ABC Premieres ‘American Idol’ Feb. 16

ABC has shared its mid-season schedule, which includes the network’s third season of American Idol kicking off Sunday, Feb. 16. Ryan Seacrest is back as host and Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie return as judges.

Before that, The Bachelor begins Jan. 6 with a three-hour premiere. Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time premieres Jan. 7.

Station 19 and Grey’s Anatomy do a two-hour cross-over Jan. 23.

The Oscars roll Feb. 9.

Drama For Life, from Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, begins Feb. 11. Jackson executive produces the legal and family drama, inspired by the life of Isaac Wright Jr. It’s about a prisoner who becomes a lawyer, litigating cases for other inmates while fighting to overturn his own life sentence for a crime he did not commit. Nicholas Pinnock, Joy Bryant and Tyla Harris are in the cast.

For Life is a co-production of Sony Pictures Television Inc. and ABC Studios.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.