The Top 13

Hollie: number one because she sang the song perfectly and still had gas in the tank for more (see Jessica). It's no contest to us that's she's better than Jessica, but for some reason they're pimping the hell out of JS, so it makes us root for Hollie more. Maybe Henry Higgins can mentor her for Rubbertoe :)

Jessica: good performance, no doubt, but Geezus the hype! Unlike Hollie, she always sounds link she's a microsecond away from blowing a gasket on the big notes. I told Dr. L she was a couple bagpipes away from Lee DeWyze territory with the mega-pimp package.

Skyler: kind of the whole package, but a little too "Kountry" for me. Undeniably a front-runner. She could take the whole thing. Funny that they pointed out she has two modes: soft and Full Blast. This is the year of the Pocket Diva.

BTW, I really like watching Jimmy and Mary J, it has made me think the "reinvention" of Idol post-Simon & Crew has actually lent a shred more musical credibility to the proceedings. What do you think?

Joshua: really, one of the (if not the) best voices here, but something sounded odd on his mix; I imagine he sounded better in person. You never know with Idol and sound -- if my ears didn't deceive me JLo's mic sounded "tinny" early on, too.

Colton: This kid might go all the way to the finale -- but he's got to find his balance.

Erika: really big voice, but seems reserved. Why? And holy crap, the worst styling of the show. Her dresses look like purses hung over her neck.

Heejun: always amazed at the incongruity of his goofy shtick and his sweet voice. But is he always going to sing the dreary ballads?

Jeremy: We don't get this kid, either. Seems nice enough, but has a "who cares" voice. Cannon fodder.

Deandre: He's growing on me, but this performance was all over the place. Seems to have a great personality, though. The falsetto is going to get on my nerves, just like:

Phil Phil: doing the one version of every song he can. You can't say it was "bad", so much as "ug, DMB again?"
How can they even say he's singing? The only benefit of him going forward is to see how he butchers the upcoming themes. (He should have had to sing Whitney's Greatest Love of All LOL)

Jermaine: Kind of the same here as PP, this guy is going to Barry/Luther the F out of every song. Worth it, though, to see him dwarf Ryan by comparison. I have a theory that Jermaine and Shannon are the REAL reason behind Ryan's pouffy pompadour LOL.

Elise: Sadly, I was expecting more from her. One of the most interesting voices here, but perhaps crippled by nerves or inexperience. She seemed pissed that they "took" her song choice. I think they made the right call -- if she would have embraced it with the right attitude. She did not.

Shannon: just flat out horrible. But I have not sympathy for her, she reminds me of Ayla Brown: pretty amazon, robot performance, rich family to fall back on. This performance was not much better than what's-her-name's Eurythmics debacle last time. The only straight-up undeniable fail of the night.

All in all, we felt, for a show that seems to WANT a female winner, they sure throw the girls under the bus.

The worst of the night was Shannon, and she may suffer the IBW syndrome and go home. Same for Elise. I think Jermaine is on the brink but might be saved by the same voters who loved Ruben.
We think Jeremy and Shannon may be in trouble tonight.

Then again, what's up with the "Judge's Choice"? When I heard it, I thought of Pia, from last year. I think they thought she was safe, and wasted a Judge's Save on goofy-ass Casey. This year, I think they are unabashedly going to manipulate the crap out of the proceedings to engineer a winner they choose.
----

OUR SEASON ORDER PREDICTIONS:
(could be way off base, but...)

Shannon MiGraine
Elise Testone
Jeremy Rosado
Jermaine Jones
Heejun Han
Erika Van Pelt
Deandre Brackensick
Joshua Ledet
Phillip Phillips Phillipsy
Jessica Sanchez (shocker!)
Hollie Cavanaugh
(with a finale of)
Colton Dixon
Skylar Laine
(two of the unlikeliest real names I've ever heard)
----
Dr. L & K