Is “American Idol” exactly what we need after a long day of fretting about microbes, about relatives in other towns, about the fabric used in medical face masks and the very fabric of society?
I’m not ashamed to say I’ve been finding it so. The young-person-with-talent-and-a-dream story is the oldest trope in show business. It is the very essence of show business. And the sing-off “Idol,” despite its many, many flaws in almost two decades on the air, does a pretty brilliant job distilling that dream to its essence.
I’ve watched “Idol” off and on since it premiered on Fox back in 2002 and was, for a time, a nationwide sensation. It produced the superstars Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson, and it was, among other charms, perfect whole-family viewing. If you gave yourself half a chance to get hooked, you would get hooked, especially during the live competition rounds that winnowed the warblers down to one champion.
Currently in its third revival season on ABC, the show doesn’t have the same bite from the judges’ chairs as the original. Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan are more prone to standing ovations than eviscerations. Some of Perry’s almost comically baroque outfits make it a mild wonder that she is able to stand.
Monday’s episode (7 p.m., ABC, WLS-Ch. 7), recorded ahead of the global coronavirus crisis, is the last part of “Hollywood Week,” which thins the herd of singers skilled or charming enough to make it out of the regional auditions. At two hours, yes, these shows are at least a third too long. I recommend recording so you can fast forward through some of the overhyped backstage drama or the compelling personal stories, usually involving death, disease or drugs, that producers already blanket-covered during the audition episodes.
To my mind, though, “Idol’s” relatively unadorned format — stand up on stage and sing — has it all over the more gimmicky singing competitions that have come along since: “The Voice” (also airing Monday) and “The Masked Singer,” to name two. “Idol” doesn’t need “teams” or cosplay and trumped-up mysteries, just the essential question of who can deliver charismatic performances under the spotlights.
But the show is not immune to the real world. Two more episodes, shot at a Hawaii resort owned by ABC corporate partner Disney, of course, air next week. After that, the best part, the live singing, was to have started in April. But Billboard reported the show sent its singers home earlier this month out of coronavirus caution and there has been no word on when the season might resume.
But you can enjoy these next few episodes to develop a rooting interest in a few of the hopefuls should they return to croon again and more important, to get a respite from the real world.
Twitter @StevenKJohnson
Additional Monday highlights from Tribune News Service
SERIES
The Voice
The Battle rounds commence in this new episode. 7 p.m. NBC
Supernatural
A search for the one thing that may give the Winchesters an edge against God leads Sam and Dean (Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles) to Jo’s (Alona Tal) door. Also, Castiel (Misha Collins) asks Jack (Alexander Calvert) to do the unthinkable to help the brothers. 7 p.m. CW
9-1-1
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The team responds when a viral stunt goes off the rails and a first date fails. Also, a couple’s fishing trip has turned into a disaster. Angela Bassett, Ryan Guzman and Gavin McHugh star with guest stars Bryan Safi, Shari Belafonte and Greg Evigan. 7 p.m. Fox
Cosmos: Possible Worlds
The first of two new episodes of the science-based documentary series tells the story of how an abandoned orphan’s dream opened the way to a better understanding of the architecture of thought. The second episode looks back at astronomer Carl Sagan’s early career. 8 and 8 p.m. National Geographic
Roswell, New Mexico
Liz (Jeanine Mason) is forced to put her latest experiment on hold after Rosa (Amber Midthunder) begins to struggle with her new life in Roswell. Also, Michael (Michael Vlamis) turns his attention to Maria (Heather Hemmens), who is dealing with her own family crisis. 8 p.m. CW
Better Call Saul
Kim (Rhea Seehorn) tries to slow down Jimmy’s (Bob Odenkirk) latest scheme, but it may be too late. Jonathan Banks, Michael Mando and Giancarlo Esposito also star. 8 p.m. AMC
The Plot Against America
Lindbergh’s (Ben Cole) increasingly popular campaign captures some in the Levin family in this new episode of the alternate history series. John Turturro, Winona Ryder and Morgan Spector also star. 8 p.m. HBO
Manifest
Zeke’s (Matt Long) condition deteriorates as his death date looms, so he decides to confront his past, but Saanvi (Parveen Kaur) is determined to secure a new future for him in this new episode. Also, Ben and T.J. (Josh Dallas, Garrett Wareing) are led to an unexpected loved one by a pair of linked callings, while Michaela (Melissa Roxburgh) faces a tough moral decision. 9 p.m. NBC
The Good Doctor
In the first of a two-part season finale, a massive earthquake rocks the city of San Jose, sending the hospital staff scrambling. Freddie Highmore, Nicholas Gonzalez, Richard Schiff, Antonia Thomas and Hill Harper star. 9 p.m. ABC
POV
The documentary “The Rescue List” from filmmakers Alyssa Fedele and Zachary Fink often unfolds like an engrossing adventure yarn, but it is a true account of social workers in the forests of Ghana, where they try to help two children recover from the shared trauma of a childhood enslaved to a community of fishermen on Lake Volta, the largest man-made lake on Earth. 9 p.m. PBS
Breeders
Paul and Ally (Martin Freeman, Daisy Haggard) are thrilled that Sprout, the family gerbil, has finally died but explaining the loss to Luke and Ava (George Wakeman, Jayda Eyles) is more difficult than they thought it would be in this new episode of the family comedy. 9 p.m. FX
Dispatches From Elsewhere
The team members start to notice that this “game” is starting to have a significantly deeper impact on their lives in the real world. Jason Segel, Sally Field, Eve Lindley, Andr Benjamin and Richard E. Grant star. 9:10 p.m. AMC
SPECIALS
Pandemic: What You Need to Know Issues caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic. 11 a.m. ABC
Coronavirus Crisis (N) 6 p.m. Fox
Coronavirus Pandemic Coverage (N) 9 p.m. Fox News
The Real Contagion History teaches that when it comes to new viruses, humankind is still vulnerable despite modern medicine. (N) 10 p.m. Travel
TALK SHOWS
CBS This Morning (N) 6 a.m. CBS
Today (N) 6 a.m. NBC
Good Morning America Authors Dave and Rachel Hollis; Elizabeth Stanley performs. (N) 6 a.m. ABC
Live With Kelly and Ryan Liza Koshy; Tessa Thompson discusses “Westworld”; Josh Hutcherson (“Future Man”). (N) 8 a.m. ABC
The View Sara Haines; Rahm Emanuel. (N) 9 a.m. ABC
Rachael Ray (N) 9 a.m. Fox
The Dr. Oz Show Coronavirus. (N) Noon Fox
The Kelly Clarkson Show Joel McHale; Grace Byers; Duff Goldman. (N) 1 p.m. NBC
Dr. Phil Children say their mother thinks she has influenced world events and worry she is mentally ill. 2 p.m. CBS
The Ellen DeGeneres Show Guest host Alec Baldwin; Maya Rudolph (“The Willoughbys”). (N) 2 p.m. NBC
The Real (N) 2 p.m. Fox
Conan Kristin Chenoweth. 10 p.m. TBS
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Andrew Yang. 10:35 p.m. CBS
Jimmy Kimmel Live! 10:35 p.m. ABC
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon David Beckham; Guy Fieri; Doja Cat performs. (N) 11 p.m. NBC
The Late Late Show With James Corden Tom Hanks; Mila Kunis. 11:37 a.m. CBS
Nightline Coronavirus. (N) 11:37 p.m. ABC
Late Night With Seth Meyers 12:03 a.m. NBC
A Little Late With Lilly Singh Adam DeVine. 1:04 a.m. NBC
DAYTIME MOVIES
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Green Book (2018) 7 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. Showtime
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) 7:55 a.m. Syfy
The Karate Kid (1984) 8 a.m. AMC
Grindhouse Presents: Planet Terror (2007) 8:15 a.m. IFC
The Interpreter (2005) 8:48 a.m. Starz
Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011) 9:15 a.m. HBO
The Long Voyage Home (1940) 9:15 a.m. TCM
What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993) 9:30 a.m. VH1
Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995) 9:45 a.m. Cinemax
Mission: Impossible — Fallout (2018) 10:05 a.m. EPIX
Ghostbusters (1984) 11 a.m. Freeform
The Wife (2017) 11:13 a.m. Encore
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) 11:27 a.m. Syfy
Serpico (1973) 11:30 a.m. Showtime
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) Noon FX
The Doors (1991) Noon OVA
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (2018) 12:50 p.m. HBO
In the Line of Fire (1993) 1:41 p.m. Starz
The Terminator (1984) 1:45 p.m. Showtime
Catch Me if You Can (2002) 2 p.m. TNT
Forrest Gump (1994) 2:30 p.m. Encore
The Firm (1993) 3 p.m. OVA
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) 3:23 p.m. Syfy
Green Book (2018) 3:45 p.m. Showtime
Sideways (2004) 3:51 p.m. Starz
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) 4 p.m. Freeform
Destination Tokyo (1943) 4 p.m. TCM
Lucas (1986) 4:55 p.m. Encore
Top Gun (1986) 5:30 p.m. AMC
Ice Age (2002) 6 p.m. Freeform
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) 6:25 p.m. Syfy