American Idol 9: The Top 24 is BACK!!!

By On 12/22/2009 · 136 Comments · In American Idol

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Just received a press release from Fox announcing the start of American Idol Season 9. And, with the future of Idol up in the air, there’s a tiny bit of good news. Ellen Degeneres and Mike Darnell kinda spilled the beans in September, but it’s official now…

The Top 24 Semi-final format is back!!!

The ‘Hollywood Round’  episodes will air Tuesday, Feb. 9 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT); Wednesday, Feb. 10 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT); and Tuesday, Feb. 16 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). On Wednesday, Feb. 17 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), dreams come true for 24 contestants, as Simon, Randy, Kara and Ellen announce the Top 12 male and Top 12 female semifinalists.

It will then be up to America to decide who moves forward in the competition. The first performance show featuring the Top 12 female semifinalists will air Tuesday, Feb. 23 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). The following night, Wednesday, Feb. 24 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), the Top 12 male semifinalists will perform. The results show revealing America’s first vote of the season will air Thursday, Feb. 25 (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed), when the two male and two female contestants with the fewest votes will be sent home.

Time to dance a HAPPY DANCE!

Re-introducing the Top 36 semi-final format in Season 8, with contestants advancing rather than being eliminated, was a HUGE mistake. Going back to the old format meant enduring 12 contestants a week, most of whom were cannon fodder–destined to be eliminated. Only 3 contestants advanced to the finals each week, and except for those who were brought back for the wild card, we didn’t see the kids who made the Top 12 again until the finals began. It made it really hard to connect to the contestants.

The Top 24 format means fewer contestants and more performances in the semis. But most importantly, we see the contestants who will eventually make the Top 12 week after week. By the time the finals begin, we know who these kids are. I also hope the producers bring out the live band for the semis and allow the kids to play instruments. Stupid move last year to have kids singing to what appeared to be backing tracks without instruments.

I’ll bet they keep the save, because that was some pretty damn good TV drama right there. Oh, and the return of the Top 24 means the return of gender parity. Which is ok with me. TPTB probably want a girl to win this year…

ETA: Taking a peek at the 2010 calender, and we’ve got 4 weeks of Auditions, 2 weeks of Hollywood, 3 weeks of semis, and if the competition ends with a Top 2 as it typically does, the show will run 20 weeks instead of the usual 19.

After the jump, check out the schedule, though to the start of the Top 12.

Tuesday, Jan. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM) Season Premiere, Part 1 Boston Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Jan. 13 (8:00-9:15 PM) Season Premiere, Part 2 Atlanta Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Jan. 19 (8:00-9:00 PM) Chicago Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Jan. 20 (8:00-9:00 PM) Orlando Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Jan. 26 (8:00-9:00 PM) Dallas Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Jan. 27 (9:00-10:00 PM) Los Angeles Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Feb. 2 (8:00-9:00 PM) Denver Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Feb. 3 (9:00-10:00 PM) ‘The Road to Hollywood’  Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Feb. 9 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 1
Wednesday, Feb. 10 (9:00-10:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 2
Tuesday, Feb. 16 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 3
Wednesday, Feb. 17 (9:00-10:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 4 Top 24 Semifinalists Announced
Tuesday, Feb. 23 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 12 Female Semifinalists Perform
Wednesday, Feb. 24 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 12 Male Semifinalists Perform
Thursday, Feb. 25 (8:00-9:00 PM) First Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) Two Male and Two Female Contestants Eliminated
Tuesday, March 2 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 10 Female Semifinalists Perform
Wednesday, March 3 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 10 Male Semifinalists Perform
Thursday, March 4 (8:00-9:00 PM) Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) Two Male and Two Female Contestants Eliminated
Tuesday, March 9 (8:00-9:00 PM) Top 8 Female Semifinalists Perform
Wednesday, March 10 (9:00-10:00 PM) Top 8 Male Semifinalists Perform
Thursday, March 11 (8:00-9:00 PM) Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) Two Male and Two Female Contestants Eliminated; Finalists Revealed
Tuesday, March 16 (8:00-10:00 PM) Finalists Perform (ET live/PT tape-delayed)
Wednesday, March 17 (9:00-10:00 PM) Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) One Contestant Eliminated

 
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  • Mary102

    I believe they were also allowed one less song on Top Three night, only two as opposed to the previous year’s three. So that’s three less performances than the Davids, by my reckoning.

    IIRC, starting with top 5 in previous years, the contestants had 2 songs to sing (2 hr show, cut short last year because of Fringe, argh!) So top 5 and top 4 would have 2, then top 3 and top 2 would have 3 each.

  • Mary102

    EXACTLY!!! I feel they need a young Susan Boyle this year’ ¦

    Eee-gads! No!! I firmly believe that SuBo does not have the full package talent to really sustain herself for the long term. She is no pop icon. She has next to zippo performance ability, and the way she blew up on BGT was flimsier than a piece of paper (she had to sing one song well, and mainly wowed everyone because of her frumpy appearance, rather than her ability, which can easily be matched by many a musical theater major all around the country). I just don’t see anything progressive or sustainable about her whatsoever, and for AI to try to copy that model, they will more surely fail, imo, than if they just try to find genuine, talented people.

  • http://kristentheyellowlab.blogspot.com/ Zsus

    All I am saying is that with 30 million viewers an Idol winner should be ‘topping’  the sales chart each and every year if they are indeed America’s Idol. That premise no longer holds water!

    For most of those 30 million viewers, the show is about the show. Period. If that weren’t the case, they’d all be out there buying their favorite Idols music. They aren’t. Why? Once the confetti falls in May, most people move on. They could care less about charts and sales, or even, really, the Idols. Watching America Idol is a very popular American past time. That’s it. It never, ever was about “finding America’s next pop superstar!!” Not even for 19. You can’t compare the mega-bucks they make off of the show to what they make from the Idols’ recording careers.

    Sales figures aren’t going to kill Idol. Simon leaving, on the other hand? I don’t know. Will the show be like Glee without Sue Sylvester?

  • Mary102

    Oh, yes – forgot to mention about the gender parity too, which MJ brought up. Yeah – back to the Top 24 will mean top 12 is 6 guys, 6 girls. It was all kinds of weird having such a lopsided top 13 this year! Talk about a boys club.

  • nyc

    One mediocre year of sales does not equal the end, if they find someone really likable who is very accessible to radio, they could have another super star.

    It is only a mediocre year if you look at THE WINNER. The runner-up is right on track with the runner-up last year. And he is beating the winner and runner-up from season 6. He is holding up his end of the deal.

    Carrie and Daughtry had a niche to slip into perfectly. If season 9 has a contestant like that, I am sure numbers will go up.

    Yep. I knew Carrie would explode, so did Simon. She was a BEAUTIFUL young country music girl! CM fans were thrilled that one of their own won AI. Winning AI has also helped her successfully “crossover” to pop. Those are always your big sellers! (Shania, Faith, Carrie, Taylor)
    What they need for season 9 is a male version of Carrie. A good-looking country/crossover young boy who is preferably religous and not married. Oh, and not gay! LOL! I actually think they are looking for a Taylor Swift this season.
    If another “nickleback light” type wins again, I believe we could be looking at even worse numbers (album sales wise) for the winner next year. We already have 3 singer/songwriter “pop-rock” types competing for attention and sales. I don’t think we need a fourth one.

  • ross

    It is only a mediocre year if you look at THE WINNER. The runner-up is right on track with the runner-up last year. And he is beating the winner and runner-up from season 6. He is holding up his end of the deal.

    Sales of singles don’t matter, then?

  • skat-girl@allycatlover

    It is only a mediocre year if you look at THE WINNER. The runner-up is right on track with the runner-up last year. And he is beating the winner and runner-up from season 6. He is holding up his end of the deal.

    well this years runner up has had the most promotion for a idol ever so the fact that he’s up to par with lasts years isn’t very impressive. In fact he should be selling more then last years winner with all the promotion he’s got.

  • nyc

    well this years runner up has had the most promotion for a idol ever so the fact that he’s up to par with lasts years isn’t very impressive. In fact he should be selling more then last years winner with all the promotion he’s got.

    Nope, I just saw a chart which showed David Cook had 2x the appearances in Nov./Dec. than Adam had. I’m sure there is even a bigger difference after David’s win.

    Adam is this season’s runner-up and is selling more than 2x as much as this season’s winner. That IS impressive.

  • skat-girl@allycatlover

    Nope, I just saw a chart which showed David Cook had 2x the appearances in Nov./Dec. than Adam had. I’m sure there is even a bigger difference after David’s win.

    Adam is this season’s runner-up and is selling more than 2x as much as this season’s winner. That IS impressive.

    first off what chart and are you sure its accurate?

    and second as unfair as it is Kris album is doing terribly so Adam selling 2x more then him isn’t that impressive. JMO

  • Grammie Kari

    Tess, I like what you have written about the voting system. It was so discouraging when all the voting flaws were brought forth. I have watched American Idol from the beginning, but think this will be the first year I won’t be voting. Why bother, I cannot compete with text voting, computers, and anything else being used?

    Thank you, Zsus.

  • Esqt

    I am a casual AI viewer, never voted, never visited fan sites, nor bought CDs from idols except this season. I am one of those cynics who considered AI a boring karaoke singing competition because the contestants were always same-old-same-old to me – awkward, skerdy, & intoxicatingly nice. Sooo stiff on stage, in short I wasn’t entertained. I wanted singing performances that gradually build up to the point that I can’t breathe with awe. I’m glad that I’ve seen those performances this season. Thanks to you, Adam. I couldn’t agree with Simon more when he said he like this season. I rewatched past performances and my verdict is still the same. As much as I hope Season 9 to be a notch better than the previous seasons, I won’t be surprise if I will still see cookie cutters on the top. After all this is AI, same voters, same rules.

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