Tuesday morning at the ol’ water cooler, don’t be surprised if you overhear lines like these:
“Sass is no Paula.”
“Ben Mulroney is no Ryan, but at least he’s not his father.”
“They’re all trying to be like Simon.”
“I think I found the next Ruben in Calgary.”
“Did you see how bad that dude in Vancouver was?”
Canadian Idol premieres Monday night on CTV, and will surely be instantly compared to its successful predecessor south of the border. But don’t expect a Paula, Randy, and Simon on this judging panel. The judges say they will be themselves, and viewers should not expect the same thing as seen on American Idol.
“I’ve only seen a half of one show of the American show. I’ve only heard about what they do,” said judge Jake Gold at a news conference last week. Gold, along with Sass Jordan, Farley Flex, and Zack Werner, make up the Canadian Idol judging panel which visited eight Canadian cities, auditions Idol hopefuls.
The first three episodes will focus around the auditions, which the judges say will feature some of the best performers but also some of the worst.
Here is a breakdown of how the series will unfold:
Episodes 1-3
June 9, 16 & 23 @ 8 p.m. ET/PT
June 14, 21 & 28 @ 8 p.m. ET/PT (Repeat)
The Canadian Idol judging panel sifts through tens of thousands of hopefuls across eight cities: Vancouver, Calgary & Winnipeg (Episode One); Montreal, Halifax and St. John?s (Episode Two); and Toronto and Ottawa (Episode Three).
Episode 4
June 30 @ 8 p.m. ET/PT
A combined total of 143 contestants advance to Toronto where they face the next round of elimination. Over a three-day period, judges eliminate 113, leaving only the ?Top 30.? One of these contestants will be the Canadian Idol.
Episodes 5-10
July 7, 14 & 21 @ 8 p.m. ET/PT
July 8, 15 & 22 @ 7:30 p.m. ET (LIVE) / PT (Tape Delayed)
Now, it?s time for the viewing audience to take over. For the next three weeks (six episodes), a separate group of 10 performers will hit the stage. Following each ?Performance Episode?, viewers will vote for their favourite three contestants, who are announced in a live show the following evening. A total of nine contestants after three weeks advance to the ?Top 10.?
Episodes 11-12
July 28 @ 8 p.m. ET/PT
July 29 @ 7:30 p.m. ET (LIVE) / PT (Tape Delayed)
During Episode 11, the judges choose five of the remaining 21 contestants who haven?t advanced to compete once more for the chance to become the show?s single Wild Card finalist. In Episode 12, the Wild Card winner is revealed and becomes the final ?Top 10? finalist.
Episodes 13-24
August 4, 11, 18, 25; Sept. 1, 8 @ 8 p.m. ET (LIVE) / PT (Tape Delayed)
August 5, 12, 19, 26; Sept. 2, 9 @ 7:30 p.m. ET (LIVE) / PT (Tape Delayed)
During these six weeks, each ?Top 10? finalist will perform in themed ?genre? shows before a studio audience and broadcast live on CTV. Competitors will be voted off by the home viewing audience until there are eight (8), six (6), five (5), four (4), three (3), then ultimately, two (2) left.
Episodes 25 & 26
September 15 @ 8 p.m. ET (LIVE) / PT (Tape Delayed)
September 16 @ 8 p.m. ET (LIVE) / PT (Tape Delayed)
In the two-part grand finale, the two semi-finalists will perform selected numbers in an exhausting, nail-biting duel. For each of them, it?s the last chance to win the hearts of viewers everywhere. Once part one of the finale wraps, it?s time for the biggest vote in Canadian television history. The results will be revealed in the grand finale the very next night on CTV and, for one former unknown, it?s a dream realized, instant stardom, the title of Canadian Idol and the promise of a lucrative recording contract with BMG.
Stay tuned to andPOP for continued coverage of Canadian Idol.
