From The TV IV

American Idol is a popular musical-based talent competition, airing on FOX, and has been the highest rated program in the United States for four years in a row, routinely surpassing juggernauts CSI and Desperate Housewives with ratings of up to 30 million viewers. The show is a season-long talent search for America's best singer, to become the next "American Idol". The process involves an elimination format of several semi-finals, then a final twelve, tested with various themed nights, ranging from different genres such as Motown, Country and Soul to specific popular artists or even decades. Each week, the contestant with the lowest number of votes is eliminated, until there is only one singer remaining.

Due to its huge popularity, American Idol has seen more than its fair share of controversies and dissent, but despite a handful of negative publicity, both media and viewer attention are unwavering. Over the years, the show has gained the support of many well-known stars, with numerous appearances onstage and as mentors to the contestants. The winners of American Idol usually receive the biggest amount of success out of all reality show winners, with the original winner, Kelly Clarkson, receiving worldwide renown as a singer.

The series is based on the UK version, Pop Idol.

For more information on the Idol franchise worldwide, please refer to the Idol franchise page.

Contents 1 Cast 2 Seasons 3 In-Depth 4 DVD Releases 5 External Sites

[edit] Cast

Person	Role	Duration
Main Cast
Ryan Seacrest	Host	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Brian Dunkleman	Host	1
Simon Cowell	Judge	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Paula Abdul	Judge	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Randy Jackson	Judge	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Kara DioGuardi	Judge								8	9
Ellen DeGeneres	Judge									9

[edit] Seasons

Season	Premiere	Finale	#
FOX
Season One	June 11, 2002	September 23, 2002	25 + 1
Season Two	January 21, 2003	May 25, 2003	38 + 1
Season Three	January 19, 2004	May 24, 2004	42 + 1
Season Four	January 18, 2005	May 25, 2005	42 + 1
Season Five	January 17, 2006	May 24, 2006	41
Season Six	January 16, 2007	May 23, 2007	41
Season Seven	January 15, 2008	May 21, 2008	42
Season Eight	January 13, 2009	May 20, 2009	40
Season Nine	January 12, 2010	—	—

[edit] In-Depth

• At a Glance: Additional information about the series

[edit] DVD Releases

Title	Release Date	#
Individual Episodes
Season 6 Finale Performance Show: The Top 2	May 13, 2008	2	purchase
Segment Collection
The Search for a Superstar	October 15, 2002	1	purchase
The Best of American Idol: Seasons 1-4	November 22, 2005	1	purchase
The Worst of American Idol: Seasons 1-4	November 22, 2005	1	purchase
The Best & Worst of American Idol: Seasons 1-4	November 22, 2005	3	purchase

[edit] External Sites

• Official website for American Idol
• American Idol Episodes, TV Listings, News, Photos and More at TVGuide.com