FOX sets its 'American Idol' schedule through the Finals

'Idol' will return to a Top 24 format for Season 9 after last season's Top 36

By Daniel Fienberg Tuesday, Dec 22, 2009 3:06 PM

New 'American Idol' host Ellen DeGeneres

Credit: FOX

FOX has now announced its full "American Idol" schedule from the audition rounds through to the start of the Finals, allowing viewers to decide which part of the process they want to tune in for.

As was previously announced, "American Idol" will premiere on Tuesday, Jan. 12 with a two-hour audition episode focusing on aspiring stars from Boston. The following night, Atlanta auditions will get a 75-minute show.

Future audition episodes will air on Jan. 19 (Chicago), Jan. 20 (Orlando), Jan. 26 (Dallas), Jan. 27 (Los Angeles) and Feb. 2 (Denver). A "The Road to Hollywood" audition special will air on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 9 p.m. ET.

Those auditions episodes will be the venue for the string of guest judges who filled in on the road following Paula Abdul's abrupt departure. Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris, Joe Jonas, Avril Lavigne, Katy Perry and Shania Twain were among those who joined Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi in making preliminary decisions.

New "Idol" judge Ellen DeGeneres joins the plan for the Hollywood episodes, which will air on Feb. 9, Feb. 10, Feb. 16 and Feb. 17. The Tuesday episodes will air at 8 p.m. and the Wednesday episodes will air at 9 p.m.

The Wednesday, Feb. 17 episode will feature the unveiling of a Top 24, broken down to the Top 12 male contestants and the Top 12 female contestants, returning to the familiar structure after last season's Top 36 format.

That means the other four networks will have to duck for the end of February and March, as "Idol" goes three nights per week and American gets to begin voting. The women will perform on Tuesday nights, the men performing on Wednesday, with two men and two women eliminated each Thursday. For the first two weeks of the semifinals, the Tuesday and Wednesday shows will be two hours. On March 9 and March 10, when it's only the Top 8 men and the Top 8 women, the shows will only be an hour apiece. Then, on Thursday, March 11, "American Idol" will cut down to its Top 12.

The gender-integrated Top 12 "American Idol" Finalists will first perform on Tuesday, March 16 and the first single-elimination episode will air on Wednesday, March 17.

RECAP (All times ET/PT)

Tuesday, Jan. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM) Season Premiere, Part 1 (Boston)

Wednesday, Jan. 13 (8:00-9:15 PM) Season Premiere, Part 2 (Atlanta)
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

Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.