Okay, tonight we learn who will be the American Idol 9 Top 3 and watch as one person's dreams are dashed. Or not? At least whoever is eliminated this week will have a chance to watch Chris Daughtry, the most famous Top 4 bootee, perform.
The cold opening features yet another mishmosh of video clips and inspirational words from the Top 4. Ryan intros the judges and lets us know 37 million votes came in Tuesday night. Bon Jovi, Fantasia, and Daughtry (who knows all about the Top 4) are performing tonight. With no time to waste, we get right to Fantasia, the first performer.
Fantasia sings her new single "Bittersweet." Tasia's looking a bit like Mary J. Blige - nowhere near as strange as she did the last time she performed on the show (remember Simon's look of stupificaton?). She's wearing skin tight leather pants and a white jacket, and her hair is "Justin Bieber-ish!" The song isn't half bad either. She might actually have an R&B hit on her hands?Fantasia talks about her album. It's been three years since her last one and she thinks that's too long. She tells Ryan it's all soul and she's written several songs for it. Her daughter is now nine and Fantasia says she's a little taller than Simon. Good one!
We return from the break. The Top 4 are sitting on individual stools. We see the Ford music video. They are driving a Ford Fiesta "around the world." Mike looks huge in this car! It is odd to see just four of them. They still seem to get a kick out of watching themselves on video.
Ryan reminds us that those who make the cut to the Top 3 get to go home. We have a chance to watch some of the former contestants' homecomings (even Taylor)! It's pretty emotional, really, seeing them all tearing up. Nice little montage of the various Idols performing and even a clip of Elliott's mother in the parade. We heart Claudette Yamin.
The Top 4 speculate on what they're going to do if they have a chance to go home. Michael is looking forward to seeing his puppy and Crystal wants to jam with her old bass player. Casey is looking forward to smelling Texas air and seeing his "puppy dogs."
Their families are on the couches. This is different. It's time for the first result. Ryan has Mike and Casey stand up. Ryan reads the cards. Crystal looks very nervous. Ryan wants to know who picked "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman." Michael did. Casey says he had another song in mind, but Mike was so excited about it, he deferred.
Ryan reads Lee and Crystal's cards. Crystal says they picked their song because Once is her favorite movie. She encouraged Lee to watch it and when they learned it was movie week, she knew immediately that was the song they should do for their duet. "After the nationwide vote, Casey, you are safe and in the Top 3." Wow. That means Mike is a goner. I'm surprised they didn't hold that one until the end.
Daughtry is up next performing their new single, "September." Not a Daughtry fan, never have been. Don't like his voice (Casey take notes on the goaty vibrato - it's served Daughtry well). The song sounds like every other Daughtry song to me, a little slower. I think I'd better quit while I'm ahead.
The audience goes wild. Ryan asks Chris how it feels to step into an arena. He says it's still amazing to him. The song reminds him of the simplicity of his childhood. Ryan asks Ellen what the Top 3 can learn from watching Daughtry perform. She says, "I'm so proud of y'all. Just give us that 100 percent." Randy says Chris is living the dream and loves when these contestants come back. Chris tells the Top 3 to "stay hungry" and not to compromise the music that they love. Really? Ryan disses Big Mike about staying hungry. I don't think Big Mike has to worry, though. There's no way either Crystal or Lee is going home. No way.
More results. Ryan starts with Michael. He looks like he knows he's out. Kara says she was looking for something like "This Woman's Work." Michael says it was a tough song for him because MJ makes it sound effortless. Lee is next. he looks like he's going to be physically ill. Ryan asks if he thought the criticism was valid. Lee doesn't think his performance was karaoke, but could have done more with the arrangement. He's happy with what he did and is hoping to move forward. Funny when Idol started out as nothing more than a glorified karaoke contest that now that word is so feared and dreaded!
Crystal is next. Ryan asks Simon how he saw her redeeming herself. He says he thought it was a much better performance and this was the artist they fell in love with. Finally, Ryan announces the next person who is safe.
"After the nationwide vote, Mike hang tight for a minute. Lee, friends, Lee is heading back to Chicago." Michael is definitely out. No way is Crystal going home. Not happening.
Bon Jovi is up next singing "Superman Tonight." And this is relevant how? Jon looks like he's wearing a Justin Bieber wig. Love the shirt open to "here" and the medallion. So 80s, so not cool. What's with the twang all of a sudden? Blech.
Ryan wonders how the band can continue to do this year after year. JBJ says they've "crossed generations" and are still humbled. More results on the other side of the break.
Okay, it's an intense moment on the stage. Ryan wonders what Lee and Casey have been talking about. Lee says he's taking it all in, but then he's feeling for Michael and Crystral. Casey says when Ryan said his name he was ready to go sing his swan song. Silly goaty goose, haven't you learned by now that the elimination is always at the end of the show? Do you get the feeling Casey's not the brightest goat in the herd?
Finally, we dim the lights for the decision maker. This is so stupidly non-dramatic. Why didn't they leave it between Casey and Michael? Sheesh. As Crystal and Big Mike cling to one another, Ryan speaks solemnly. "The person who is in the Top 3 after the nationwide vote is... Crystal." OMG Crystal is safe. Heh!
Crystal goes over to the couches and hugs her boyfriend. Michael says it's been unbelievable. He thanks God for the judges' save. His wife is crying. We see the video of Mike's strange Idol journey, starting with the birth of his baby. Love watching him bench press Aaron!
After Michael sings "Will You Be There" again, he hugs the judges. Randy tells him this is a "jumping off point." The show closes with Michael holding his baby who starts crying. Appropriate I must say.
Well, there you go. No surprises this year! Two more weeks of this! Can you stand it?
No comments:
Post a Comment