Every year, someone at FOX gets the idea to slightly (or hell, strongly) tweak the country’s most popular show. One year it’s a difference at Hollywood Week, an emphasis on back story or even the addition of musical instruments. This year, American Idol will be truly fundamentally different for the first time. What can fans expect from the new season?

In addition to a new judge at the table (a shocking casting decision which will dramatically change the chemistry of the show), FOX promises this year’s contestants will be even more “emotional.” If you didn’t get enough tears out of Brooke White last year, this news is sure to please.

Mike Darnell, one of the network’s many presidents, has told reporters that the show will be even more “real” and “intimate” in the upcoming season. “It’s going back to letting the kids be more emotional and seeing more of their reality,” he explained in a recent interview.  “We’re going to allow the public to see a little more of their emotional state.”

When emotions come into play, judge Paula Abdul’s name rises immediately to the surface. Some sources say this tear-infused format will play to the pop star’s strengths, which certainly don’t lie in gauging technical merit. After a serious mid-season flub last year and the addition of a younger female to the permanent cast, Abdul has been the target of many rumors and gossip concerning her future on the show. But if emotion is going to reign, Abdul is expected to shine in the upcoming season.

Why all the changes for the country’s most successful show? Though still the king of prime time, Idol’s ratings were down 9% last season - something not to be tolerated by FOX execs.

This year, fans can look forward to more tears, more drama and more “message” songs, a la David Archuleta last year. Give FOX enough room, and they’re sure to kill this hit reality series.

(You can find all the American Idol 8 posts here.)