American Idol Returns For 8th Season With New Format

American Idol, one of the most popular reality shows on US television, will return for its 8th season with a brand spankin’ new format. Unlike the previous year’s 24 contestants, 36 emerging singers will be admitted into February’s semi-finals round, and three wild card slots—an arrangement previously used in seasons one through three—will give the judges the right to send their personal picks to the top 12 regardless of viewers’ votes. This way, genuinely talented singers are better assured of spots in the top 12 unlike in recent seasons, when relatively poorer singers got through thanks to the public’s pull.

The revival of the wild card set-up is a significant one. Highly successful Idol alumni such as Jennifer Hudson and Clay Aiken would not have gotten their big breaks were it not for their wild card status. Thus, this year, the top 12 will not be strictly comprised of six men and six women unlike in latter seasons.

The inclusion of a fourth judge in singer and record producer Kara DioGuardi will take effect next season as well, and the Hollywood round will also be extended to two full weeks. “They’re not mega-changes,” Idol’s executive producer Ken Warwick claims. “They are just little things to keep the format fresh and interesting.” Other minor modifications include the absence of charity fundraiser Idol Gives Back, which will only be revived for the 9th season, and cutting the audition round from four to three weeks to make way for the second Hollywood week.

Idol judges Paul Abdul, Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell—and now, Kara Dio Guardi—will be more brutally honest than ever before. “If the judges are mean, the judges are mean,” Warwick assures. Performers are also allowed to use instruments just like last year.

There was a 7% drop in viewers in the previous season, but Warwick asserts that the show has fared better than others. "I would be very surprised if, on this eighth series, the ratings didn't suffer slightly, especially with this economic backdrop and the way TV audiences are going in general. I will do my best to offset that."

By: Alia Jocob

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