First this:

I miss Yui Horie as Yukiho.

I would be facepalming if I cared much about Seiyuu... He misses Yui Horie, but not Yurika Ochiai? How does that even work?

That aside though, here's a serious issue:

Still, I know A-1 can do better, I've seen Kannagi and Sora no Woto - show us why Iori wants to be an idol so badly, aside from some clips in the ED that show her alone a lot in a big mansion. Why does anyone want to be an idol? Do they want to feel loved? To make an impression and rise above the billions condemned to anonymity? Because Mommy forced them to? This stuff just writes itself if they try.

Indeed.

Also, a question:

Haruka bumping into that guy in the hall isn't something you'd bother animating just to show she's clumsy, unless he factors into some kind of dramatic plot later on, right?

Of course. The jerk is a member of Project Jupiter, a boy band, the rumored antagonists in the anime. With Takane and Hibiki being in emploi of Namco-pro, Kuroi-pro obviously does not exist in anime continuity... Unless Mr. Kuroi now runs Jupiter. I do not know how dramatic this is going to be. Hopefuly not with too many sitcom moves, someone among the girls falling for one of the boys, etc.