American Idol

Episode 39

Episode 38

Episode 37

Episode 36

Episode 35

Episode 34

Episode 33

Episode 32

Episode 31

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Episode 29

Episode 28

Episode 27

Episode 26

Episode 25

Episode 24

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Episode 19

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Episode 14

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Episode 12

Episode 11

Episode 10

Episode 9

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Episode 6

Episode 5

Episode 4

Episode 3

Episode 2

Episode 1

Episode 40

A long season reaches its inevitable conclusion.

Episode 39

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

Episode 38

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

Episode 37

Oh sweet relief, you are but a week away.

Episode 36

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

Episode 35

Is this the dullest top four in Idol history?

Episode 34

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

Episode 33

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

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.

Episode 31

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

Episode 30

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

Episode 29

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

Episode 28

The save gets used tonight, but on whom?

Episode 26

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

Episode 25

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

Episode 24

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

Episode 23

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

Episode 22

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

Episode 21

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

Episode 20

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.

Episode 18

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

Episode 17

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

Episode 16

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

Episode 15

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

Episode 14

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

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.

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.

Episode 11

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

Episode 10

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

Episode 9

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

Episode 8

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

Episode 7

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

Episode 6

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

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.

Episode 4

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

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.

Episode 2

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.

Episode 15-17

"American Idol" reveals its Top Ten, and Ryan Seacrest out-weirds Nicki Minaj. One of these things is more notable than the other.

Episode 1-2

The premiere of "American Idol" throws us new judges and drama, but not a reason to watch.

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...

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...

Episode 39

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

Episode 38

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

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,...

Episode 36

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

Episode 35

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

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...

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...

Episode 32

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

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...

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...

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...

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,...

Episode 28-S

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Episode 22

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

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,...

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...

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...

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. ...

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...

Episode 16

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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. ...

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...

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,...

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...

Episode 4

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

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...

Episode 2

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

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,...

Episode 40

Episode 39

Episode 38

Episode 37

Episode 36

Episode 35

Episode 34

Episode 33

Episode 32

Episode 31

Episode 30

Episode 29

Episode 28

Episode 27

Episode 26

Episode 25

Episode 24

Episode 23

Episode 22

Episode 21

Episode 20

Episode 19

Episode 18

Episode 17

Episode 16

Episode 15

Episode 14

Episode 13

Episode 12

Episode 11

Episode 10

Episode 9

Episode 8

Episode 7

Episode 6

Episode 5

Episode 4

Episode 3

Episode 2

Episode 1

Episode 43

Episode 42

Episode 41

Episode 40

Episode 39

Episode 38

Episode 37

Episode 36

Episode 35

Episode 34

Episode 33

Episode 32

Episode 31

Episode 30

Episode 29

Episode 28

Episode 27

Episode 26

Episode 25

Episode 24

Episode 23

Episode 22

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Episode 19

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Episode 16

Episode 15

Episode 14

Episode 13

Episode 12

Episode 11

Episode 10

Episode 9

Episode 8

Episode 7

Episode 6

Episode 5

Episode 4

Episode 3

Episode 2

Episode 1