American Idol: Nigel Lythgoe Talks 'White Guys With Guitars,' Ratings Declines, Twitter Peeves

If you think Nigel Lythgoe has an easy job, consider this: Despite producing the No. 2 show of the 2011-2012 TV season in terms of total viewers and the coveted 18-49 demo, American Idol‘s executive producer is still in the unenviable position of defending the show’s ratings and creative direction in the face of public criticism from his own boss.

We caught up with Lythgoe prior to Idol‘s Season 11 finale to get his thoughts on …READ MORE

Scoop: NBC Launching New Reality Singing Competition, The Winner Is…

NBC has greenlit a reality singing competition where the losers will potentially get more than a tearful exit performance as a consolation prize.

The Winner Is, from the producers of The Voice, will feature contestants of all ages being judged by an in-studio panel (led by a yet-to-be-determined celebrity) and fighting for a $1 million prize. The show’s big twist is that …READ MORE

Idology: Was Season 11 Idol's Best Ever? Plus: Phillip's Exact Winning Moment Analyzed! And Jessica's Wild Kingdom Hijinks Relived!

Whether or not you were rooting for a Phillip Phillips victory, there were plenty of reasons to celebrate when the confetti began to fall at the end of American Idol‘s eleventh season.

On this week’s two-part episode of Idology, Season 6 standout Melinda Doolittle and I discuss why the latest chapter in Idol history turned out to be so stellar, offer an in-depth analysis of when exactly Phillip sewed up the win, and examine how the Idol Machine played a part in thwarting Jessica Sanchez’s attempts to …READ MORE & WATCH VIDEOS

So You Think You Can Dance Season 9 Premiere Recap: The 5 Best Auditions from NYC and Dallas

So You Think You Can Dance returned Thursday night by poking a little fun at American Idol, The Voice, The X Factor, and especially its new timeslot competitor Duets: “All year long, your television has been dominated by singers. Isn’t it about time for a little dance?”

Um, yes please, we’ll take it. Even if the Season 9 premiere came with a side order of …READ MORE

Duets Series Premiere Recap: It Takes Two to Make a Thing Go Right

“There are 7 billion voices, and very few of them are unique and special.” That quote from R&B star John Legend was supposed to sum up the difficulty of trying to find two amateur vocalists with whom he could share the stage on Duets, ABC’s new entry in the reality singing sweepstakes. But in a larger sense, Legend’s weary commentary might also reflect the uncertainty of a TV audience that’s trying to figure out if it needs — or even wants — the search for new radio and iTunes stars to be a 12-month-a-year endeavor. READ MORE

TVLine Items: Spartacus' Super-Sized Marathon, General Hospital Adds Suds Vet and More!

Spartacus is taking over Starz this summer.

The pay cabler announced Thursday plans to air in chronological order all 29 episodes of the series’ three iterations: Gods of the Arena, Blood and Sand and Vengeance. READ MORE

American Idol Season 11 Finale Recap: And the Winner Is… [Updated]

If the Phillip Phillips-vs.-Jessica Sanchez showdown of American Idol‘s eleventh season was an apples-vs-oranges kind of affair, then tonight’s season finale — featuring the inarguably terrific Top 13 12* — was a weird and occasionally wonderful smorgasbord. (*Uncle Nigel: “Jermaine Jones was just a figment of your imagination!”)

We had Season 3 champ Fantasia Barrino in a Crystal Gayle wig and, um, unfortunate spangled catsuit with side-leg cutouts (!) grabbing Joshua Ledet and turning the Nokia into a beautiful, howling messerie. We had John Fogerty, Reba McEntire, and Jordin Sparks …READ MORE

American Idol Photo Gallery: The 21 Best Performances of Season 11!

Time flies when you’re having fun, and that adage certainly applies to American Idol‘s fantastic eleventh season — an intense, talent-packed, five-month affair that will end in tears, cheers, and a tidal wave of confetti when either Jessica Sanchez or Phillip Phillips takes home the crown a little later this evening.

Before then, though, why not look back on the season that was? …READ MORE & VIEW PHOTOS

American Idol Top 2 Performance Night Recap: Home Is Where the Artistry Is

For the final salvo in what’s arguably been the deepest, most evenly matched field in American Idol history, Tuesday night’s Season 11 finale came up surprisingly light in the competitive fireworks department.

Maybe the Top 2 — Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips — were still heeding last week’s instructions from their fallen comrade Joshua Ledet: “NO! MORE! DRAMA!” Or perhaps it was just the incongruousness of the matchup, which was akin to making a choice between a stunning courture evening gown and a perfectly battered old t-shirt. (“But what’s the occasion?” you might’ve asked.) READ MORE