"American Idol: The Search for a Superstar" (2002) TV series 2002-????

Creator:

Simon Fuller

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | unknown

Release Date:

11 June 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Game-Show | Music | Reality-TV

Tagline:

Thousands audition... Millions vote.... One wins.

Plot:

Twelve finalists and/or future singers (six men and six women) who were selected from America, compete...

Plot Keywords:

American Idol | Pop Music | Based On British TV Series | Audition | Music Reality

Awards:

Won 5 Primetime Emmys. Another 29 wins & 70 nominations

Cast

Ryan Seacrest	...	Himself - Host / ... (198 episodes, 2002-2010)
Simon Cowell	...	Himself - Judge / ... (198 episodes, 2002-2010)
Randy Jackson	...	Himself - Judge / ... (198 episodes, 2002-2010)
Paula Abdul	...	Herself - Judge / ... (194 episodes, 2002-2009)

Also Known As:

American Idol (USA) (new title)
American Idol 2 (USA) (promotional title)
American Idol 3 (USA) (alternative title)
American Idol 4 (USA) (fourth season title)
American Idol (Greece) [el]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Singapore:PG | Australia:G (some episodes) | Australia:PG (some episodes) | USA:TV-G | USA:TV-PG (audition segments)

Filming Locations:

Alex Theatre - 216 N. Brand Boulevard, Glendale, California, USA

Company:

Fremantle Media North America

Trivia:

David Archuleta, 'Diana Degarmo' and Jordin Sparks are the three youngest contestants to make the Final Two.

Quotes:

[says this catchphrase everytime before the intro credits begin]
Ryan Seacrest: This... is "American Idol"!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Paul O'Grady Show: (2009-04-30)" (2009)

So popular but mediocre

I don't feel any compassion for the judges, but I do sometimes wonder if they don't get to feeling mentally exhausted by the all the repetition: so many participants, so few with legitimate talent, so many rejections, too few creative ways to tell a prospect that s/he won't continue competing at the next level. Maybe Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, Kara Dio Guardi, and Simon Cowell get tired of hearing the sound of their own voices.

I know that I have begun to wince each time Kara Dio Guardi patronizes one of the contestants with comments that make her sound as if she has not had as much formal education as formal training, or when Paula Abdul stammers as she sugarcoats her message to an unworthy participant with words such as, "Err... uh... Myyy, you sure look lovely tonight," or each time Ryan Seacrest tells a singer on his/her final performance, "Sorry, but your dream is ending tonight." The contestants with some potential need to hear something more practical and specific, and not trite.

In any case I hear a lot of people pursuing fantasies rather than dreams. While I don't think that Simon Cowell and the other judges are entitled to ridicule the least capable of the contestants, I do believe that anyone in the arts needs to develop the ability to judge him/herself objectively (or surround him/herself with friends and family members that do) so that s/he might make intelligent decisions about his/her professional future.

The judges can stand to self-evaluate, too, especially since they provide an important element of the show's entertainment. For all Simon Cowell's sarcasm and harshness, he actually makes the most degrading comment, I think, when he plainly states who he believes will win when there are still 4-5 weeks to go in the competition. To me, he reduces the 10-12 remaining contestants to participants in a horse race whenever he makes his prediction.

In clear contrast, Paula Abdul seems to make such a conscious effort not to say anything hurtful that she compensates with hyperbole. I wish she would find a way to honor the young singers without the contrived and self-indulgent applauding and dancing. Most need constructive criticism, anyway, not another person competing for the audience's attention.