American Idol is Coming Back

Do you miss American Idol yet? Less than two years ago, the last episode of the iconic show’s heavily-hyped “Farewell Season” aired. You may not have even noticed the show was gone (if it weren’t for the star-studded, tear-filled finale), because the cancellation turned into just a one season hiatus. In a few months, there will be an American Idol revival. While its label as a “reboot” may be debatable, it’s still exciting for many Idol fans who have watched the show produce stars and shape much of reality television today. It’s going to be full of the same singing we all love- but with some major differences.

For one thing, it’s airing on a different channel. Though in its original run it played on Fox, ABC was the one who picked it up for the revival. It will be on a new weekday and time as well, premiering on Sunday, March 11th.

Another difference between the revival and the original series is the time period that they are entering in. Back in 2002 when the original American Idol premiered, it was a groundbreaking show, one of the first in its genre. Now, if you flip through the channels on any given night, you are likely to stumble upon another singing competition show. Shows like The Voice and X-Factor have emerged and gained popularity, growing to get even higher ratings than Idol. Idol is different from these shows in its format, and it has the edge of having launched the careers of many well-known singers today. But with so much competition now, it will be more difficult for the show to make a comeback.

Still, the most notable difference is the panel of judges. The judges changed several times throughout the years in the original series: the first panel of Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, and Simon Cowell was the group who catapulted the series to fame. Judges came and left from season to season, some controversial (such as when Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj and fought like cats and dogs), but the final mix of judges, Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Harry Connick Jr., were popular for their playful banter between auditions. This upcoming season, the judges will be pop starKaty Perry, country singer Luke Bryan, and singer-songwriter Lionel Richie, an interesting mix of people with backgrounds in different genres. Fans are wondering how this new panel of judges will affect the show.

What is one thing that’s not changing in the revival? Ryan Seacrest has been announced as the host. Seacrest has been on the show every season, from the very first episode when he co-hosted with Brian Dunkelman to, now, the reboot. He’s been the constant of the show since the very beginning. It’ll be him who introduces us to our next favorite contestants before they even audition.Even though it won’t be exactly the same, one thing the American Idol reboot is sure to have is the same hopeful spirit that people keep coming back for. Because at the end of the day, the show is not about the judges, but about the chance to go from rags to riches, for a regular person to become a musician as well-known and celebrated as Kelly Clarkson.