What twist is lurking for ‘American Idol’?

“American Idol” is nothing if not familiar, and outside of the competition itself, the show is predictable. The contestants change, but everything from Simon Cowell’s insults to the repetitive theme music have stayed nearly the same since the first season.

But for this upcoming sixth season, an executive producer for the show told the New York Daily News that producers are planning “a big-event show, sometime in the middle of the season, something that will blow America away.”

Naturally, she didn’t elaborate, and thus the speculation began.

What will the surprise be? What will be enough to truly blow us away? Here are some ideas: some serious, some ridiculous, and some that are little more than wishful thinking.

Give past contestants a second chance
The Boston Globe’s Joanna Weiss recently suggested that the show “take a page from ‘Project Runway’ and bring back a rejected contestant or two — someone beloved by fans, or perhaps somebody hated. Maybe even a rejected contestant from a previous season.”

That, of course, wouldn’t be all that unusual for “American Idol,” which in its first season, brought back five “wild card” contestants who’d been eliminated earlier. Of those, RJ Helton advanced and joined the top 10 finalists; he went on to place fifth overall. Still, Weiss’ suggestion that contestants from years past — like popular Chris Daughtry from last season, for example — could get a second chance would certainly shock America.

Building off her idea, perhaps a number of those who’ve been eliminated will come back for one episode, and then viewers will vote to let one join this year’s competition as a finalist, a sort of wild-card competition but with alumni candidates, and viewers in charge.

Some of those who’ve unexpectedly lost or been eliminated have gone on to successful careers, so it’s doubtful that contestants such as Clay Aiken, Jennifer Hudson (who was recently nominated for a Golden Globe), or even Chris Daughtry (who now has a record out) would return to the show. But if they or others did, it would certainly be the type of event that producers are hinting about.

Let viewers fire the judges for a week
The most shocking part of every season of “American Idol” are the unexpected eliminations; the only people on the stage who are safe are judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson, and host Ryan Seacrest. America would really be surprised, then, if Ryan Seacrest announced that viewers could vote to eliminate a judge.

Since they’re all under contract and unlikely to be really fired unless they do something inappropriate, perhaps viewers could be allowed to select one judge who’d have to wear a muzzle for an entire episode. Just think: No allegedly witty, biting cutdowns from Simon Cowell; no noncommittal “dawg, you did your thing” from Randy Jackson; or no whining, sycophantic praise from Paula Abdul. It’d be a gift to America.

Perhaps that muzzled/fired judge could be replaced for a week by a past contestant like Justin Guarini, who doesn’t seem to have anything better to do with his time. Or perhaps even a viewer could sit at the big table and drink out of the sponsored cups.

Taking the idea one step further, the entire panel of judges could be replaced for a week, maybe with a mix of industry experts, past contestants, and viewers. The real judges could watch the action from the side of the stage, enclosed inside a glass box so we can’t hear a word they’re saying.

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