When the singer of a popular rock band disappears under mysterious circumstances, a contest to find a replacement soon turns from dream-come-true to waking nightmare for the young singer who hopes to take the job.
How do you turn a talent search into a phenomenon? Simple. You let America be the judge. In the summer of 2002, that's exactly what producer Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment along with FremantleMedia did for Fox Television. Beginning with an open call for auditions in seven cities across the country, American Idol judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell narrowed a field of over 10,000 pop singer wannabes to one American Idol.