How many episodes will American Idol season 22 have? Full schedule explored

American Idol season 22 first premiered on February 18, 2024, with Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie returning to the judging panel alongside show host Ryan Seacrest. The show began airing in batches and 12 installments have already been released.

The episodes are divided into four categories: auditions, Hollywood weeks, showstopper rounds, and live concerts.

Here's the full release schedule for American Idol season 22:

• Auditions — Sundays from February 18 - February 25 and March 3 - March 24
• Hollywood Weeks — From March 31 - April 1
• Showstopper Round — From April 7 - 8
• Live Concerts — From April 14 - May 6
• Season 22 Finale — May 12

So far fans have witnessed impressive stage performances by contestants as Lionel, Katy, and Luke encourage each artist to give their best. In each episode, participants are eliminated while others advance to the next round and secure their place in the competition.

As per Rotten Tomatoes, the synopsis of the series reads:

"Singers with dreams of super stardom audition and compete in a series of challenging rounds in the hope of living their childhood and lifelong dreams."

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American Idol season 22's 17-episode schedule explored

Released episodes:

American Idol season 22 started with individuals auditioning before judges Lionel, Luke, and Katy. The four-part audition week began on February 18, 2024, and ended on March 24, 2024.

Artists who received a golden ticket by the end of their audition were sent to Hollywood Week, where they performed live in front of an audience. Live performances were released biweekly from March 31, 2024, until April 1, 2024.

After the Showstopper Round, viewers witnessed the top 24 contestants travel to Hawaii, where they were mentored by Tori Kelly.

With five installments remaining, the upcoming American Idol season 22 episodes will be released on April 22, 2024, and the grand finale will air on May 12, 2024. On this week's episode, which aired on April 21, the top 12 were revealed and the list included:

• Roman Collins
• Mia Matthews
• Triston Harper
• Julia Gagnon
• Jack Blocker
• Jayna Elise
• Mckenna Breinholt
• Kaibrienne "KB" Richins
• Emmy Russell
• Abi Carter
• Will Moseley
• Sam "Kayko" Kelly-Cohen

Upcoming episodes:

On April 22, 2024 episode 13 titled Billboard #1 Hits will feature Meghan Trainor, who will mentor the top 12 contestants. Two of the 12 artists will then be eliminated and sent home.

In the next American Idol episode, the top 10 participants will compete to make it to the top 8 and get one step closer to winning the cash prize. They will take the stage and perform hit tracks from their birth years.

From episode 15, which will air on April 29, the audience's votes will directly impact each singer and their position in the competition. The second last episode titled Adele Night will be released on May 5, 2024, and contestants will be eliminated from the top 7 until the winner is announced on May 12, 2024, in episode 17.

As the finale is near, viewers are curious to learn who this season's winner will be. As per The Futon Critic, the last episode of season 22 will be a three-hour live event that will air from 8 pm EDT to 11 pm EDT.

Fans can also expect a tribute to Katy Perry, who is leaving the show after this season.

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Where to watch

Viewers can watch all the episodes of American Idol season 22 exclusively on ABC and on Hulu the next day. Additionally, DirecTV and Fubo TV are great alternatives to stream the newly released episodes. The former allows users to access multiple channels including ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX, and offers a five-day free trial. The standard monthly subscription package costs $64.99.

Fubo TV, on the other hand, charges $74.99 per month with a seven-day trial.

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Fans can stream the upcoming episode 13 on April 22, 2024.