A Glimpse of the New American Idol Set and WILDCARDS (PHOTO)

By On 03/04/2013 · 64 Comments · In American Idol, American Idol 12

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Check out this fun rehearsal pic featuring top 20 American Idol semi-finalists, Lazaro Arbos and Nick Boddington! As you can see, the stage has been redesigned for Sudden Death Part 2!

Don’t forget–Idol will run THREE NIGHTS this week.  The Top 10 Girls sing on Tuesday, while the Top 10 Guys take the stage on Wednesday. Both shows are 2 hours beginning at 8/7c PM on FOX.

Thursday, the finalists head back to Los Angeles for the first results show of the season which will run 90 minutes beginning at 8/7.  A Top 10 reveal requires 90 whole minutes, you might ask?  Well, it looks like Idol producer,  Nigel Lythgoe, may have something up his sleeve…

When a fan asked him via twitter whether he stood by his earlier statement that there would be no wildcards, he answered: “Up to FOX and the Judges”. Hm.

The American Idol finale airs on May 16. After this week’s semi-final that leaves 11 weeks of competition. So there’s got to be at least one wildcard in the mix. And with 90 minutes to fill on Thursday, I expect a few surprises. The question is…will the judges bring back a contestant from the Top 20 or expand their selection from the Top 40 or even beyond?

Remember when Simon Cowell chose an eliminated Hollywood contestant as his wild card? That would be Carmen Rasmussen from Season 2!  She made it all the way to 6th place that year.

 

 
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  • Tom22

    Idol gives back is on again this year right?  (every other year?)  They didn’t usually have eliminations that week.  That doesn’t mean they couldn’t do two the next week and still have more than 10 contestants, but just saying that the extra week -could- have something to do with the charity night.

  • http://twitter.com/KariannHart Kariann Hart

    The first thing that came to mind was the guys from Season 7.  At the Idol concert, you could barely hear them sing because of all the girls screaming.  David, Archie, Jason, Michael.

  • Karen C

    I think it would be much more important to put in some that have the most musical ability more than looks.  

    If there are wildcards, I would put in David Oliver Willis and Jett Hermano.  I think they were among the best musically we saw.

  • ch0w33

    we don’t have song spoilers for the top 20?

  • http://www.twitter.com/sarahruth3 Sarah

    Unless they are going to do a couple weeks of no eliminations, there will have to be at least 1, probably two wildcards. To go straight through the way the show is designed, they need at least 1 more person than weeks of competition, since there’s a two person finale. Like others have said, they could do a single elimination after the save, but that would still require one wildcard to fill out the weeks of competition.

    The question then becomes the tour. If they only do one wildcard, they could let the 11 tour like in season 10, when Casey was saved at top 11. If they don’t let all 11 tour, then Nigel is an ass. Ha. Or they could have two wildcards, and keep the eliminations like other seasons where only the top 10 tour.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/IDXVM7NCMXZVHX4M2RFBYOTYDA Robert

    Nigel is going to break out the new veto in case Paul makes it to the top 5 guys.

  • http://www.twitter.com/sarahruth3 Sarah

    Incipit – yes, sweeps week is earlier. I believe I read somewhere that it’s May 14-22?

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/IDXVM7NCMXZVHX4M2RFBYOTYDA Robert

    The two girls might be brought back but there is no way that either Josh or Jimmy comes back, they would throw a major wrench into the girl is going to win plan.

  • sumidol

    I appreciate what you have to say but one thing I said was a lot do not stay tuned in to watch her, it is not entertaining, it is uncomfortable watching her so you change the channel.  So Idol received a lot of extra comments but what they really want is ratings and people staying on their channel and all I have talked to at work agree with me, she has got to go and Fox pays our bills and we cant even agree with Fox on this one, it is a mystery as to why this creature is still on the show?  Ok, you got me commenting, but you dont have me watching her, not after the drum fiasco, she is just a hot mess

  • Incipit

     sweeps week is earlier. I believe I read somewhere that it’s May 14-22?

    Thanks, Sarah. I checked around to see how people think that timing may affect the possibility of WildCards – since we all know very well that Nigel is full of stuff – and if FOX wants/needs WildCards to dovetail w/Sweeps Week, they will have them.

    WNTS editorial staff thinks they won’t have to – most people think they will – I have no idea – but I know better than to believe anything Nigel says is final until it happens.

    Also, Tom22, there is no more IGB on Idol – they did announce an every other season plan when the economy went pear shaped – - which made it Season 9 after Season 7, and 11 ought to have been next – but when it came time to implement it in Season 11, Nigel announced that it was indefinitely canceled. I’m looking for the cite. 

    So the last one was in 2010 – Season 9. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=195101108 Stefan Wind

    If it’s wildcards from the Top 40 I’m hoping Rachel Hale, JDA, Shuba, and either Josh or Isabelle. Rachel being the one I want most though. 

  • julesb2183

    Yes, the sweeps are earlier this year, hence the earlier ending time for the finale. They don’t HAVE to do Wildcards if they do a save with no double elimination the next week. That is a real possibility. Also, they could but in a Top 12 or whatever and do a double elimination the first week, which could happen, too.

    We just have to tune in on Thursday to see what is going to happen.

  • onebirdlover1

    It seems to me, all the singing competitions have a couple of bad singers in the mix. Don’t know why….personally, I hate it. Even Dancing with the Stars always has several contestants with two left feet that people think are so funny and cute…yuck! I really like to see the best that have a chance to actually make it in the music business.

  • MyDailyComment

    Can we please start a conspiracy to vote for the worst and vote for
    Zonette all the way up till she wins, please. 

    Its time a girl won after all! This is not a talent or singing competition.

    Its about who is most fun, and entertaining, and strange on stage.  

    They put her in the competition. The other contestants all have a chance a t real singing careers. 

    Zonette is the one who really needs someone to vote for her.

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