This cut is the deepest. On American Idol, making the Top 10 means you’ll go on the show’s summer tour, so whoever gets eliminated tonight won’t get to travel the country. Who’s movie will be cut short?
It’s a tough week to predict. The two singers who were in the Bottom 3 last week delivered my two favorite performances this week (Jena Irene and M.K. Nobilette). Another previous Bottom 3 resident, Malaya Watson, got the pimp spot. Caleb Johnson continued to rock, Sam Woolf continued to get the girls to cheer and Majesty Rose stumbled despite being constantly adorable.
For the most part, the Movie Week was a vast improvement over the mediocrity that has plagued American Idol season 13. I’d say it was the best live performance yet for several of the contestants. But that only made the failures more apparent, especially Ben Briley’s weird decision to do a 180 on his established personality by going from country to Elton John.
I predict Ben will go home because it’s never a good idea to go against your fan base, while Jeff Dodge thinks M.K. is doomed because of her past Bottom 3 appearances (but he also predicted her to go home last week). Others potentially in danger are the only two girls who have yet to be in the Bottom 3, Jessica and Majesty.
THIS…is American Idol!
Ryan Seacrest lets us know that the show has had over 6 billion votes since Idol began in season 1. Yes, that’s a “B.” Ryan also tells us that tonight’s result may surprise some of us. Ooh, maybe that means it’ll be Majesty, whom the judges will then immediately save.
Jennifer Lopez is channeling Blair Waldorf with a fancy headband.
In the post-show contestant limo ride, Jena Irene calls out Keith Urban for calling her “Jenna.” Then they talk about how Harry Connick, Jr. never gives a standing ovation, and Jessica Meuse wins my respect by saying that it’s because he takes his job super seriously.
The Results, Part 1
It’s hilarious how Randy Jackson tries to take credit for everything good that happens. Sorry, dawg, but I’m not buying it.
Caleb Johnson is…SAFE!
Dexter Roberts is…SAFE!
C.J. Harris is…SAFE!
No huge surprises. I thought C.J. might be in trouble because he performed early and was a Wild Card, but I guess those Alabama voters represent a massive portion of the audience.
“One Fine Thing” and “Come by Me” by Harry Connick, Jr.
The best judge ever (yeah, I’ll say it, I like him more than Simon Cowell or Ruth Bader Ginsburg) gets to do a medley of his songs, showing us all how to sing a song simply and beautifully. He moves to the piano for the second song, and if you don’t fall even more in love with him after this, you’re incapable of emotions. He’s so damn awesome.
The contestants are doing their impressions of the judges tonight, and Caleb wins everything for singing like Harry and making fun of his PG-rated, family-friendly films. A close second is Dexter for calling the pentatonic scale the “gin and tonic scale.”
Then Mumfarid Zaidi, aka the adorable kid Harry picked up like a baby in the auditions, shows up on his Spring Break and Harry picks him up again while Mumfarid sings (better than several actual finalists, BTW).
The Results, Part 2
Malaya Watson is…SAFE!
M.K. Nobilette is…SAFE!
Ben Briley is…IN THE BOTTOM 3!
Majesty Rose is…IN THE BOTTOM 3!
Hooray for M.K.! Sorry, Jeff, but I’m happy she’s finally out of the Bottom 3. And seeing as how Ben and Majesty had my two worst performances in my rankings, this isn’t particularly surprising. I’m happy there’s finally a dude in the Bottom 3, and this means that Jessica is the only woman this season who has yet to be in the bottom (though that might change in a few minutes).
Caleb also dominates the J. Lo impressions with a thick Puerto Rican accent while C.J. refuses to mock her.
“Beautiful” by Mali Music
This is J. Lo’s personal pick. He’s fine, but the song isn’t that memorable or catchy. It’s too low-key for me. That’s followed by a preview of J. Lo’s new video of a song she’ll sing next week, “I Luh Ya Papi” (that means “I love you, papi”). The video is just her surrounded by a ton of hot dudes in speedos.
The Results, Part 3
Jessica Meuse is…SAFE!
Alex Preston is…SAFE!
Jena Irene is…SAFE!
Sam Woolf is…IN THE BOTTOM 3!
Wow, the cute boy that the teen girls love is in danger? That’s a bit of a surprise, as is the fact that none of these Bottom 3 have been in the bottom before. It also means performance order matters because they were all in the first half of the show, as were all of the Bottom 3 contestants in the past two weeks. Every week, the last five singers to perform have been safe.
The Final Results
Sam Woolf is…SAFE!
Ryan tells us that 0.07 percent separated the bottom two.
Majesty Rose is…SAFE!
Ben Briley is…ELIMINATED!
Well, despite two shocking people in the Bottom 3, the end result is unsurprising and exactly what I predicted. And I have to assume this will only help Sam and Majesty’s supporters vote even harder next week.
Ben sings Grace Potter’s “Stars” for the Save. Is this the only song contestants are allowed to sing for the Save? It’s not particularly good and I wouldn’t waste it on him.
The Judges…DO NOT USE THE SAVE!
A guy is finally gone, which evens up the genders in the Top 10. And half of them have already been in the Bottom 3 (it’s six if you count the fact that C.J. had to be a Wild Card).
Next week American Idol gets very, very modern with songs from the current Billboard Hot 100. I’ll have to brush up on my radio hits. Oh, and if anyone sings “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons, I will literally buy a plane ticket, fly to Los Angeles, track that contestant down and slap them in the face as hard as I possibly can.
(Image courtesy of FOX)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.
