Entering its 13th season, “American Idol” has been completely revamped with new judges and a fresh, stripped-down feel. The new judging panel — consisting of returning judges Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban and past mentor Harry Connick, Jr. —finally turns the show away from dramatic reality television and back to a singing competition. Compared with Simon Cowell’s infamous ability to send contestants home crying (he judged from 2002-2010), Ellen DeGeneres’ sheer lack of musical knowledge (she judged in 2010) and last season’s heated arguments between Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey, Season 13 is shaping up to be a much-needed change for contestants and viewers alike. Viewers can look forward to seeing less humiliation and more constructive criticism from the judges, as each episode only shows a short montage of the more embarrassing auditions. It finally seems as though the focus of the show has moved away from showcasing the worst talents in America, and has instead remembered that the original point of “American Idol” was to discover raw talent across the country.
For those who are still doubtful about reentering the American Idol fandom: do it for Harry Connick, Jr. His effortless charm with the other judges and contestants combined with his focus on technicality makes him a welcome member to the panel. While Jennifer Lopez can sometimes be won over by a contestant’s sob story, Connick is able to see past the backstory and get right to the core of the show: singing ability. With Connick’s jazzy musicality, JenniferLopez’s penchant for performance and Urban’s sugar-coated honesty, the trifecta of judges gets Season 13 off to a good start. The judges, combined with a few changes to the classic show (including another round of auditions once the contestants make it to Hollywood, new themes for each week and “The Chamber,” which shows the contestant’s last few moments before entering the audition) and, of course, Ryan Seacrest’s ever-present enthusiasm makes Season 13 the season to watch. (Wednesday and Thursday 8 p.m. on Fox)
