Viewers will reportedly receive a more in depth look at American Idol's heyday beginning this fall.
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American Idol Rewind's format will see a tweak when the syndicated weekly series' third season debuts this fall, TV Week reported Sunday. The show's third season will document the Fox mega-hit's third and fourth seasons which aired in 2004 and 2005.
"This year will be more highlight-driven as we focus on the journeys of some of the contestants from seasons three and four who became household names," American Idol Rewind executive producer Tracy Verna Soiseth told TV Week.
"With some of the names ranging from Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia to Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice coming out of these shows, there is a lot of fun stuff for us to explore where you get to see the best and worst of Idol, including William Hung."
Each one-hour American Idol Rewind episode includes performances and results from original Idol broadcasts; never-before-seen previously shot footage; additional behind the scenes facts and details; new footage that focuses on how contestants got through the competition; and present-day interviews with finalists.
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The show's upcoming installment will focus more on the "memorable moments and unaired footage," according to TV Week, which added producers are planning a Carrie Underwood-themed special for the third-season finale.
"Carrie walks us through her Idol experience from her audition to her win, and discusses with us the highs and lows she went through as part of the process," Soiseth told TV Week. "She gets very specific with her greatest challenges and uncertain nights as well as what she thought about the competition."
In addition, Trifecta Entertainment will start serving as American Idol Rewind's new distributor, according to TV Week, which added "new stations in major markets" have signed on to air the show's third-season episodes.
"Distribution of the series has been great and we expect to be above 95% for the new season," Trifecta CEO Hank Cohen told TV Week. "Stations are excited about the changes to the show, and [Soiseth] is putting together a more complete book as we rewind the journeys of people that audiences care about."
Trifecta recently inked a deal with TV Guide Channel, which will air episodes of the series a week after they hit broadcast stations.
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"Rewind has always been a phenomenal show, and we are now able to make the show the best it can be," Cohen told TV Week. "American Idol is such a juggernaut that we can now give fans a show that better reflects what fans love about the show."
American Idol Rewind premiered in September 2006 and averaged a 1.8 rating in syndication entering last month, TV Week reported.
About The Author: Christopher Rocchio