We open with The Everly Brothers singing All I Have to Do is Dream over clips of all 12 kids. They're playing with special effects and reverb and echo, and naming each of the finalists, just in case we forgot who they are between yesterday and tonight.
Ryan enters from the audience as they fart around with St. Patrick's Day lighting. Randy is wearing a powder blue, short-sleeved tee, and a different necklace. Ellen is in a charcoal linen blazer and pale blue tee. Kara is in a purple slouchy thing with nary a sparkle in sight. Simon's in a gray v-neck sweater.
We waste time with another weird interlude between Simon and Ryan, which I think was every bit as scripted as last night's dust up. We revisit The Judge's Save, though of course they won't use it unless there's a truly shocking ouster before the Top 5.
David Cook is here to sing Jumpin' Jack Flash. He's in a black suit, red shirt, and scruffy whiskers. He either got some hair implants, or a really good rug, because his hairline is much more defined than it used to be. David says afterward, that he's glad that he isn't being judged (or eliminated) tonight, as well he should be. If he'd done that version last night, they would have branded it pure Bar Band.
We segue to the first Fordmercial of the season- all of the kids are dressed in white, driving around (usually two to a car), and throwing paint balls out the windows at each other. It's actually not too bad. And evidently, Ford paid for a lot of time tonight, because we spend another few minutes as the kids play with computers, designing customized cars, which, if I am being honest here (tm Simon), are pretty cool.
Paige is up first- she's wearing a short, white jacket, a tight blue layered tee, lots of busy belts, brown leather boots, and a purple tam. Just to fool with us, and our expectations, Ryan sends her to the Silver Stools of Disappointment.
Lee, in a canvas-looking blazer and black tee, doesn't quite understand what constitutes A Moment on this show. But he'll have time to figure it out, since he's safe.
Siobhan is wearing a hand-knit headband with a huge wooly rose, a weirdly blotchy green jeans, and a blotchy t-shirt. And she's safe.
I worry for Aaron, in his western shirt and rolled cuffs. But he's safe too.
Ryan has Andrew (in a zippered sweatshirt with sleeve stripes) and Tim (in a t-shirt that looks old, with a peeling psychedelic graphic, but which probably is brand new and very expensive), stand together. Tim, and his marginally improved hairstyle, join Paige.
Before the commercial, Ryan says that Orianthi is up next. I have no idea who Orianthi is, or, indeed, if Orianthi is male or female. Okay, she's a girl, a blonde rocker girl with smokey eye makeup, a black leather outfit, and a monster feather hanging from a hip chain. Her song, According to You, is generic rock. Not great, not terrible. She's better than some acts they have on the show, I can say that.
Didi stands next. She's in a sleeveless top and vest, lovely curls, and tan leather boots. There's something odd, construction-wise, going on with the back of the vest- it pooches, or gathers. Or something. And she's safe.
Crystal is in plaid, with tin, flowered earrings. Ryan has her explain what she made perfectly clear last night: that she does not think she has the competition locked up. We're both relieved when he says she is safe.
Katie is in a bright yellow halter top with a huge, floppy front bow, and sideswept hair. And she's safe, which is surprising.
Michael is in gray plaid, and oh my goodness, I knew he was big, but I had never quite processed exactly how big he is. I did know, however, that he would be safe.
Which leaves Casey and Lacey, and my guess is that they paired them just for the sake of the rhyme. Casey is in a denim shirt, with his hair tied back. Lacey is underdressed for her, with a huge hair flower, a gray, bibbed tunic with a high waisted leather belt, over leggings, and a metallic leaf necklace. I am not surprised that Casey is safe.
Ellen ponders the save, but I will bet the farm that it's not going to happen this week. Ryan sends Tim back to the others, and I am doubly certain that they won't use it now.
Ah, a $ after a vowell makes it a soft sound. I had been saying Key-sha. Her song is Blah Blah Blah, which we mute almost immediately while Gaga-Lite prances around the stage in her half-price Halloween costume, with her twee television-head backup dancers. An eagle feather headdress? Seriously?
And finally, the two minutes of the show that actually matter: Lacey is out, and no matter how much the judges mumblemumblemumble, they're not going to save her. She chooses to sing The Story, rather than Ruby Tuesday, which is a new wrinkle. Side note: Ruby Tuesday has the best croutons ever- soft, salty, dark, and garlicky. I could happily make a meal just from them.
Ellen is sad (maybe she didn't realize that she'd care about the kids), and Lacey is gracious and teary, though even she can't be too surprised at this. There simply wasn't room for 3 odd-voices in a single year.
I don't think Ryan said what the theme is next week. I hope it's something good.
I was shocked at David Cook's appearance. He looked pasty, his eyes were puffy, and the hair was distracting. But a little distraction didn't hurt when he began singing.I'm pretty certain that this appearance did little toward elevating his career.
ReplyDeleteThe Simon/Ryan thing is obnoxious and I wish they would knock it off.
I became aware of Orianthi when they began showing clips of Michael Jackson rehearsing for his world tour. There were scenes of her playing rock guitar while he stood by her and danced that were great visuals.
I was probably one of the few who liked Lacey and even though I knew she wouldn't go too far, I was hoping she would stick around a little longer.
Orianthi's According to You sounds better on the radio--no extended guitar solo (which is her real forte--like Casey--) and a quiet and poignant repeat of the opening line--I heard it a lot on the radio during a recent 6+ hour trip to and from Iowa.
ReplyDeleteHa, ha, "Gaga Light"--so apt. And the headdress was not PC. Performance was "meh".
I liked David's performance. I missed the cheesy group sing. Lacy should have made it to top 10 at least, though I agree that her voice and Didi's can be annoying. Paige made it on sympathy for her laryngitis. I don't know who's voting for Tim, he's very forgettable.