‘American Idol’: Saying farewell to the competition show that changed television

After 15 seasons, “American Idol” declined to say goodbye.

I’ve been waiting all season long to feel nostalgic about “American Idol,” the show many of us have spent years watching — if perhaps off and on in recent seasons.

“American Idol” went out big Thursday night.

“American Idol” is definitely going out in style – and at the end of the day (and the season and the series) and after much farewell talk about stardom and success, it’s all coming back to good singing.

“It’s going to be the closest race in ‘Idol’ history,” “American Idol” judge Keith Urban announced after La’Porsha Renae and Trent Harmon gave their final performances on the opening night of the long-running competition’s two-part swan song at the Dolby Theater.

After “American Idol” names its latest victor on Thursday, the lights will dim on the Fox singing-competition series that broke ground in television and music.

As “American Idol” concludes its epic, 14-year broadcast run, it’s easy to remember the show as merely a shadow of the reality TV institution that once was.

In the summer of 2002, a new singing contest with a distinctly patriotic title premiered on Fox with little fanfare.

When the three judges of “American Idol” walked onstage for the production’s last show ahead of the grand finale that kicks off Wednesday night, they all spent a little longer than usual shaking hands in the front row before taking their seats.

There’s been a valedictory tinge to everything on “American Idol” this season. Of course there has.

“American Idol” is winding down to its series finale, which is only two weeks away.

“Where is everybody?”

When it comes to singing duets, some do it better than others.

With five weeks to go before closing up shop for good, “American Idol” continued its valedictory march on Thursday, picking its very last Top 8.

A lot happened on “American Idol” on Thursday night.

This week, “American Idol” is set to reduce the Top 14 (chosen by the judges) to the Top 10 (only partly chosen by the judges).

Just duet?

“American Idol” had another lightning … er … “showcase” round on Wednesday night, in which 12 members of the Season 15 Top 24 did their best to prove their worth with solo performances.

It was old home week on “American Idol.”

And there you have it. “American Idol” has chosen its final Top 24.

After Wednesday’s soporific first night of Hollywood week, in which 190 contestants were unexcitingly albeit swiftly reduced to 108, on Thursday, “American Idol” moved on to the group round, in which the contestants historically get little sleep, and mercifully, so do the viewers.

I suppose it’s saying something about an episode of “American Idol” when the highlight of the whole thing may have been watching Ryan Seacrest do a few pushups without realizing the camera was on.

The final night of “American Idol” auditions -- of Season 15 and ever -- offered up an assortment of singers cherry-picked from a variety of audition cities: Philadelphia, Atlanta, San Francisco ... the show bounced around so much between locales on Thursday night, it didn’t seem worth keeping track.

After its lackluster Philadelphia auditions, in which few talents turned up to grab a ticket to Hollywood, “American Idol” found a plethora of singers it deemed worthy to advance in Little Rock, Ark., and Denver during a two-hour episode on Thursday.

Good talent isn’t easy to phind in Philadelphia — at least judging from Wednesday’s episode of “American Idol,” in which the show traveled to the cheesesteak capital of the world to audition aspiring singers for its 15th and final season.

Kelly Clarkson along with other “American Idol” alumni will be a part of the long-running singing competition’s final season.

For a first episode, the season premiere of “American Idol” sure had a lot to say about the end.

“American Idol” is back to say goodbye.

In 2002, Times pop music critic Robert Hilburn reviewed “American Idol” about a month into the show’s run.

The symptoms were all there for “American Idol” — falling ratings, high talent costs, advertiser defections.

Not long ago, “American Idol” was such a ratings juggernaut that a rival TV executive dubbed it a “monster” that should be killed.

It may seem hard to remember now, but a few years ago “American Idol” was such a huge hit that a rival TV executive called it a “monster” that should be killed.

For a while, there was no greater prize on TV than the title of the next “American Idol.”

The show’s most outspoken talent judge says, ‘If they ... want to be told the truth, they will be told.’