Photo Credit: ABC - Eric Liebowitz
American Idol has returned, with all new contestants and hopefuls singing for their spot on the show. The 2018 premiere features a whole new round of auditions and fans get to know more about the three new judges – Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. The three are icons in the music industry and are sure to attract a huge fan base. Ryan Seacrest is the only veteran in the mix, as the longtime Idol host returns once again. Since he first started hosting the show, his career has skyrocketed and he’s known as one of the hardest working people in the entertainment business.
Tonight, the show airs from 8 – 10:01 p.m. ET/PT on the ABC network and episode 2 will air tomorrow night at the same time. The official ABC synopsis of the Idol revival reads, “The gold standard of all music competition series, “American Idol,” will make its highly anticipated return to television as superstar judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie set out on a journey across the nation to discover a new crop of inspiring talent with a touch of Disney magic, as it premieres its first season at its new home on America’s network … streaming and on demand. Emmy® Award-winning host and producer Ryan Seacrest, who represents the heart and soul of the show, returns as host of the beloved series to walk with these Idol hopefuls through this adventure toward stardom.”
For those who would like to watch American Idol this season, but you do not have cable or cannot get to a television, you can watch the ABC network live via your computer, phone or streaming device by just signing up for one of the cable-free, live-TV streaming services below:
Hulu With Live TV: In addition to their extensive Netflix-like streaming library, Hulu now also offers the ability to watch a handful of live TV channels, including ABC (live in select markets). You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of ABC on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
DirecTV Now: ABC (live in select markets) is included in all four channel packages for DirecTV Now. You can just sign up for a free 7-day trial, and then you can watch the ABC network live on your computer through the DirecTV Now website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the DirecTV Now app.
Sling TV: The ABC network (live in select markets) is included in the “Sling Orange” plus “Broadcast Extra” channel package. It comes with a free 7-day trial, and you can watch on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Sling TV app.
With three different judges on the panel, there are sure to be some disagreements. But, Lionel Richie has said there haven’t yet been too many heated arguments. Richie told People, “Here’s what’s happening. We start out with 200 some odd people, let’s be honest. We took off the top layer and we also had our get-acquainted moment which is like, ‘That’s nice. Very good, don’t do that again.’ So now we’re in the second layer. As we get closer to the real deal I can almost feel that we’re going to be able to voice our opinions – I’m bringing my mace!” Perry has dubbed herself, along with Richie and Bryan, as “the dream team”.