What You Can Expect from the New "Ameican Idol"

PASADENA, Calif. (CBS/AP) "American Idol" without the acid?

Now that Simon Cowell is gone, nobody is ready to claim the villain's role on "American Idol," according to comments the new judges made Tuesday during a presentation for TV critics.

PICTURES: Stars on The TCA Tour

The TCA tour, which runs for several days in California, gives networks a chance to showcase for critics their new mid-season offerings.

New "Idol" judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler told reporters Tuesday that they're looking forward to using their experience to help guide new artists. The series is set to begin its 10th season on Jan. 19, with only Randy Jackson left from the original cast of judges.

Changes in "Idol" include extending the "Hollywood Week" auditions to cut the semifinalist field to a smaller number, 20, which gives the voting audience fewer singers to choose as finalists, and allowing contestants to perform their own material.

The judges will also choose "Wild Card"' finalists again, though Lythgoe said after the conference that it hadn't been determined how many finalists the panel would pick. He teased that the first theme would likely be the 1980s, and he expected future themes to be that broad. He also said he wasn't interested in inviting celebrities to mentor contestants.

In earlier panels, critics heard from execs and stars at, among other networks, CBS, which announced the "Survivor" cast, ABC Family, which is renewing "Pretty Little Liars," MTV which plans to hand out comedy awards and HBO, which is promoting its made-for-TV movies.