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When Nigel Lythgoe quit as executive producer of "American Idol" after Season 8, he had no intention of returning to the show.

How can you top the David Cook-David Archuleta finale?

Actually, he decided in 2008 to concentrate on his dance-show franchise.

"I gave it up so I could concentrate on building 'So You Think You Can Dance' up around the world," Lythgoe said while in Salt Lake City for "SYTYCD" auditions. "We opened it up in Canada, Australia, South Africa, the Ukraine. It was terrific fun."

Then "Idol" officials asked him to return for Season 10. And Lythogoe liked the idea.

"It needs a shake-up, especially now that we're losing the star, Simon Cowell," he said. "It's a time where you can be creative and you're not just following a format that has been there."

In a way, Lythgoe has turned "American Idol" into something more akin to "So You Think You Can Dance." The show has concentrated more on individual stories, and the judges haven't been as tough on contestants as Cowell was.

But Lythgoe's most obvious contribution was the selection of new judges — choices that have worked out better than anyone expected. Jennifer Lopez has been empathetic, even nurturing, without becoming cloying.

And Steven Tyler is hilarious and entertaining. It's difficult to imagine any other 62-year-old man who could get away with flirting with teenage girls without it being totally creepy.

It's just sort of creepy.

"Obviously, the judges needed to be really good this year — especially with the loss of Simon, who is irreplaceable. We decided we wouldn't [go the] same route, but we were going to go in an entirely different direction so there couldn't be a comparison," Lythgoe said.

While "American Idol" has gotten a good deal of critical praise for Season 10, Lythgoe has not been able to stop "Idol's" ratings slide. The numbers are down about 10 percent from a year ago. But it remains by far the most-watched TV show in America.

"The viewing figures have held up brilliantly considering we're in our 10th season. We have lost our two main stars, —that's Paula [Abdul] and Simon," Lythgoe said.

Lythgoe believes the real test for the reconstituted "American Idol" has yet to come. This is a big week for the show, with episodes Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (7 p.m., Fox/Ch. 13) that will give us this year's finalists.

"The story of 'American Idol' really only starts once you've got America's top 10," Lythgoe said. "That's when you've got to start making the decisions of who you like and who you don't like. Otherwise, it's too early to invest."

Scott D. Pierce's column appears Mondays and Fridays in The Mix. He can be reached at spierce@sltrib.com or 801-257-8603. Check out the TV or not TV blog at sltrib.com/blogs/tv.