Oh, let us give thanks: the X Factor judge search is finally over. But what to make of the selection of Demi Lovato as the new colleague of Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid, and Britney Spears?

Britney and Demi joined the holdover judges at the Fox upfronts presentation in New York on Tuesday. “It’s an honor to represent my generation,” said Lovato, who won’t turn 20 until just before the second season premiere in September. According to Hollywood Reporter, Fox is getting Lovato cheap: she is slated to make “only” $1 million to judge, much less than Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Jennifer Lopez are raking in for their judging duties.

While The X Factor had a solid debut season from a ratings standpoint, it paled next to Cowell’s confident predictions that the show would become as dominant as American Idol once was. First season judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger, as well as host Steve Jones, were sacrificed on the altar of high expectations that went unmet.

The goal with Spears and Lovato was to find two replacement female judges with some musical credibility, youth appeal, and a connection to what’s selling. Simon did well there. Despite her background in Disney pop, Lovato has gotten some respect from music critics, and if her interviews are to be believed, her own musical tastes are surprisingly wide-ranging.

But – there are a few buts here. Britney is, to put it mildly, very questionable when it comes to the issue of whether she can be coherent in a live, unscripted setting. Both women have histories in rehab – in the case of Demi, a very recent history. And there’s the whole notion of how strange it’s going to be for Lovato to act as a “mentor” when she’s only been out of middle school for a few years, and hasn’t made the best decisions in her own life.

But there will be plenty of buzz in the short run, so mission accomplished!