American Idol

Contestants compete to be named the next singing sensation in one of the most popular shows of all time.
American Idol will return in 2012.
Wednesday, Thursdays, 7 PM ET, Fox
Current Season: 11 - Total Episodes: 203
Highest Rated: Ep 35, Season 9
Features Reviews
Season

Season

newest oldest
  • “Winner Announced”
    Episode 40

    A long season reaches its inevitable conclusion.

    -
    C+
  • “Performance Show”
    Episode 39

    All of this has happened before on American Idol, and all of this will happen again.

    -
    C
  • “Results Show”
    Episode 38

    Tonight’s results show felt strangely unexceptional for being “the night we’ve all been waiting for."

    -
    B
  • “Performance Show”
    Episode 37

    Oh sweet relief, you are but a week away.

    -
    B-
  • “1 Of 4 Voted Off”
    Episode 36

    If you were shocked when Skylar went home last week, you could guess who got eliminated tonight.

    -
    B
  • “Performance Show”
    Episode 35

    Is this the dullest top four in Idol history?

    -
    C
  • “1 Of 5 Voted Off”
    Episode 34

    It’s going to be a struggle to review the remainder of American Idol after tonight’s results.

    -
    C+
  • “5 Finalists Compete”
    Episode 33

    No show succeeds when it feels like the time is being filled rather than used.

    -
    B
  • “1 Of 6 Voted Off”
    Episode 32

    There are a few contestants on Idol who have been living on borrowed time the last few weeks, and one of those contestants ran out of time tonight.

    -
    B-
  • “6 Finalists Compete”
    Episode 31

    An Idol performance episode beginning with a medley? Sounds like an awful excuse for time-killing. But wait!

    -
    B
  • “1 Of 7 Voted Off Again”
    Episode 30

    Another singer down on American Idol—but at least Taylor Hicks was there to provide some perspective.

    -
    B
  • “7 Finalists Compete Again”
    Episode 29

    Tonight’s theme is “Now And Then,” as the contestants each get two songs to themselves.

    -
    B
  • “1 Of 7 Voted Off”
    Episode 28

    The save gets used tonight, but on whom?

    -
    B+
  • Their universe will never be the same. They're glad you came. They're glad you came.
    “1 Of 8 Voted Off”
    Episode 26

    It’s as if Jennifer Lopez doesn’t wield any actual power and people don’t care about her opinions.

    -
    B+
  • “8 Finalists Compete”
    Episode 25

    The kids sang songs that were released anywhere between 2010 to today and almost everyone enjoyed a strong night.

    -
    A-
  • “1 Of 9 Voted Off”
    Episode 24

    It was a remarkably straightforward results show tonight on Idol, almost unpredictably predictable.

    -
    B+
  • “9 Finalists Compete”
    Episode 23

    Welcome to American Idol, where standing ovations have become completely meaningless.

    -
    B-
  • “1 Of 10 Voted Off”
    Episode 22

    In which our reviewer experiences a roller coaster ride of emotions regarding the judges’ save.

    -
    B
  • “10 Finalists Compete”
    Episode 21

    It's Billy Joel week on Idol. How exciting!

    -
    B+
  • “1 Voted Off”
    Episode 20

    -
    C
  • “Finalists Compete”
    Episode 19

    Tonight’s show opened with Ryan promising the titillating news that we’d see a contestants eliminated tonight due to issues with law enforcement.

    -
    B-
  • “1 Voted Off”
    Episode 18

    I felt legitimate tension tonight as I waited for Idol’s results.

    -
    B
  • “Finalists Compete”
    Episode 17

    The producers didn’t coddle the Top 13 at all tonight.

    -
    B+
  • Seacrest out!
    “Finalists Chosen”
    Episode 16

    It definitely feels like this show squeezed every drop out of the 360 minutes it stole from viewers this week.

    -
    B
  • They're all making the most horrifying facial expressions.
    “Semifinalist Girls Perform”
    Episode 15

    The girls are so much better than the boys this time around.

    -
    B+
  • Of COURSE they couldn't just put the boys in one photo and the girls in the other. Stupid Fox.
    “Semifinalist Boys Perform”
    Episode 14

    What happens when the Top 13 boys sang whatever the hell they wanted to.

    -
    B+
  • That stage looks like it's going to eat them up.
    “Final Judgment, Part 2”
    Episode 13

    Tonight’s episode felt a lot more enjoyable than last night’s, probably because it was half as long and we knew that we were finally in the home stretch of the audition process.

    -
    B+
  • From here, they just look like ants!
    “Final Judgment, Part 1”
    Episode 12

    Yo dawg, I hear you like your selection process to be drawn-out, so I’m going to put out some drawn-out selections in your drawn-out selection episode.

    -
    C-
  • I like Steven's grandma glasses.
    “Performance Challenge” 
    Episode 11

    If you watch Idol more for the singing and less for the drama, then tonight's episode was for you.

    -
    B+
  • There will be no American Idol this year.
    “Hollywood Round, Part 3”
    Episode 10

    In an unusual turn of events, the second hour of Idol tonight sped by more quickly than the first.

    -
    B
  • Prayer ain't gonna help you where YOU'RE goin', girl.
    “Hollywood Round, Part 2”
    Episode 9

    We were left with Hollywood blue balls this week. And it makes us want to throw up in a bag.

    -
    D+
  • None of these people is the next American Idol. Except for Seacrest.
    “Hollywood Round, Part 1”
    Episode 8

    It's Hollywood Week! But why don't we get a better sense of why people crash and burn?

    -
    B
  • JOHNNY! KEYSER!
    “Auditions #7”
    Episode 7

    On the last night of auditions, the judges put up with yet another "Rolling In The Deep."

    -
    B+
  • One of these people is not the next American Idol.
    “Auditions #6: Portland, OR”
    Episode 6

    Idol travels to Portland, and we meet someone calling herself the "hipster tripster." Huh?

    -
    B
  • The Aspen desperates
    “Auditions #5: Galveston, TX”
    Episode 5

    7:00 Both for fun and to keep myself from going insane, I’m going to try something new tonight and cover tonight’s Idol in real time. Let’s get started.

    -
    B-
  • He could stay awake, just to see you breathing.
    “Auditions #4: Aspen”
    Episode 4

    Aspen brought us our first two good freaks of the season on Idol.

    -
    B+
  • I'm just going to have to run variations on this for the foreseeable.
    “Auditions #3”
    Episode 3

    I was pretty prepared to hate tonight’s episode solely for the fact that it was on late, but it turned out to be pretty entertaining, thanks to some promising contestants, some irritating ones (love-to-hate is almost as good as true love) and the failure that was the producers’ decision to set the auditions on an open-air noisy aircraft carrier.

    -
    B+
  • That's not Pittsburgh outside...
    "Auditions #2: Pittsburgh"
    Episode 2

    -
    B-
  • Death panel.
    “Auditions #1: Savannah”
    Episode 1

    We’re back for more silliness and singing with Season 11 of Idol. I wouldn’t have minded tonight’s audition episode if it wasn’t two hours long.

    -
    B
  • Season Finale
    Episode 41

    Of course the Idol finale was two hours long. It would take less than a second to announce who won, but that would...

    -
    A-
  • Season Finale: Part I
    Episode 40

    It's a shame that the folks at Idol were so stuck on the stupid boxing schtick for part one of its season finale, because it...

    -
    A-
  • Results Show
    Episode 39

    I was never the biggest Fantasia fan, but she pretty much thrilled me tonight on Idol. It wasn't her singing, specifically,...

    -
    B+
  • The Top 3 Perform
    Episode 38

    Typically, tonight's episode of Idol is one of my favorites, where the judges and producers each choose a song for the...

    -
    B
  • Results Show
    Episode 37

    An Idol-loving friend just texted me "OK, I know it was his time, but I can't figure out why I'm so bummed!" I wrote back,...

    -
    B
  • The Top 4 Perform
    Episode 36

    Before tonight's episode, I predicted that Syesha and Jason would be the next Idol contestants to go, in that order. ...

    -
    A-
  • "Results Show"
    Episode 35

    A couple of more thoughts on last night's episode, following up on what I wrote: 1. I definitely realize the...

    -
    D
  • "The Top 5 Perform"
    Episode 34

    I've filled in for Claire on the performance show, and I've filled in for Claire on the results show; this week, I'm...

    -
    B-
  • Results Show
    Episode 33

    We knew it would be a sweet kind of show when Ryan kissed Simon on the head to start the episode. It just made sense, even though...

    -
    B
  • The Top 6 Perform
    Episode 32

    With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Idol had the chance to show off the best (good clean guilty pleasures) and worst (corny...

    -
    B-
  • Results Show
    Episode 31

    Many thanks again to Noel for covering for me last night as I celebrated the anniversary of my being expelled from the womb. It...

    -
    B-
  • "The Top 7 Perform"
    Episode 30

    The last time I filled in for Claire, I made some bold predictions about who would be going out when, and guess what? Five...

    -
    B
  • Results Show
    Episode 29

    I did not have high hopes for tonight's episode but was I pleasantly surprised. I mean, I had all but been promised that Syesha...

    -
    A-
  • The Top 8 Perform
    Episode 28

    Here are some things I learned tonight thanks to Idol's songs of inspiration week: there is a light at the end of the tunnel,...

    -
    B-
  • Idol Gives Back
    Episode 28-S

    I'm not sure how to evaluate Idol Gives Back. Technically it involves everything I hate about Idol (the sincerity,...

    -
  • Results Show..
    Episode 27

    Kristy Lee Cook needs to case all attempts at being personable, because each week she becomes less bland and more insane. Yeah, we...

    -
    B-
  • The Top 9 Perform
    Episode 26

    I am a huge fan of Dolly Parton the person; I wish she'd be our next President. But I have only a rudimentary knowledge of her song...

    -
    B
  • Results Show.
    Episode 25

    Why does Idol tend to have that one contestant who obviously should go home but is safe week after week? Last season it was...

    -
    C
  • The Top 10 Perform
    Episode 24

    I realized tonight that our top ten is most dull: is it possible to eliminate five people tomorrow night instead of just one? I...

    -
    C
  • Results Show
    Episode 23

    The top ten singers were chosen tonight, determining which of the singers would go on tour this summer. Kristy Lee Cook is now the...

    -
    B-
  • The Top 11 Perform
    Episode 22

    Due to popular demand, the Beatles theme was extended another week, a first for Idol. Simon, however, didn't think it was...

    -
    C-
  • Results Show
    Episode 21

    Idol apparently got such a huge response to the Lennon/McCartney songbook night that they're making it next week's theme too,...

    -
    C-
  • The Top 12 Perform
    Episode 20

    So Idol decided to spice things up for the top twelve with a new introduction (which looks kind of like the old one) and a...

    -
    B+
  • "Results Show"
    Episode 19

    The Divine Miss Z is off tonight, so I'll be dusting off my Idol hat to help guide you through the big reveal of...

    -
  • The Top 8 Girls Perform
    Episode 18

    I liked Ryan's loosened tie tonight--it looks like he knocked off early from the office to run down and host this Idol show. ...

    -
    B
  • The Top 8 Boys Perform
    Episode 17

    Last week, some of you suggested that I give a go at evaluating each of the performances and grading them individually. I'm up for...

    -
    B+
  • Results Show
    Episode 16

    America clearly does not want to be pigeonholed this season and it will vote for whomever it damn well pleases on American...

    -
    B+
  • The Top 10 Girls Perform
    Episode 15

    It's not looking great for the girls on Idol when for the second week in a row, the band outshone them. We heard plenty of...

    -
    B-
  • The Top 10 Boys Perform
    Episode 14

    Paula Abdul told David Archuleta that she wanted to smush him and squeeze him and dangle him from her rearview mirror and for once I...

    -
    B
  • First All New Live Results Show
    Episode 13

    I hate a long drawn-out results show, although we're in the snappiest era of elimination episodes. Four contestants kicked off in...

    -
    C
  • The Top 12 Girls Perform
    Episode 12

    As is always the case in Hollywood, the girls were much better looking but much less interesting than the guys. Based on tonight's...

    -
    B-
  • The Top 12 Boys Perform
    Episode 11

    Finally, Americans get to let their voices be heard on Idol this week. If I could afford it I would vote David Cook, Garrett...

    -
    B
  • Top 24
    Episode 10

    Tonight's episode wasn't a great one if you're a lover of suspense, as the approximate formula for who made the top 24 versus who didn't seemed to be...

    -
    B
  • Hollywood Round 1
    Episode 9

    While I think it's a good idea for American Idol to switch up its format in an attempt to stem the ongoing "Has it jumped the...

    -
    B
  • Best of the Rest
    Episode 8

    My excitement for Hollywood week is tempered by my irritation with one of the most half-assed leftover shows I've ever seen. ...

    -
    D
  • Atlanta Audition
    Episode 7

    So Paula is the worst judge, is that the takeaway message from tonight's episode? Funny how when Idol debuted, she was the...

    -
    C
  • Miami Audition
    Episode 6

    I had high hopes for tonight's episode for two reasons. One: Miami was likely to be entertaining, with plenty of hot chicks,...

    -
    B
  • Omaha Audition
    Episode 5

    The freak show is wearing thin. It's like when you're at a parade: all morning you've been waiting for it to start and that...

    -
    C-
  • Charleston Audition
    Episode 4

    It would be a bit of a reach to call anything about this season of American Idol "refreshing", but at least in...

    -
    B
  • San Diego Audition
    Episode 3

    At the beginning of tonight's episode, as Ryan Seacrest asked the old men who introduced the show to give it a second, more exciting...

    -
    B-
  • Dallas Audition
    Episode 2

    Tonight's episode restored some hope for this season of American Idol, aided both with better contestants and structure:...

    -
    B+
  • Season Premiere
    Episode 1

    The start of a the new American Idol season is sort of like the start of baseball season. I feel a sense of optimism and excitement,...

    -
    C