The X Factor finally returned last night and it did not disappoint. The singing was great (for the most part), Britney Spears and Demi Lovato were entertaining, and the revamped look of the show was stunning. Throw in a little Khloe Kardashian and this contest may actually beat The Voice in the ratings this year.

Here are 5 things The X Factor did right in its season-two premiere. Let us know if you agree or disagree. And tell us what you thought of Britney judging style.

1. It’s Britney, Bitch!
We never doubted Britney Spears would be a great addition to The X Factor judging panel. What was in doubt was her ability to form fully developed thoughts without the assistance of her caregiver/fiance Jason Trawick. And would Britney be able to go an entire two hours without smacking on a piece of Juicy Fruit? Well, color us surprised, y’all, because Brit Brit was fierce on last night’s premiere.

In addition to her brutally honest critiques, Britney looked great (loved the glasses!) and was far less cold to Demi Lovato than we would have imagined (young pop star vs. older pop star — there’s a Lifetime movie in there somewhere). Plus, she showed a range of emotions we weren’t sure she still had in her. Overall, adding Britney to the show is the best decision Simon Cowell could have made this season.

2. Wait, Is This The Hills 2.0?
Say what you will about reality shows and their manufactured drama, but the green room catfights and boy band life lessons on The X Factor really made us think we were watching a long-lost episode of The Hills — and we loved it. Watching Kaci and Kaylee Newton mean girl Paige Thomas so reminded us of that time Audrina and Heidi didn’t invite Lauren to a party in West Hollywood … or something like that. Keep the fabricated drama coming!

3. Demi Looked Flawless
“Oh, to be young again,” thought Britney as she slowly sipped on her Pepsi, recalling days of snake dances and red patent-leather jumpsuits. Okay, that may not have happened, but we can’t imagine Britney didn’t notice how on point Demi Lovato’s hair and makeup were last night. From her perfectly coiffed ombre mane to her Lady Gaga-lite avant garde outfits, Demi stole the (fashion) show.

4. Simon Cowell Has a Heart
Hold on, were those tears, Simon? There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Jillian Jensen told her story about being bullied, before singing a heartwrenching version of Jessie J’s “Who You Are.” But what a surprise it was to see Simon Cowell’s notoriously tough demeanor crumble. Of course, we expected Demi, who’s battled through emotional issues of her own, to sympathize with Jillian, but Simon? The King of Mean and Tight White Tees? That was unexpected and refreshing.

5. Focusing on the Talent
The most talked about aspect of the American Idol auditions is how most of the singers are horrendous. The producers suck in the audience by telling these contestants backstories and then, like a Band-Aid forcefully yanked from a wound, it’s revealed just how awful their voices are. Thankfully, that sort of bait-and-switch didn’t happen too often on The X Factor premiere. Yes, there was the Don Philips vocal/mental breakdown, but his voice wasn’t that bad. It was just a little … unstable. Hopefully, the show will stay focused on the good singers and not dwell on the delusional ones.

[Photos: Fox]