Category Archives: Television

An open letter; The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien is no more

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Dear Internet,

Today is a sad day.  Conan O’Brien, host of The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, bids the show and NBC adieu.  Before I go on, please allow me to get this off my chest:

JAY LENO, NICE GOING.

After only seven months at The Tonight Show, NBC decided to remove Conan from the show.  The Jay Leno Show experiment failed, The Tonight Show was not receiving high ratings, and so the executives at NBC have chosen to course correct this mess by replacing Conan with Leno.  It’s like the whole switcharoo never happened.  I am angry with NBC and Leno for various reasons.  Although Conan’s ratings were not blasting through the roof, he was connecting with the coveted 18-49 demographic and slowly gaining a larger following.  NBC is kicking Conan out just seven months into the gig; he’s barely got his feet wet!  And then there’s Leno.  As you can clearly see in the video above, he initially attempted to be a gentleman in 2004 when he addressed his audience about the passing of the baton with Conan which would come in 2009.  After his failed experiment show at 10PM, Leno should have recognized his time was up and leave The Tonight Show with the man who worked so hard and for so long to reach his position.  Instead he tells NBC he is absolutely willing to replace Conan and end this legal mess on a low, sad note.

That said, let’s reflect back on Conan’s short stay at The Tonight Show: Continue reading An open letter; The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien is no more →

“The Virtual Revolution” documentary explores the effects of the Internet

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This is a teaser clip from the upcoming BBC documentary titled “The Virtual Revolution.”  It’s a four part series about how the Internet is changing the world.  This teaser has got me looking forward to the series not only due to its tech-related content but also because of its impressive lineup of interviews.  Tim Berners-Lee (the inventor of the World Wide Web), Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Wikipedia’s Jimmy Wales, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Al Gore, Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, and Stephen Fry share their thoughts about how the web has altered (and continues to change) the world around us.

What’s also neat is that the creators and producers of the series left it up to us to decide the name (and some of the content) of the series.  Tentitively titled “Digital Revolution” the series will officially be named “The Virtual Revolution.”  The producers continue to hear opinions, thoughts, and experiences from around the web so that they can make the most relevant documentary possible.  “The Virtual Revolution” airs next week on BBC2.  If you do not receive this channel, I will update this page in the coming days with other outlets to watch if you’re interested.

[Via Gizmodo; The Virtual Revolution]

2010 Golden Globe winners: Glee, Up, The Hangover, & Avatar come out victorious

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This year’s televised Golden Globes award show was terribly boring.  That said, allow me to share my excitement over some of the night’s winners.  (And take a second to glance at my predictions.)

In the television categories, Glee won Best TV Comedy…and that’s about all that interested me.  Fellow freshman comedy Modern Family and others like 30 Rock, The Office, and Entourage missed out on the win.  In my opinion Glee or Modern Family equally deserved to win this category.  Notable losses include House to Mad Men (Best TV Drama); Hugh Laurie to Michael C. Hall (Best Actor in TV Drama); Matthew Morrison and Steve Carell to Alec Baldwin (Best Actor in TV Comedy); Lea Michelle and Tina Fey to Toni Collette (Best Actress in TV Comedy); Michael Emerson, Neil Patrick Harris, and Jeremy Piven to John Lithgow (Best Supporting Actor in TV Series); Jane Lynch to Chloe Sevigny (Best Supporting Actress in TV Series).

In the film categories, UP deservedly won Best Animated Film and Best Score (props to Michael Giacchino); The Hangover surprised everyone and won Best Musical/Comedy against Nine, Julie & Julia, It’s Complicated, and 500 Days of Summer; Christoph Waltz surprised no one and took Best Supporting Actor for his memorable role in Inglourious Basterds; and Robert Downey, Jr. unexpectedly won Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy for his role as Sherlock Holmes.  His acceptance speech was by far the most entertaining.  I was truly blown away by the success of Avatar (or as Arnold Schwarzenegger called it, “Avadart”); it won Best Drama and James Cameron took Best Director (beating out his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker) and Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds). The time and money this epic took to create paid off both financially and critically.  Job well done, Cameron.  Notable losses include District 9 and Inglourious Basterds to Up in the Air (Best Screenplay).

Also, we cannot forget about the coveted Cecil B. Demille Award “for lifetime achievement in motion pictures.”  This year it was bestowed upon director Martin Scorsese for his excellent work in films like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Good Fellas, The Departed, and the forthcoming Shutter Island.  For the full list of winners click here.

Lost and Modern Family will take it next year.

Watch this shot-for-shot modern rendition of the ‘Perfect Strangers’ opening credits

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Here’s random for you… Perfect Strangers was an ABC sitcom that ran for eight seasons from 1986 to 1993.  Today, a bunch of theatre geeks got together to create a shot-for-shot remake of the opening credits introduction from the show.  The remake takes place in Seattle and many of the landmarks are eerily similar to those found in the original introduction, which took place in Chicago.  Can you find all the prominent Seattle landmarks?  Jump after the break for a list of them.  Great job, guys!

[Via Pereira’s Twitter page; SeattlePI]

Continue reading Watch this shot-for-shot modern rendition of the ‘Perfect Strangers’ opening credits →

Lost’s Jin, Miles, Illana and Frank pose as the final season looms

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Lost Publicity Still

Check out the latest photo-op from The Island and get aquainted with Jin, Miles, Illana and Mr. Frank Lapidus.

And don’t you just love the Da Vinci style “Lost Supper” image pasted above?  Don’t blink, you’re eyes aren’t deceiving you–they are all looking at (not-Locke) Locke.

[Via IGN]

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Clarification: Monday’s Fringe episode was a blast from the past

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Fringe was billed to return from its short haitus on January 14 at its regular timeslot, Thursday-9PM-FOX.  I had the fourteenth circled on a calendar in my brain (along with the other dates when shows are expected to return).  However, after double-checking my DVR for the return of other shows I stumbled upon what was labled a “new” Fringe episode titled “Unearthed” to air on a Monday, the 11th.  Things are about to get a tad stranger…

For those of you who watched this episode on Monday night and were left scratching your heads in confusion don’t fret because I had the same initial reaction.  The real Agent Charlie Francis was inexplicably back from the dead?  And what of the solid white floating names within establishing shots (they display the location of hospitals, offices, and other places) that did not reflect off buildings and react to their surroundings?  Even the over-arching storyline did not match up with where we left off in “Grey Matters” before the break.  If you start to connect the dots it is easy to see that “Unearthed” is in fact a lost episode from season one.  Why FOX decided to randomly unearth this episode and play it on an out-of-the-blue Monday night is beyond me.  FOX is only asking for trouble by (1) leaving fans in the dark with a lost episode from a previous season and (2) airing what happened to be a lackluster episode for those tuning into their first glimpse at Fringe.  Some say this was done so FOX could test the show in a different, less competitive timeslot.  No matter what the reason, Fringe fans and other fellow TV viewers should have been given proper notice that this was a “lost” episode.

[Tips from IGN, LA Times]

Creators and cast members talk Lost

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Lost Photo

On Tuesday the creators (Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse) and cast (Terry O’Quinn (Locke), Michael Emerson (Ben), Josh Holloway (Sawyer), Evangeline Lilly (Kate), Jorge Garcia (Hurley), Daniel Dae Kim (Jin) and Emilie de Ravin (Claire) of Lost talked about the show at the TCA (Television Critics Association) Press Tour.

The most important bit of news that came out of this sitdown is that Harold Perrineau (Michael) and Cynthia Watros (Libby) will return this season.

On Season 6 Cuse said, “Obviously not every question’s going to be answered, so obviously, some people are going to be upset that those particular questions don’t get resolved.  We felt if we tried to just answer questions, it would be very pedantic.”  Lindelof added, “Now there is certainly a hope on all our parts that everybody sort of universally loves the ending that we put forward. (But) I don’t think it would be Lost if there wasn’t sort of an ongoing and active debate amongst the people who watch the show as to whether or not it was a good ending.”  Cuse envisions the season to include a “healthy cocktail of answers, mystery character resolution, and some surprises.”

Lindelof added that this season will harken back to Season 1 in many ways in order to compare and contrast how the characters have changed since the beginning.  Cuse said that he and Lindelof had the final image of the series in their heads way back in the beginning; it’s the character development and closure they have to work on.  “We kind of knew what the end point was, but as you move towards the end point, you add elements.  And obviously, the end is not yet written, and there are certain sort of mythological, architectural elements that are intact for that ending, but a lot of character stuff will get worked out as we go along.”  Cuse added, “We are doing something different narratively which doesn’t require sort of deep-and-vast knowledge for you to get, and we also just feel like the stories that we’re telling this season kind of really do harken back to the first season of the show.  I think if you watched the first season of the show, that’s probably the most important thing leading into the final season. We do feel that there’s some accessibility there.”

The cast members shared their favorite moments from the show.  Michael Emerson:  “I have lots of fond memories of breathless confrontations in small rooms” –  referring to scenes from Jacob’s cabin, The Hatch, and Widmore’s bedroom.  Jorge Garcia: “Running away from an exploding plane wing” and “when the comet hits Mr. Clucks…laying there and they’re throwing raw chicken parts at me.”  Evangeline Lilly: her favorite episode was the one  “Do No Harm,” the one where Claire gives birth and Boone dies.  “I’ll never forget watching that episode because for me it just culminated everything we were talking about on the show.  I don’t often cry while watching my own show, but I watched that episode and I cried and I thought this is something that I’m proud to be a part of.”  Terry O’Quinn: “Just coming to work with these people and working the way through a scene and just collaborating with them.”  O’Quinn also talked about how he had no idea that his character had died and he was playing “not-Locke Locke” at the end of last season until the audience found out.  O’Quinn’s script only said that “something about Locke is different,” so that’s all he had to work with.  Emerson added, “It’s actually better on this show to be in the dark – sort of groping around a bit.”

So what’s in store for the Season 6 premiere?  Lindelof said, “Get ready to scratch your heads, America!” Holloway added that the premiere episode plays out like a finale in scale and scope.  I.  Can’t.  Wait.

Lost: The Final Season premieres February 2 at 9PM on ABC.  Speaking of the premiere date, did you hear that President Obama almost scheduled to have his State of the Union Address at the same date and time, potentially pushing the Lost premiere to a later date?  Well rest assured, Losties.  White House spokesman Robert Gibbs confirms that the Address will air on a different date.  Cuse added to the confirmation with this tweet: “No State of the Union conflict with LOST! We go Feb. 2!”

Look after the break for an exerpt of an IGN interview with Lost creator J. J. Abrams, hot off the presses!

[Via IGN, here, here & here; TV Squad]

Continue reading Creators and cast members talk Lost →

NBC’s Day One is now a two-hour movie, potential series?

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I’ve been looking forward to NBC’s Day One, a new post-apocalyptic sci-fi series.  What’s it about?  “The aftermath of a global event that devastates the world’s infrastructures, a small band of survivors strives to rebuild society and unravel the mysteries of why the event took place and what the future has in store. Told from the point of view of an eclectic group of neighbors in a Van Nuys, California apartment building, this journey of survival will show us that hope is found in the smallest of victories and heroes are born every day.”  Day One comes from executive producer/writer Jesse Alexander (Heroes, Lost, Alias) and director Alex Graves (Fringe).  It stars David Lyons, Julie Gonzalo, Adam Campbell, and Xander Berkeley (24).  Alexander describes the show: “It is the story of ordinary people working together to save the world from an extraordinary threat.  Though Day One’s prime time adventures are simple and compelling, its mythology is vast and designed to be experienced across multiple media platforms.”  Sounds awesome.

NBC originally planned on airing Day One with the standard 13-episode run after the Winter Olympics.  The latest news confirms that NBC has changed their minds and plans on airing it as a two-hour movie, see how that does, and move on from there.  If the backdoor pilot receives positive feedback and high ratings NBC has the option to turn it into a regular weekly series.  NBC Entertainment President Angela Bromstad: “We’ve always looked at Day Oneas a big event for us and not necessarily a show that would be an ongoing…you know, a returning show for a second season. It would depend on its success. I think just by the nature of the genre, [these genre shows] tend to get a little narrow.”  So why did NBC decide to make the switch from series to TV movie?  Sources are blaming it on the high expensive of computer-generated images required for realism and the ratings drop with similar sci-fi shows like ABC’s FlashForward and V.

Check out the trailer below.  If you are at all interested in it, please give the show a try when it airs after the Olympics.  If the two-hour TV movie is any good, it will deserve a 13-episode order.

[Via EW; Wiki]

HBO’s How to Make It In America is coming soon, get prepped

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How to Make It In America comes from writer Ian Edelman and executive producers Mark Wahlberg (Entourage), Rob Weiss (Entourage), and Stephen Levinson.  It stars Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi (Dean), Bryan Greenberg (Ben), Victor Rasuk (Cam), Luis Guzman (Rene), Lake Bell (Rachel), and Shannyn Sossamon (Gingy).  The premise is as follows:

How to Make It in America follows two enterprising Brooklyn twentysomethings as they hustle their way through New York City, determined to achieve the American Dream. Trying to make a name for themselves in New York’s competitive fashion scene, Ben Epstein (Greenberg) and his friend and business partner Cam Calderon (Rasuk) use their street knowledge and connections to bring their ambitions to fruition. With the help of Cam’s cousin Rene (Guzman), who is trying to market his own high-energy drink, and their well-connected friend Domingo (“Kid Cudi”), the burgeoning entrepreneurs set out to make it big, encountering obstacles along the way that will require all their ingenuity to overcome.

With HBO’s Entourage likely coming to a close after next season, this show looks like a worthy replacement.  In fact, I feel like it’s Entouage set in New York.  Plus Mark Wahlberg and Rob Weiss are feeding their talent into the production of it.

How To Make It In America premieres February 14  at 10PM on HBO.  It will air in a similar syle to Entourage; every Sunday, half an hour in length, 8-12 episodes per season.  If you missed the teaser trailer look after the break.  The gallery below contains some stills from the first batch of episodes.

[Via DatNewCudi]

Continue reading HBO’s How to Make It In America is coming soon, get prepped →

Glee, Modern Family renewed; what about Fringe, Heroes, FlashForward, 24, & V?

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It’s great to be a fan of TV these days.  So many great shows to watch and discuss.  This past week the TSA (Television Critics Association) Press Tour brought out TV’s stars, showrunners, and executives who talk to the press about what’s to come in the future.  Below is a list of a handful of shows and clues to how their futures will pan out.

Gleeks rejoice!  Glee has been renewed for a second season.  FOX’s President of Entertainment, Kevin Reilly: “We’ve loved Glee ever since it was a pilot script, so it’s been an incredible thrill to watch the show take root and see audiences embrace these characters in such a huge way this season. The show is a true and rare gem in television. We couldn’t be more proud of what Ryan Murphy and the Glee team have created so far, and can’t wait to see what they come up with for Season 2.”  In related news, the Glee execs will be holding a nationwide audition to fill in three new roles for season two.  “Auditions will be open to amateur individuals as well as professionals between the ages of 16-26, and all hopefuls will be able to submit auditions online.  Additional details will be announced soon [via] fox.com/glee.”  Reilly adds that “the winners will be revealed in the first episode of the season.”

Glee returns Tuesday, April 13 on FOX.  (Celebrate the news by watching a Glee flashmob after the break.)

Modern Family, the funniest new comedy of the season, has been given the green light for a second season!  ABC also renewed Cougar Town and The Middle.  Ugly Betty, Better Off Ted, and Scrubs are still in limbo.  ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson says “I’m not going to lie.  The numbers are not encouraging.”

Modern Family airs Wednesdays at 9PM on ABC.

What’s going on with Fringe?  Last we heard ratings dropped due to its competitive timeslot.  It airs at the same time as Grey’s Anatomy, CSI, The Office, 30 Rock and Supernatural.  FOX’s Reilly on the matter: “I wish the ratings were higher, but frankly, we’re going to keep it right where it is, because it’s doing a job for us.”  On the future of this season: “We’re going to bring on Past Life, give this a breather, then going to play I think ten episodes in a row in the back half of the season, to really try and blast this when the other guys are in repeats.”  So he definitely feels a good vibe around the show.  But what does the future hold beyond season 2?  “They’re in a creative groove with it. We have a great relationship with the producers.  They’re delivering a quality show and it’s got an audience…The audience hasn’t entirely left it behind; they’re just watching it on their DVR.  So I don’t know.  We’ll just have to see what happens in May.”  Fringe resides in the wait-and-see category, but I have a strong feeling it will be coming back for many more seasons.

Fringe returns Thursday, January 14 on FOX.  (Look after the break for an exerpt from an IGN interview with Fringe creator J. J. Abrams.)

Oh, Heroes.  Season 1 was fantastic.  I even enjoyed watching seasons 2 and 3 on DVD.  Unfortunately most of its original audience lost interest by season 2 due to lack of creativity, among other criticisms.  Though the outlook for a potential season 5 looks bleak, Greg Grunberg (Heroes’ Matt Parkman) is very confident that the show will get renewed.  “We wrapped yesterday and the [final episode] is nowhere near a series finale.  It is cliffhanger-y and exciting, but it is nowhere near an end to a series that people are so invested in. It does not tie everything up in a neat bow… I don’t have any doubt that the show will be back.”  He adds, “We will wrap it up properly in the next season and get to 100 episodes.  At least that’s what I would like to see happen.  They take so much care in writing the show that I would hope we get the chance to end it right.   Lost announced an end [date] and I think that helped both the people working on the show and the people watching it.  They see the finish line and I think it gives them something tangible to invest in and be excited about.  It’s like it’s a movie and they want to see the end of it.  That’s what I hope happens with our show.”  Heroes is one of two “DVD shows” for me.  I watch every season on DVD when it comes out.  It’s the DVD sales and the international popularity of the show that keep it alive, so we will wait and see how it all plays out soon.

Heroes airs its season finale February 8 on NBC.

FlashForward’s long hiatus has just gotten a little longer.  Its return is being moved from March 4 to March 18 so that it does not have to compete with TV juggernaut American Idol.  When it does return it will air back-to-back episodes in a two hour event.  It will run straight to its finale on May 27 with new episodes every week.  Note that the finale will also be two hours in length.  And we are all looking forward to the April 29 episode, aren’t we?

FlashForward returns March 18 on ABC.

As we all start getting pumped for 24 season 8 to begin, talk about a potential season 9 is already making waves.  Keifer Sutherland (24’s Jack Bauer) told reporters that he is  “absolutely open” to making another season if the fans want it.  Sutherland: “I’ve always said that as long as people wanted us to make it , and people were really interested in watching it, I would be interested.  There are a lot of components involved.  Right now my focus is on finishing season 8.”  FOX’s Reilly: “Collectively, we just made a decision to launch the season [first] and then sit down in the next four to six weeks.  But my sense is Kiefer will want to keep it going.”  Executive producer Howard Gordon: “The way I’ve looked at it is that every single season [finale] could have been a series ender.  We just want to take it across the line credibly and then let the [other part] take care of itself.  As long as Jack’s not dead, anything is possible.”  Hell yeah!  Sounds like season 9 is a definite possibility.  And don’t forget a 24 movie is in the works after the show ends.

24, Day 8 premieres Sunday, January 17 on FOX.

As for the future of V…no one knows yet.  ABC’s McPherson was not keen on running such a short first “pod” of episodes this past fall, but due to production issues the show was forced to limit itself to four initial episodes.  ABC plans on airing uninterrupted episodes of V starting in March which will run to its finale in May so that they can “turn [it] into an event.”  As long as there’s more Ana, I’m hooked!

V returns March 30 on ABC.

Check back here for the latest news in popular network TV series; I’ll make sure to update when they are renewed or cancelled and when their premieres and finales are televised.

[Via EW, here, here, here, here & here; IGN, here, here, here & here]

Continue reading Glee, Modern Family renewed; what about Fringe, Heroes, FlashForward, 24, & V? →

Pick a side: Conan O’Brien vs. NBC (+ Leno)

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This past week in entertainment has been filled with rumors and speculation about the late night debacle at NBC.  Leno’s show failed, O’Brien is being forced to a later timeslot; where does this leave Fallon and Carson Daily?  I’ve scoured through the facts and the rumors to present to you the latest details in the war between Conan O’Brien and NBC.

Conan O’Brien took over The Tonight Showon June 1, 2009.  Jay Leno gracefully bit adieu the 11:35PM timeslot and O’Brien has continued to pump out the funny to this day.  I wish this is where the story ended, but then I wouldn’t have anything to report, right?  After Leno’s departure NBC decided to green light an “experimental” late night talk show with Leno at the 10PM timeslot.  Having The Jay Leno Show air 5 days a week at the 10PM spot was a major cost cutting move for NBC.  Airing this show instead of different scripted drama series (like the other networks do) saved NBC a ton of money.  After about four months, though, NBC declared this experiment a failure.  Though The Jay Leno Show had some people watching, its weak ratings (compared to other networks) were negatively affecting local affiliates who air 11PM newscasts.  Leno’s weak ratings made for a bad lead-in for these newscasts and this is why the top dogs at NBC decided the show must end and be replaced with standard scripted programming.  Again I wish the story ended here, but it does not.

After February 12 The Jay Leno Showwill halt production.  Jeff Gaspin, NBC Universal’s Chairman of Television Entertainment, proposed a plan that has the late night hosts (and the general public) in a scuffle.  The new plan is to have Leno come back to late night TV with a show at 11:35PM in a half hour format, bumping O’Brien to 12:05AM and Fallon to 1:05AM.  Carson Daily, of course, would likely be finished.  O’Brien is not taking this news well, and he has every right to feel this way.  He was given the prestigious job to host The Tonight Show, following the late great Johnny Carson and Jay Leno.  Just because NBC’s experiment with Leno failed, this does not give them a right to push O’Brien and The Tonight Show past midnight, something that has never happened in the show’s long history.  It’s about tradition and respect, and this latest proposal from NBC throws all that away.  And this is why O’Brien is angry.  O’Brien speaks to the “People of Earth”:

Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn’t the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.

So where do we stand now?  O’Brien has publicly stated that he will not move to the 12:05PM timeslot.  If NBC decides to go ahead with their current proposal, O’Brien leaves.  AND THIS CANNOT HAPPEN.  NBC really wants to keep Leno and O’Brien, so they better think of something fast.  Gapun on the sticky situation: “What’s important to Jay is telling jokes at 11:30. What’s really important to Conan is The Tonight Show. I couldn’t satisfy both 100%. That’s why I came up with this compromise.”  In my opinion, Leno should be a gentleman like he was when he past the baton to O’Brien at the end of his tenure at The Tonight Show.  His 10PM show was a flop; he should accept this and move on.  But Leno loves two things in life: cars and telling jokes at 11:35PM.  If he gets what he wants we lose O’Brien.  AND THIS CANNOT HAPPEN.  Sure, O’Brien lost a percentage of older viewers from the Leno era, but he dominates the coveted 18-to-49 demographic for advertisers.  And he is so damn funny.  (There’s been speculation that FOX is interested in picking up O’Brien if NBC loses him.)

It’s interesting how people are taking sides on the matter.  “Team Conan” has been a trending topic on Twitter for days now, and even the other late night hosts are sharing their thoughts.  When it comes down to it, almost everyone is on Team Conan (including myself) and we all hope for this to be resolved soon.  Sure, watching O’Brien make fun of NBC and Leno every night has been a blast, but this situation needs to get sorted out so he can move on!  If Leno would just bow out like he should have done before the idea for his 10PM show, everything will work out.  O’Brien keeps his spot and (more importantly for O’Brien) The Tonight Show tradition carries on.  I’m on Team Conan, how about you?

Look after the break for O’Brien’s “People of Earth” letter in it entirety and a few videos of other late night hosts adding to the NBC-bashing fest.

[Via IGN, here & here; EW, here, here & here]

Continue reading Pick a side: Conan O’Brien vs. NBC (+ Leno) →

Simon Cowell to leave American Idol after this season

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This season of American Idol will be the last for judge Simon Cowell.  He is leaving because he plans to bring a version of the British hit show The X Factor to the US.  (The X Factoris the show that jumpstarted Leona Lewis’ career.)  Cowell noted that there was discussion to work on both shows at the same time but ultimately it wouldn’t work out.  Cowell will serve as both executive producer and judge on The X Factor in the States.  For those of you who think the two shows are very similar Cowell points out that “the auditions are done in quite a different way.”  Auditions are held in large auditoriums  “that fill 2000 or 3000 people” and are broadcasted live with a backing track.  Also, the age requirements are different; you must be at least 14 years old to audition and there is no age limit.  The X Factor will premiere on FOX in fall 2011.

Now the question remains–who will fill Cowell’s shoes at American Idol?  Ellen DeGeneres replaced Paula Abdul, that was easy.  It’s going to be difficult to replace Cowell; he is the face of the show and a big contributor to its iconic stardom.  FOX reps say they will find a replacement sometime in 2011 in time for season ten.  Cowell on his departure: “[I am] confident [Idol] will continue to be the number one show.  You want to leave on a high.  I’m very proud of what the show has achieved.  It’s been a fantastic time.  I think America needs a second show.  A different show.  I’m going to put my heart and soul into this [The X Factor].”

[Via IGN]