American Idol‘s season 12 will come to a close this week, with a star-studded two-part finale. While the results may be what everyone is tuning in for, Fox has to fill the other three hours of scheduled airtime. Here’s how they’ll likely do it.
Randy Jackson Tribute
As we learned last week, this will be judge Randy Jackson’s last year on the judging panel. It’s a safe bet that Idol will pay tribute to his time on the show, since he’s been there since the very beginning. It’s unlikely it will be a big reunion like when Simon Cowell left, but there will probably at least be a montage of all of Randy’s irritatingly overused catchphrases over the years, “Dog!” “Dog pound!” “In it to win it!” “pitchy” “For me, for you” “Yo, Ryan!” etc.
Lame attempts at humor
They do it every year. All anyone wants to see is the final results, or maybe a performance or two. Yet Idol will waste everyone’s time with stupid skits, stupid video montages, and a fake dummy awards show that only serves to remind us of the worst of the season’s nightmarish auditions. Maybe they’ll even throw in the traditional Dunkleman reference.
Jimmy Iovine
Mentor Jimmy Iovine will surely be there, being annoying. Proving to be the most frustratingly unnecessary addition to the Idol format in recent years, I’m sure he’ll have a lot to say about the finalists’ performances, and the judges’ judging, and everything else. They’ve made a big deal of his combative relationship with this season’s judges, especially his apparent love/hate relationship with Nicki Minaj, so they’ll likely make something of that.
Eliminated contestants return
As always, the season’s top ten contestants will return to the Idol stage to perform some group numbers, and likely join with some music superstars for some interesting duets. If you can remember this season’s eliminated contestants, you may be excited for some of them to return. It’s been a while since we had any male contestants grace the stage, but Curtis, Devin, Paul, Burnell, and yes, Lazaro, will all be back. Lazaro is hoping to perform a duet with Cher, but let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Cher can do better.
Lots of Special Guest Performances
We already know former judge Jennifer Lopez will be returning to the stage with Pitbull, but there will be a bevy of other stars performing as well. Current judge Mariah Carey is rumored to be performing a medley of her biggest hits, likely including her new single “#Beautiful.” Keith Urban will be taking the stage as well. Reigning Idol Phillip Phillips will sing a mash-up of his “Idol victory song, “Home,” as well as this year’s elimination anthem, “Gone Gone Gone.”
Carly Rae Jepson will also be performing “Take A Picture,” in a performance that fans have been voting on all season. Other special guests rumored to be joining the contestants for duets or group performances include Adam Lambert, The Band Perry, and Frankie Valli, Jennifer Hudson, and …could it be…Aretha Franklin?
Candice vs. Kree
The whole purpose of this finale is to name season 12’s winner, and Candice Glover and Kree Harrison are the girls with the most on the line this week. Each girl will perform three songs: Idol creator Simon Fuller’s choice, their own favorite performance of the season, and their “coronation song”, or what will be the winner’s first single. Powerhouse Candice may seem to have the advantage, but sweet country girl Kree has been a judges’ favorite from the very beginning, and has a huge fan base. If she can pull out some great finale performances, she could very well take home the win. It wouldn’t be the first underdog victory in Idol history.
Confetti
There will be confetti. LOTS of confetti.
The American Idol two-part finale airs this Wednesday and Thursday at 8/7c on Fox.
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