‘Star Search’ Revival Coming to Netflix in January

From 1983 to 1995, Star Search launched the careers of stars like Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Dave Chappelle, and Adam Sandler. Netflix is rebooting the series, with host Anthony Anderson.

The new version of Star Search will premiere on Netflix Jan. 13 and will air live on the platform Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The series will feature a broad pool of talent: comedians, musicians, dancers, and kids’ acts. Everything will happen live on-air, including voting and elimination.

“The live voting feature is a total game-changer,” host Anderson told Netflix’s blog Tudum. “Knowing that fans from all over the world can cast their votes in real time adds a whole new layer of excitement and participation to the mix. It’s like we’re all part of the show and get to be one of the judges.”

Star Search was hosted by Ed McMahon during its heyday and featured competitors in categories like female singer, male singer, junior singer, teen singer, group vocal, comedy, and more. Actors Billy Porter and Brad Garrett were early winners on the show (Porter as a singer and Garrett as a comedian). Beyoncé, Spears, Timberlake, and other Nineties-launched pop sensations went on as children. Other notable names who competed on the series include Kevin James, Alanis Morissette, Aaliyah, and Usher.

Netflix’s Star Search is technically the second revival of the series. It was first brought back in 2003 in the wake of American Idol‘s runaway success. Arsenio Hall hosted the show and it featured a panel of four judges, including Ben Stein and Naomi Judd. The series ran for four seasons between 2003 and 2004.