Each year, hopeful singers from all over the country audition to be part of one of the biggest shows in American television history. Who will become the new American Idol?
The peaks and the valleys. Find the essential episodes — and the ones to skip.
Country music icon Shania Twain mentors the top 10 as they vie for a spot in the top eight with songs from their birth years; performances from Scotty McCreery and Just Sam.
Hopefuls perform for the judges in three cities; the second platinum ticket winner is revealed.
The competition heats up as last week's votes are in and this seasons top 20 will be revealed; the remaining contestants will perform and viewers at home will vote once again to determine who will make it to the next round.
Each point is an episode, plotted in order. Colored bands mark season boundaries. Look for the rise, the plateau, or the decline.
High votes + high rating = beloved classic. High votes + low rating = notorious stinker. Low votes + high rating = hidden gem.
One point per season. Smooths out the episode-to-episode noise to reveal the bigger arc.
Did each season build or fizzle? Green means the finale outscored the premiere. Red means the opposite. Longer arrows, bigger swings.
How steady is each season? Tightly clustered dots mean reliable quality. Scattered dots mean a wild ride.
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