LITTLE ROCK — It’s hard to believe that two years have passed since Kris Allen’s Arkansas fans sat anxiously by their televisions hoping their low-key favorite would make it into American Idol’s elite Top 20.
That’s when the thousands of Idol hopefuls have been pared down to the semifinalists and America finally gets to play along and vote.
Idol Season 10 kicked off Jan. 19 and up to this point we’ve seen screaming hordes at arena auditions (I’m convinced 99.2 percent show up just for the mob experience), and selected good and bad performances. All that was edited to keep our interest through the Hollywood Week auditions.
“Hollywood” was actually the far more sedate (and hygienic) confines of Pasadena. Those who’ve been to both places know that although they’re only about 10 miles apart, there’s a world of difference between the two.
At last, American Idol gets down to business. If you’ve sat out the fabricated drama of the audition process, now is the time to join the fun.
Last night’s episode found surviving contestants singing The Beatles in Las Vegas in what was an extended product placement for Cirque du Soleil’s Beatles-theme LOVE show.
Idol returns at 7 p.m. today on Fox and by the end of the two hours, the Top 20 semifinalists — 10 guys, 10 gals — will be revealed.
The semifinalists will perform from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.
Finally, this season’s first results show will be at 7 p.m. March 3 when the five male and five female contestants with the most viewer votes will be announced.
In a last bit of drama, the three judges will add two special “Wild Card” picks. That means there will be a Top 12, each hoping to follow in the footsteps of Allen.
Sweet. Proof that you can make a reality series out of anything, DC Cupcakes begins Season 2 at 9 p.m. today on TLC. There will be 12 new episodes following the adventures of sisters Sophie LaMontagne and Katherine Kallinis and their cupcake business.
More to love. TLC’s Sister Wives, the inside look at a real polygamist family, returns March 13. The series follows Kody Brown and his four wives and their 16 children.
Wacky. Lady Gaga, the performance artist who also sings, will get an HBO concert May 7. Lady Gaga arrived at the recent Grammys inside a giant egg.
Fair warning. Nickelodeon has unveiled “a broad new toy lineup” for Dora the Explorer. Parents beware.
“The new Dora the Explorer toys from Fisher-Price and MEGA Brands will give kids new ways to learn and play with their beloved Dora,” said Manuel Torres, senior vice president, Global Toys and Video Games for Nickelodeon Consumer Products.
I imagine Torres said that with a straight face. One example: The posable Dora Dress-Up Collection Doll by Fisher-Price has a suggested retail price of $49.99 and will be available in the fall.
Expensive? Sure, but “for added play value” the doll includes a 32-page storybook.
Burn Notice. Fans of the USA series take note. Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe is a series prequel film starring Bruce Campbell and directed by series star Jeffrey Donovan. It’ll air at 8 p.m. April 17.
Smallville farewell. Smallville fans need to mark their calendars. The two-hour series finale is set for 7 p.m. May 13 on The CW. The series has been on for a decade and began with Tom Welling playing Clark Kent in high school. Welling is 33 now and Clark is engaged to Lois Lane (Erica Durance).
Series renewed. ABC Family has renewed The Secret Life of the American Teenager for a fourth season and picked up Pretty Little Liars for Season 2.
Secret Life is currently in a split third season. It’ll return March 28. Season 4 will debut in the summer.
More Elisha. I’m a big fan of Elisha Cuthbert (24), so I hope her new series doesn’t suck eggs. Cuthbert is part of the new ABC ensemble comedy Happy Endings that debuts April 13.
She plays part of a “perfect couple” who break up on their wedding day. The failed wedding forces everybody else in the show to question their life choices.
Also on board are Eliza Coupe and Damon Wayans Jr. as a married suburban couple; Adam Pally as their gay friend; and Casey Wilson, who’s looking for Mr. Right.
More as debut time nears.
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Weekend, Pages 34 on 02/24/2011