There's going to be a major surprise on American Idol, season six. But what will it be?
Here's a recent column from MSNBC.com taking a few serious and a few silly stabs at the notion ...
Give past contestants a second chance
The Boston Globeâs Joanna Weiss recently suggested that the show âtake a page from Project Runway and bring back a rejected contestant or two - someone beloved by fans, or perhaps somebody hated. Maybe even a rejected contestant from a previous season.â
That, of course, wouldnât be all that unusual for American Idol, which in its first season, brought back five âwild cardâ contestants whoâd been eliminated earlier. Of those, RJ Helton advanced and joined the top 10 finalists; he went on to place fifth overall.
Still, Weissâ suggestion that contestants from years past - like popular Chris Daughtry from last season, for example - could get a second chance would certainly shock America.
Building off her idea, perhaps a number of those whoâve been eliminated will come back for one episode, and then viewers will vote to let one join this yearâs competition as a finalist, a sort of wild-card competition but with alumni candidates, and viewers in charge.
Some of those whoâve unexpectedly lost or been eliminated have gone on to successful careers, so itâs doubtful that contestants such as Clay Aiken or Jennifer Hudson would return to the show. But if they or others did, it would certainly be the type of event that producers are hinting about.
Let viewers fire the judges for a week
The most shocking part of every season of American Idol are the unexpected eliminations; the only people on the stage who are safe are judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson, and host Ryan Seacrest. America would really be surprised, then, if Seacrest announced that viewers could vote to eliminate a judge.
Because theyâre all under contract and unlikely to be really fired unless they do something inappropriate, perhaps viewers could be allowed to select one judge whoâd have to wear a muzzle for an entire episode. Just think: No allegedly witty, biting cutdowns from Cowell; no noncommittal âdawg, you did your thingâ from Jackson; or no whining, sycophantic praise from Paula Abdul.
Itâd be a gift to America.
Perhaps that muzzled/fired judge could be replaced for a week by a past contestant like Justin Guarini, who doesnât seem to have anything better to do with his time. Or perhaps even a viewer could sit at the big table and drink out of the sponsored cups.
Taking the idea one step further, the entire panel of judges could be replaced for a week, maybe with a mix of industry experts, past contestants, and viewers. The real judges could watch the action from the side of the stage, enclosed inside a glass box so we canât hear a word theyâre saying.
Borrow some ideas from Down Under
A more likely possibility might be something borrowed from another version of the series. Australian Idol underwent a significant makeover last year, improving ratings by making changes unlike any other version of the show worldwide had ever seen.
Still, these werenât groundbreaking changes; the show allowed contestants up to age 30, allowed them to play instruments, featured more singer-songwriters in the competition, and compressed the more boring parts of the show.
But their biggest change seems like a possible candidate for American Idol 6's mid-season surprise. During the Australian showâs season, the âUp Close and Personalâ episode shows contestantsâ lives outside of the competition, and last year, they wrote and performed original songs as part of that episode.
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