Seasons

When you look at the approval ratings for the first few Season One episodes, it's a minor miracle that the show survived long enough to become a cultural phenomenon. Idol fans and producers owe an enormous debut of gratitude to Kelly Clarkson and Tamyra Gray for keeping the ship afloat in those rough early seas, at least until the infant series found its footing in, of all places, big band music.

While Season One had the lowest average approval rating, Season Two, perhaps surprisingly, boasted the highest. Certainly the epic duel between Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken played a big part, but give credit to the rest of the Top 12 as well: despite all the controversies and rumored backstage conflicts, the AI2 Crew was the first in which all twelve finalists posted at least one above-average rated performance (50 or higher).

Another curiosity: although Season Three rated below average, it produced the most five-star performances, 23. Eight different Idols contributed to that total, but the Big Three combined for more than two-thirds. Of course, that trio would be Fantasia Barrino, LaToya London, and ... Diana DeGarmo?!? Believe it.

Season Four is best remembered for a record seven performances that reached the rarified 90 threshold, four alone by Bo Bice. That's one more than AI5 and AI6 had combined. That Bice didn't win despite outscoring Carrie Underwood by nearly 15 points would seem like an injustice on the surface, but subsequent events suggest that the voters, at least for that one season, knew precisely what they were doing.

What Season Five lacked in showstoppers, it made up for in star power: its celebrated Final 5 all finished with approval ratings above 55.0. Which one was highest? The answer is, amazingly, 'none of the above.' The top-rated AI5 contestant finished ninth.

Season Six was a struggle: a mean performance rating of just 49.2, and a most-ever 63 performances coming in at 1-star or 2-stars. But AI6 also comes with a twist: eight of its oft-maligned 12 finalists finished with above-average approval ratings, tied for the most of any season. Look closely and you'll find a diverse, eclectic, and oftentimes rebellious crew who were unafraid to take risks, both in terms of song choice and presentation. Some of those risks ended in triumph and others, um, made little girls cry. Grown men too.

Though its Finale had been preordained for weeks, and the journey to the Nokia Theater was peppered with fits and starts (and occasional re-starts), Season Seven did succeed in one important aspect: it managed, just barely, to post an average approval rating above 50. No, it didn't live up to all that Most Talented Top 24 Ever™ hype, but it provided a lot of memorable performances plus a surprise winner who looks to be a keeper.

About the best thing we can say about Season Eight is that it ended on time, and that it underscored our position that approval ratings aren't everything. Though it was the first season to crack 51 on average, it also cracked a lot of Idol fans' loyalty and patience. From a patently rigged semifinals to a brazenly bogus Wild Card to judges who continually seemed to be listenting to completely different performances than America, AI8 was a mess from start to finish. But it did uncover several very fine singers plus perhaps the most unexpected victor: the unassuming, unhyped, and unusually imaginative Kris Allen.

As for Season Nine...well, it started on time. Unfortunately, it went downhill from there. Despite the best efforts of winner Lee DeWyze to keep the music fresh and interesting, and of runner-up Crystal Bowersox to keep it listenable, AI9 was a slog. Why? There were enough suspects and murder weapons to stock a game of Clue. But sadly, we'd have to go with Mr. & Ms. Voter, in the Top 16 Week, with the Telephone: three strong midcard candidates were axed in favor of three adorable young-'uns whose still-developing talents simply couldn't sustain the first half of the Finals. By the time a reasonably strong Final Four had been reached, most Idol fans had mentally tuned out...as had departing judge Simon Cowell, many weeks earlier.

Season Ten saw the departure of three judges, the addition of two new ones, the return of producer Nigel Lythgoe, the prediction of imminent doom for the franchise...and somehow, a very strong and entertaining season, against all odds. Though many fans grumbled that AI10 was short of "moments", it was also blessedly free of train wrecks: just 5 of 146 performances fell into 1-star territory. At 53.6, it's the highest-rated season to date, even though it also produced the lowest-rated winner. Of course, if he generates even one-third the record sales of the previous holder of that dubious title, no one will complain.