Twelve finalists and/or future singers (six men and six women) who were selected from America, compete in a talent contest in which they were asked to sing any song they like on this "Star Search" clone. After each song that was sung, the judges, Abdul, Jackson and Cowell, then critique that finalist's chosen song. After each show's ending, America must vote for a finalist to whom they really think their performance is good using this AT&T (now Cingular Wireless) or any other cellular phone to cast votes with. Once the votes are locked in, the judges and America decides who has the most and the least amount of votes, and the contestant with the least amount of votes is eliminated, and it goes on each week's show until the winner is crowned as "American Idol," where he/she wins a recording contract worth up to $1,000,000. The rest of the other finalists to whom they have been voted off before (the runner-up) also get recording contracts, too.

In the original version of "The Price is Right," four contestants one a returning champion competed throughout the show. After a merchandise item was displayed (often by beautiful models aka Pretty Purchasers), the contestants, one at a time, bid on the item. Unless otherwise specified, each bid had to be higher than the previous bid; each contestant could "freeze," or stop bidding, if they believed their next bid would cause them to overbid, thus disqualifying themselves from winning the prize. The bidding continued until an undefined time limit expired. Host Cullen then announced the price of the item; the contestant who bid closest without going over won the prize (and on occassion, won either a bonus prize or got to play a bonus game). The last prize of the day usually was the most valuable and often determined the day's champion, who got to return to the next show. A special feature of the original "Price is Right" allowed home viewers to bid on special showcases. When the show moved to ABC, contestants competed against a celebrity player, who played for a home viewer.

Searching for America's favorite dancer.

On the heels of the syndicated success of "Wheel of Fortune, " producer Merv Griffin decided to return his classic quiz show-with-a-twist, "Jeopardy!" to the airwaves in 1984. It, too, was a huge success, and also marked a return to the game's tried-and-true formula of answers and questions (after a slightly-modified remake six years earlier failed to catch on). Three contestants, including a returning champion, competed. Six categories are announced (e.g., Art World, Cooking, 20th Century Republicans, "Friends" (the TV series), Muscle Men and College Girls Wearing White T-shirts), each having five answers ostensibly graded by difficulty, from $100 to $500. The champion chose a category and dollar amount (e.g., "College Girls Wearing White T-shirts for $100"), to which host Trebek reads the answer ("Inspector 12 must give her seal of approval before a college girl can wear one of these plain white T-shirts"). Contestants had to respond in question form ("What is Hanes?") ; if correct, they won the value of the question; if he/she was incorrect, failed to answer in time or phrase in the form of a question, that amount was deducted (hence, the dollar amount was "always in jeopardy") and his/her opponents could answer; having enough incorrect answers often led to negative scores. Thereafter, the contestant providing the last correct question selected next, and the process repeated; some answers made use of audio and/or video clues. Hidden behind one of the answers was a "Daily Double" space, with the contestant selecting that space able to wager up to all his/her current winnings or up to $500 if he/she had less) on the answer. After all 30 answers have been revealed (or sometimes, an undefined time limit expired), the game moved into "Double Jeopardy!" Gameplay was the same in "Double Jeopardy!" except six new categories were announced and the answers had values of $200 to $1,000 and two "Daily Double" spaces were hidden (with contestants able to wager up to $1,000 if they had less). At the end of the "Double Jeopardy!" round, all contestants with at least $1 were eligible to play "Final Jeopardy!"; however, anyone with $0 or a negative score was disqualified from further play. Trebek announced a category, and the contestants (before seeing the answer) wagered up to everything they had on their ability to answer. Contestants had 30 seconds to write what they believed was the correct question. Those who were correct had the amount they wagered added to their winnings; however, any incorrect questions or failing to phrase properly lost what they wagered. The contestant with the most cash was champion, kept his/her winnings and got to return the next day. Champions competed until they won five shows (at which point they retired undefeated and, starting in 1997, also won a new car) or until they were defeated. All five-time champions and other high-scoring contestants over a period of time participated in a Tournament of Champions, the winner earning an additional $100,000; there were also teen, college, senior and international tournaments and celebrity shows conducted (the winners of the non-celebrity tournaments also earned a spot in the Tournament of Champions). In the fall of 2001, several changes were made, including the use of a "Clue Crew" (new regulars illustrating answers in selected categories by going "on location"), and an increase in the dollar values of the answers (from $200 to $1,000 in Jeopardy! and $400 to $2,000 in Double Jeopardy!) ; another running change through the years was the addition of "celebrity guests" reading certain answers. None of the changes altered the basic game play, however.

Over the spring of 2000, sixteen average Americans (divided into two tribes which eventually merge into one) were sequestered on the deserted island of Pulau Tiga for 39 days. For their stay, they must learn to live as a tribe, although eventually, it is everyone for themselves. They compete in challenges for "luxuries" (a barbecue, a phone call home, etc.) and immunity. Every three days, the losers of the latter challenges must face tribal council, where they will account for their actions by voting one person off of the island. At the end of day 39, there will be only one survivor left who will leave the island with one million dollars. Based on the Swedish game show, "Operation Robinson."

The long-running words and numbers game.

Big Brother is the UK's biggest reality TV show and is one of the most popular talked-about shows in British TV history. Big Brother takes place entirely within the confines of the Big Brother House. It's essentially a competition between the house mates, the object of which is to be the last remaining house mate in the House. At least one house mate will leave the House every week by a process of nomination and public eviction. Housemates will nominate each other for eviction and those with the most votes from their peers face a public vote. The house mate that receives most public votes leaves the House and is out of the competition. Housemates are provided with a shopping budget each week to buy food and other necessities. Throughout the series house mates will be asked to complete tasks set by Big Brother. If the group does well in the tasks they get rewarded with a bigger shopping budget, plus special treats. On the final night of Big Brother the public vote on which house mate they want to win the show. The house mate with most votes wins a fabulous cash prize!

The best of the reality series crop is back, with 12 teams of 2 players each racing around the world, trying not to be eliminated at a series of checkpoints in which the last team to arrive is booted from the show. CBS chooses teams with relationships containing at least some tension, especially when the situation involves intense pressure. This season includes such duos as two circus clowns, a gay married couple, a father and son, a recently engaged couple, married couples, and best friends.

Based on the Dutch series, thirteen strangers who are living in a studio-like house that's filled with cameras and microphones, compete in a series of physical and mental stunts, and some challenging trivia at a chance at $500,000 in this reality soap opera-like summer program. Thirteen of those house guests live in 13 different states. America will watch every single move they compete to be the last one standing, after having twelve house guests evicted. These strangers are the contestants who think they have absolutely nothing in common, and a few are in a shock for their lives. The house guests begin to introduce other people at the Big Brother house. It's the first time they will get to know each other and they're not allowed to say not one word with them until they are in the Big Brother house. The thirteen will be living in the same house for the following two months. They may either find their best friend or worst enemy in that group; and in the end, it's one men for themselves. Then, contestants who have performed their stunts were asked to vote for the person who should be kicked out of the house (which happens to be the loser), and the guest with the most votes, is the loser and will be evicted from the Big Brother household. However, if the participant wins his/her stunts, then the player will be named "Head of the Household," for a day. The guest who stays in the house longer than anybody else does wins $500,000.

You be the judge