Aired 3/18/09
Bunny: We find out tonight who fared well during country music week and who got chewed up and spit out. The ten who survive tonight will be on the American Idol tour this summer.
There's another fairly lyric-heavy song for this week's group number: “T-R-O-U-B-L-E.” Scott is playing the piano, which makes it unnecessary for him to learn complicated and cheesy choreography. This is the best country song they could come up with for the group performance? No offense to Travis Tritt, but it's no wonder that so many Idol fans hate country week and aren't terribly open to listening to it before pronouncing negative judgment, if this is what they view as representative of the genre.
During the commercial break, we get to see Kristen McNamara's original audition, which makes us remember how many truly talented contestants there were who were cut prior to the finals so that The Chosen Ones could get in. Salt. Wound. Ow.
The Ford music video features the Idols singing “Here It Goes Again” and has them throwing water balloons at each other. Getting in the spirit, Ryan launches one at Simon and hits the audience member behind him. Oops.
Then there's footage of the group having a final send-off dinner with last week's bootees, Jasmine and Jorge, which is sweet. Jorge reminds them all that they aren't the only ones who will be eliminated!
Ryan asks Alexis how she feels about the emotional toll of seeing friends get voted off. She doesn't feel good about it, Ry. Michael Sarver talks about how his little daughter thinks he doesn't want to be with her anymore. Oh, man. Ryan asks Megan if she's feeling better; she is. Fearing that she is still contagious, he jokingly moves his podium a little farther from the group to begin dishing out results.
Danny Gokey is safe, of course. Lil Rounds is too. Anoop Desai breathes a sigh of relief; he is safe as well.
Allison Iraheta and Michael Sarver stand up to hear their fate. After some Paulababble about which one she thinks is in the bottom 3, she finally admits it's probably Allison. Ryan reveals that Allison is, indeed, the one. However, his next move is to tell a relieved Michael, who has already sat down, that actually, he's in the bottom 3 as well. That's cold, Idol. Ice cold. Sometimes I hate this show.
After the break, Brad Paisley performs his new single, “Then.” 
It's not a particularly exciting song, but it has a very touching message. And we're back to commercial.
Time for more results. Scott MacIntyre is teased a bit and then told he's safe. Megan Joy is safe, keeping the dream alive that my pick may survive longer than Burke's (Michael). Matt Giraud is also safe.
Kris Allen stands and hears the good news that he is safe. So it's down to Alexis Grace and Adam Lambert. Simon says Adam's performance was even worse when he watched it back on tape. At least Adam seems to have a sense of humor about Simon's opinion. Randy gets Allison and Alexis confused. Ryan tells Alexis she is in the bottom 3. Shortly afterward, he sends Allison (the real Allison) back to safety.
After a Carrie Underwood clip package, she sings “I Told You So” (beautifully) with Randy Travis, which was actually taped last night after the performance show. Randy sounds a little rough, but that could be just because he's singing with Carrie, she of the pure and smooth vocals.
Ryan asks Simon if they would consider using their Save on Michael or Alexis. He says yes, for one of them. It's obvious that Alexis thinks he's referring to her and Michael knows it's not him.
Now it's time for the final judgment: Michael is ... safe. I like him, but WHAT? Alexis now has to sing for her survival because Simon says it was her they were considering saving. But no pressure, Alexis. She stands directly in front of the judges for a verse. She sounds shaky, but who wouldn't? I don't think it's going to be enough. Besides, we all know they're saving their Save for The Chosen Ones, should they (deservedly) get in trouble later on. Bitter? Me?
Simon says it was good, but not good enough. Alexis says she has peace as she leaves, but her facial expression makes it an unconvincing reassurance.
So Alexis Grace joins Charles Grigsby, Matthew Rogers, Mikalah Gordon, Kevin Covais, Stephanie Edwards, and Amanda Overmyer from Season 2 through 7, respectively, as an 11th-place finisher, thus missing out on the tour. (There was only a top 10 in Season 1.) Funny that Alexis, one of the contestants viewed as least likely to have a problem with country week, is ousted that very week. Just shows how unpredictable this reality business is.
SCORES
Bunny: 0/1
Wrong about Scott MacIntyre
(Bunny's Bomb: 0/1)
Burke: 0/1
Wrong about Michael Sarver
(Burke's Turkey: 0/1)
Prognosticats: 0/1
Wrong about Anoop Desai
(Hairball: 0/1)
Bunny: Well, as disappointing as this week has been, we'll be back at it next week—Wednesday-Thursday instead of Tuesday-Wednesday because of a presidential address or something, I didn't catch the whole sentence. See you then!
{ 1 comment }
Why am I not surprised? Too bad — she could have been the pick from “Vote For The Worst” — look what they did to save Megan Joy “Caw Caw” Corkrey! Alexis is boring and forgettable. At least Mikaylah has been on TV shows, including a very convincing performance as a pop diva on “The Unit” (CBS). I don’t think we’ll ever see Alexis again: she won’t be on The Tour and maybe she can take care of raising her child!