American Idol
Darnell oversaw the creation of Fox's reality crown jewel, which launched in 2002 and was TV's No. 1 series for nine consecutive seasons. The exec announced his departure from from the network following a year that featured the lowest-rated season of American Idol ever, but he insists the decision "wasn't about Idol."
"This was a personal choice. Four years ago, Idol was doing a 25- to 30-share and I was still very close to leaving. I've been here 18 years! It's not quitting, it's a decision to move that's really not about the shows. I love all those shows and I'm going to miss those people."