American Idol XIII - Schedule, Twists and Format Changes Revealed - Report
Update: FOX has officially denied that the finale will be in Madison Square Garden, among other things that have been published in this post. Our apologies. AmericanIdolNet is one of our friends and we trusted their reporting. Please be on the lookout for an updated schedule. Thanks. - R.
Credit: FOX
American Idol XIII is less than a week away, and the season looks to feature a host of potentially game-changing new twists, in addition to a far more streamlined schedule.
The season begins with the two-part premiere on January 15 and 16 from 8PM to 10PM ET each night. The schedule for the auditions is as follows:
Wednesday, Jan. 15 (8:00-10:00 PM) Season Premiere, Part 1 – Boston, MA
Thursday, Jan. 16 (8:00-10:00 PM) Season Premiere, Part 2 – Austin, TX
Wednesday, Jan. 22 (8:00-10:00 PM) Detroit, MI & Salt Lake City, UT
Thursday, Jan. 23 (8:00-9:00 PM) Atlanta, GA
Wednesday, Jan. 29 (8:00-10:00 PM) Omaha, NE & San Francisco, CA
Thursday, Jan. 30 (8:00-9:00 PM) The Road to Hollywood
Credit: FOX
From there, Hollywood Week rounds will air from Wednesday, February 5, through Wednesday, February 12, as the remaining hopefuls look to advance to the semifinals. However, one of the season's first new twists will be introduced in the first moments of Hollywood Week, as some of the singers will be cut before even setting foot inside the Dolby Theater. Once the ranks have been narrowed down, the remaining singers will face what FOX is calling “The Green Mile” of Hollywood Week rounds, culminating with the Top 50 singers getting cut down to the Top 31 on Thursday, February 13. The schedule for Hollywood Week is as follows:
Wednesday, Feb. 5 (8:00-10:00 PM) Hollywood Week, Part 1
Thursday, Feb. 6 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Week, Part 2
Wednesday, Feb. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM) Hollywood Week, Part 3
Thursday, Feb. 13 (8:00-9:00 PM) The Green Mile; Semifinalists Revealed
Credit: FOX
The following week, on Tuesday, February 18, FOX will air a special American Idol tribute to season 12 winner Candice Glover, in celebration of the release of her long-awaited debut album, Music Speaks. The special, titled Candice Glover: Up Close and Personal, will not only feature Glover performing songs from the album, but also a Q&A session, as well as the reveal of the newly designed Idol stage. In addition, the special will feature performances from special musical guests, and will also detail her journey from the Idol stage to...well, back to the Idol stage. But at least she'll have an album to show for it when she comes back. The schedule for the special:
Tuesday, Feb. 18 (8:00-9:00 PM) Candice Glover: Up Close and Personal; Presented by iTunes (Special Tuesday Airing)
Credit: FOX
The week after, the semifinals begin, but with a brand new twist: the semifinalists will be split into three categories based on age: seniors, intermediates, and juniors. Of course, what this is meant to accomplish, other than making people in their late 20s feel old by calling them "seniors," is beyond me. Here is the schedule for the semifinals:
Wednesday, Feb. 19 (8:00-10:00 PM) Semifinalists in the Senior Division, Ages 22 & Over, Perform; Voting Begins
Thursday, Feb. 20 (8:00-10:00 PM) Semifinalists in the Intermediate Division, Ages 18 to 21, Perform
Wednesday, Feb. 26 (8:00-10:00 PM) Semifinalists in the Junior Division, Ages 17 & Under, Perform
Thursday, Feb. 27 (8:00-10:00 PM) LIVE Results Show; Top 16 Revealed
Credit: FOX
With the remaining singers narrowed down to the Top 16, four more will be cut over the course of a special, two-night, super-sized performance and results show week, leaving us with the Top 12 finalists. The schedule makes reference to the concept of "Fast Passes," but doesn't specify what these things are, other than perhaps an immediate ticket to the Top 12. Yet they're being handed out on the same night the Top 16 perform, so it leaves me wondering if America will end up having a say as to who receives those first passes. But I suppose we'll see in just a little less than two months. Here's what the schedule looks like:
Wednesday, March 5 (8:00-10:30 PM) Top 16 Semifinalists Perform & Fast Passes Awarded LIVE (Extended to 2½ Hours)
Thursday, March 6 (8:00-10:00 PM) LIVE Results Show; Top 12 Completed
Credit: FOX
And now, it's classic Idol, as we whittle down the Top 12 week-by-week until we have a winner. But the best news of all is the return of HALF HOUR results shows! It's been ages since the era before results shows were an exhausting hour-long investment, but they're back, and not a moment too soon, as things were getting pretty bloated with all the filler. However, the shortened results show length doesn't mean less drama: the Judges' Save is reportedly still in play this season, so there will still be some suspense even after the results are revealed. Ultimately, the competition will culminate in an expanded, one-hour live results show, revealing the final two contestants going into the finale. The schedule is as follows:
Wednesdays, beginning March 12 (8:00-10:00 PM) Finalists Perform LIVE
Thursdays, beginning March 13 (8:00-8:30 PM) LIVE Results Show (½ Hour Episodes)
Thursday, May 15 (8:00-9:00 PM) LIVE Results Show; Final 2 Revealed (500th Episode)
Credit: Ken Rockwell
Finally, as previously reported, the American Idol 2014 finale will take place over two nights on May 20 and 21, LIVE from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The two-part finale will also see American Idol returning to its classic home on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which seems like a bit of a risk to take at the end of the season, but eh, I don't work at FOX. The schedule:
Tuesday, May 20 (8:00-9:00 PM) LIVE Season Finale, Part 1 – Final 2 Perform (Special Tuesday Airing)
Wednesday, May 21 (8:00-10:00 PM) LIVE Season Finale, Part 2 – Winner Announced
Credit: FOX
So there you have it! It should be a fairly exciting season for American Idol, particularly since the changes and twists aren't the intrusive kind that mess with what works. In addition, the schedule feels more streamlined, as I would imagine there will be less time dedicated to joke auditions and needless drama. Then again, this IS Idol we're talking about here, so I suppose we'll see. Either way, I'm more than ready for Season 13!
What do you think of the changes? Sound off in the comments!
Via: American Idol Net