's been a poor judge. There have been moments where I've enjoyed Carrie on the show, especially when she's reminiscing about her own time on American Idol, and there have been moments where I haven't. My personal feelings for Carrie aside, I think her judging overall has been the problem for me. While was a bit too harsh for my liking early on, Carrie got more distanced as American Idol season 23 went on, which I didn't think was helpful.

Carrie May Benefit From Another Season Of Experience

I Think She'll Return For Another Season

Although Carrie's judging hasn't been the best, it certainly hasn't been the worst when it comes to recent seasons of American Idol. Personally, I think with a bit more experience, Carrie could be a great judge on the show and continue to return to her roots for seasons to come. I believe Carrie will be back for American Idol season 24 to gain more experience as a judge and see if it's a good fit for her in the long-term. While I expect some changes to be made to the show overall, I expect American Idol to bring Carrie back.

American Idol airs Sundays & Mondays at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.

Source: Carrie Underwood/Instagram