The season is upon us, dear readers! No, not that season. (And please for the love of Clay Aiken, take down your tree already; it’s practically February!)

We’ve suffered through almost eight months of “off-season” fare, and while “Jersey Shore” certainly runs a close second, we all know that there is no show, reality or otherwise, that compares to our beloved “American Idol.” And there is no judge who can compare to our beloved Simon Cowell. (He can tell me I’m dreadful anytime!)

Handcuffs.  Bank robberies.  Pants on the ground.  No, it’s not the latest installment of “Steven Seagal: Lawman.” It’s the audition phase of “American Idol.”  If the past few shows are any indication, it looks like 2010 may be the “Season of the Story.”

You know what I mean by “stories.” Good stories secure Golden Tickets for the borderline singers and make us root for the underdogs.

The Dallas and Los Angeles audition legs of “AI” have spawned many a pop star (Kelly Clarkson! Adam Lambert!). This year, though, the most memorable things about these cities were the guest judges, not the contestants. It’s always interesting to see the personality behind the image (or behind the eyebrows, in the case of Joe Jonas).  It’s even more interesting when you’re surprised at what you discover.