'American Idol 11' - Carrie Underwood and Coldplay on Top 5 results show

Carrie Underwood returns to the place it all began tonight as our Top 5 become the Top 4. Coldplay will also perform on the show. Last night, I was thinking Hollie would be the one to go, but I'm beginning to think this could be Phillip's last night. Would that be a shocker? Nope. After his butchering of "The Letter" and straight-up strange rendition of "Time of the Season," all bets are off.

Cold opening shows the Idols at a photo shoot. More inspiring words on the screen. I shall not transcribe them. Little vignettes from last night. PP says they all have their time limits so he’s gonna enjoy it while he has it. Good strategy, PP.

Our friend Mr. Voiceover Man brings out the judges. Tonight, J’Lo is wearing a silver lame blouse and black pants that are so tight they look painful. Another fashion hit for our J’Lo. Ryan welcomes us to the show as the crowd goes wild. We’re inching closer to the final four, yeah, we know.

We’re doing results one by one, it would seem. Joshua is first. Jimmy says Josh’s performances are going to be tough to beat. He says the sky opened when Josh sang “To Love Somebody.” He’s still amazed that Josh could learn the song in 15 minutes and do what he did to it. Imagine Randy Jackson becoming a jockey and winning the Kentucky Derby!

Ryan asks Joshua about what kind of album he’d make. He tells him he wants something with a message that will touch people. The lights dim. Joshua laughs a little. And, he’s on to the Top 4.

Ford video sans PP again. They must be giving him the day off to recuperate on video shoot days. Ryan intros Coldplay singing “Paradise.” All their stuff sounds the same to me?

Back from the break for more results. Ryan calls Hollie and PP to the center of the stage. PP says he is nervous. You should be. We start with Hollie. I still don’t think she was all that. Jimmy says this is a critical week for Hollie. He thinks she pulled off the first song because she approached it like a pop girl. He says it was her most believable. He didn’t love “Bleeding Love” and says she was neutral. But, he thinks she’s safe.

Ryan asks Hollie where this boost of confidence came from. She says it was time to step it up.

Now for Phillip. He’s going to the bottom three or two or whatever tonight... you watch. That second song was horrendous. Jimmy commends PP for carrying on in the face of his illness. He says both songs were bland. Based on performances alone, PP is a goner, at least according to Jimmy. “After the nationwide vote, Hollie, unfortunately, you’re in the bottom two tonight.” PP is safe. Wow. Jessica looks verklempt.

Time for Carrie. Randy is blowing her kisses before she starts singing. She’s singing “Blown Away,” the title track from her new album. It’s a little different for her. Wish they’d tone down the dry ice machine. At times it seems to overtake her. And the wind machine looks like it’s up too high and bothering her eyes. Interesting to hear her sing a little more in her lower register. Not crazy about the song, but she is certainly amazing.

Ryan and Carrie chat a bit. She plugs her tour, they hug, and that’s that.

Okay, let’s get on with results. Skylar and Jessica hit center stage. We start with Skylar. Jimmy says every now and then you run into an artist who’s polite, but on the inside, they’re saying I’m gonna win. He doesn’t think she understood the lyric on “Fortunate Son.” He’s not a keen on the second song and mocks the people on the bench and the moon. He says she’s going to have to find that “crushing song” that wins the night in order to get to the finale. She thinks she needs to choose a bigger ballad.

Recap of Jessica and Randy’s “just okay” on “Proud Mary.” Jimmy says “You Are so Beautiful” was magnificent. He takes issue on “Proud Mary.” He feels she’s the best singer in the competition, but that song was a travesty. He wishes they’d talked her out of it. He criticizes her dress as being too old for her, and says the stylist torpedoed the song. He thinks this is going to hurt her. J’Lo says mid-America mihgt think her outfit was too much.

“After the nationwide vote, Jessica, I can tell you, you are one step closer to the finale. You are safe.” Skylar joins Hollie on the stools of shame.

Back from the break, J’Lo is standing with Ryan showing off her assets! She intros Coldplay.

Coldplay finishes in a hail of confetti all over Skylar and Hollie who are already in place waiting for their results. Not quite the confetti shower you were imagining, right girls? One of them is gone - which one? Hollie or Skylar. Skylar would be more of a shocker and Hollie’s been a rather permanent member of the bottom 3. Should have stuck with my original prediction, but I’m a sucker for those shockers.

Okay, back from the break. The girls are holding hands. Ryan asks Randy for his reaction. He says he’s sad because this is the best Top 5 evah. Joshua has his head in his hands. J’Lo says so many people have come up to her and tell her how much they enjoyed Wednesday’s show. Steven says they are all so great and the Top 5 has never been better.

Dim the lights. “Nearly 60 million votes have decided that the person who is going home tonight is Skylar.” Wow. Didn’t see that one coming. The judges stand as Hollie and Skylar embrace. J’Lo looks like she’s ready to cry. No worries Skylar, you’re going to be just fine. She smiles all the way through her funeral video.

Hollie is crying, of course. Skylar sings us out with “Gunpowder and Lead.”  J’Lo is wiping tears. So PP survives and Skylar is gone. I’m betting that will cause some massive consternation amongst the ‘Idol’ faithful.