10. American Idol sings
At first, Fox's American
Idol seemed like just another cheesy talent show — a low-rent Star
Search retread. But as last summer rolled by, something happened: The
talent got better, the personalities of the young singers emerged as
appealing, and the turbulent chemistry among judges Simon Cowell, Paula
Abdul and Randy Jackson became impossible to ignore. By the time
all but 30 finalists had been eliminated, we were hooked. And when the field
had narrowed to 10, a national obsession had taken hold: The ultimate showdown
in early September between Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini
divided the country and conquered all competitors. American Idol was TV
at its silliest and most melodramatic. In a word, irresistible.