Aired 5/16/12

We're down to the top 3 in this eleventh season of American Idol. Tonight they will sing a song chosen by the judges, then one of their own choosing, and lastly Jimmy Iovine's pick.

As a reminder, here's how the Prognosticats rate the contestants every week:

RATING SYSTEM

Litterbox Level

Paws-itively Purr-fect

JUDGES' CHOICE

Joshua Ledet

I'd Rather Be Blind by Etta James
Zinni
Zoey 

Jessica Sanchez

My All by Mariah Carey
Zinni
Zoey 

Phillip Phillips

Beggin' by Madcon
Zinni
Zoey 

CONTESTANTS' CHOICE

Joshua Ledet

Imagine by John Lennon
Zinni
Zoey 

Jessica Sanchez

I Don't Want To Miss A Thing by Aerosmith
Zinni
Zoey 

Phillip Phillips

Disease by Matchbox Twenty
Zinni
Zoey 

JIMMY'S CHOICE

Joshua Ledet

No More Drama by Mary J. Blige
Zinni
Zoey 

Jessica Sanchez

I'll Be There by the Jackson 5
Zinni
Zoey 

Phillip Phillips

We've Got Tonight by Bob Seger
Zinni
Zoey 

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CATTICISMS

Zinni: I wonder if because Phillip's first and last names sound the same that he thinks all his songs need to sound the same too. How bad are things when the judges give him a standing O for simply sticking to the melody?

Zoey: There must be lots of "over the top" drinking games going on. Steven needs a new favorite saying. And I need an interpreter to understand what on earth he's talking about half the time. And excuse me? It doesn't matter if you hit the notes or not? Give me a break.

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Aired 5/9/12

Tonight American Idol's top 4 sing songs recorded by California artists, and for the second round they'll sing a song they wish they had written.

As a reminder, here's how the Prognosticats rate the contestants every week:

RATING SYSTEM

Litterbox Level

Paws-itively Purr-fect

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'

Phillip Phillips

Have You Ever Seen The Rain by CCR
Zinni
Zoey 

Hollie Cavanagh

Faithfully by Journey
Zinni
Zoey 

Joshua Ledet

You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban
Zinni
Zoey 

Jessica Sanchez

Steal Away by Etta James
Zinni
Zoey 

SONGS THEY WISH THEY'D WRITTEN

Phillip Phillips

Volcano by Damien Rice
Zinni
Zoey 

Hollie Cavanagh

I Can't Make You Love Me by Bonnie Raitt
Zinni
Zoey 

Joshua Ledet

It's A Man's Man's Man's World by James Brown
Zinni
Zoey 

Jessica Sanchez

And I Am Telling You by Jennifer Holliday
Zinni
Zoey 

DUOS/GROUP

Phillip and Joshua
This Love by Maroon 5
Zinni
Zoey 

Hollie and Jessica
Eternal Flame by the Bangles
Zinni
Zoey 

Phillip, Joshua, Hollie, and Jessica
Waiting For a Girl Like You by Foreigner
Zinni
Zoey 

The Prognosticats ask: Just how much filler do we really need?

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CATTICISMS

Zinni: What's J.Lo talking about? Phillip has been Joe Cocker from day one! Hollie needs just a smidgen of Skylar's performance skills and she'll be gold.

Zoey: It was kind of hard to hear the show over Randy's jacket. And why does Randy need to keep reminding us that he used to be relevant? David Cook tomorrow night! Woo!

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Aired 5/2/12

Tonight American Idol's remaining five contestants are singing one song from the '60s and one British pop hit. And the comedy duo of Jimmy Iovine and Steven Van Zandt are pretending to be mentors.

As a reminder, here's how the Prognosticats rate the contestants every week:

RATING SYSTEM

Litterbox Level

Paws-itively Purr-fect

SONGS FROM THE 1960s

Hollie Cavanagh

River Deep Mountain High by Tina Turner
Zinni
Zoey 

Phillip Phillips

The Letter by the Box Tops
Zinni
Zoey 

Skylar Laine

Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Zinni
Zoey 

Jessica Sanchez

Proud Mary by Ike and Tina Turner
Zinni
Zoey 

Joshua Ledet

Ain't Too Proud To Beg by the Temptations
Zinni
Zoey 

BRITISH POP HITS

Hollie Cavanagh

Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis
Zinni
Zoey 

Phillip Phillips

Time of the Season by the Zombies
Zinni
Zoey

Skylar Laine

You Don't Have To Say You Love Me by Dusty Springfield
Zinni
Zoey 

Jessica Sanchez

You Are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker
Zinni
Zoey

Joshua Ledet

To Love Somebody by the Bee Gees
Zinni
Zoey 

DUO/TRIO

Phillip Phillips and Joshua Ledet
You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling by the Righteous Brothers
Zinni
Zoey 

Hollie, Jessica, Skylar
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher by Jackie Wilson
Zinni
Zoey 

Get the iPhone app American Idol: The Game

CATTICISMS

Zinni: Phillip's really got to go. Like now.

Zoey: Pretty good night overall, although the standing O's for Joshua are getting old. He screams way too much.

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Aired 4/25/12

Songs by the classic rock band Queen Season will be attempted by the American Idol contestants tonight. (They will also sing a song of their own choosing.) In fact, the show starts out strangely with a medley of Queen hits sung by the top 6 and accompanied by Brian May and Roger Taylor of the original band. Feels more like a results show than a performance show.

As a reminder, here's how the Prognosticats rate the contestants every week:

RATING SYSTEM

Litterbox Level

Paws-itively Purr-fect

QUEEN SONG

Jessica Sanchez

Bohemian Rhapsody
Zinni
Zoey 

Skylar Laine

The Show Must Go On
Zinni
Zoey 

Joshua Ledet

Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Zinni
Zoey 

Elise Testone

I Want It All
Zinni
Zoey 

Phillip Phillips

Fat Bottomed Girls
Zinni
Zoey 

Hollie Cavanagh

Save Me
Zinni
Zoey 

PERSONAL CHOICE

Jessica Sanchez

Dance With My Father by Luther Vandross
Zinni
Zoey 

Skylar Laine

Tattoos On This Town by Jason Aldean
Zinni
Zoey

Joshua Ledet

Ready For Love by India.Arie
Zinni
Zoey 

Elise Testone

Bold As Love by Jimi Hendrix
Zinni
Zoey

Phillip Phillips

The Stone by the Dave Matthews Band
Zinni
Zoey 

Hollie Cavanagh

The Climb by Miley Cyrus
Zinni
Zoey 

Get the iPhone app American Idol: The Game

CATTICISMS

Zinni: This show really went south in a hurry once they had the freedom to choose any song, although a couple of them picked well.

Zoey: I have a feeling it's going to be a Jessica/Joshua finale. And who's Wallace?

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Aired 4/18/12

Season 11's American Idol contestants will be singing two songs tonight, having prepared as always with the help of the honest-to-a-fault (in a good way) Jimmy Iovine. First they'll sing a number one song from 2000 to now, and then they'll sing a soul song from "back in the day."

As a reminder, here's how the Prognosticats rate the contestants every week:

RATING SYSTEM

Litterbox Level

Paws-itively Purr-fect

CURRENT SONG

Hollie Cavanagh

Rolling in the Deep by Adele
Zinni
Zoey 

Colton Dixon

Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Zinni
Zoey 

Elise Testone

No One by Alicia Keys
Zinni
Zoey 

Phillip Phillips

You Got It Bad by Usher
Zinni
Zoey 

Jessica Sanchez

Fallin' by Alicia Keys
Zinni
Zoey 

Skylar Laine

Born This Way by Lady Gaga
Zinni
Zoey 

Joshua Ledet

I Believe by Fantasia
Zinni
Zoey 

SOUL SONG

Hollie Cavanagh

Son of a Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield
Zinni
Zoey 

Colton Dixon

September by Earth, Wind and Fire
Zinni
Zoey

Elise Testone

Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye
Zinni
Zoey 

Phillip Phillips

In the Midnight Hour by Wilson Pickett
Zinni
Zoey

Jessica Sanchez

Try a Little Tenderness by Otis Redding
Zinni
Zoey 

Skylar Laine

Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye
Zinni
Zoey

Joshua Ledet

A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke
Zinni
Zoey 

Get the iPhone app American Idol: The Game

CATTICISMS

Zinni: Wasn't Phillip in that horror movie? Oh, that wasn't him?

Zoey: Colton's all-female band is cool. Not sure I remember ever seeing that on Idol before.

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Aired 4/11/12

American Idol's top 7 are singing songs from 2010 to the present. Akon is helping Jimmy Iovine mentor the contestants.

As a reminder, here's how the Prognosticats rate the contestants every week:

RATING SYSTEM

Litterbox Level

Paws-itively Purr-fect

Skylar Laine

Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You by Kellie Pickler
Zinni
Zoey 

Colton Dixon

Love The Way You Lie by Skylar Grey
Zinni
Zoey 

Jessica Sanchez

Stuttering by Jazmine Sullivan
Zinni
Zoey 

Joshua Ledet

Runaway Baby by Bruno Mars
Zinni
Zoey 

Hollie Cavanagh

Perfect by Pink
Zinni
Zoey 

Phillip Phillips

Give A Little More by Maroon 5
Zinni
Zoey 

Elise Testone

You And I by Lady Gaga
Zinni
Zoey 

Get the iPhone app American Idol: The Game

Duos and Trio

Elise, Phillip
Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye
Zinni
Zoey

Colton, Skylar
Don't You Wanna Stay by Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson
Zinni
Zoey 

Hollie, Jessica, Joshua
Stronger by Kelly Clarkson
Zinni
Zoey

CATTICISMS

Zinni: Skylar's winning me over slowly.

Zoey: Poor Hollie can't catch a break, but it's true she needs more confidence and a little edge.

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Aired 4/4/12

American Idol's top 8 will be singing songs from the 1980s as well as some guy-girl duets. Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal are mentoring. Hopefully she'll be a little bit less "ewww" face and a little more helpful than last time.

As a reminder, here's how the Prognosticats rate the contestants every week:

RATING SYSTEM

Litterbox Level

Paws-itively Purr-fect

DeAndre Brackensick

I Like It by Debarge
Zinni
Zoey 

Elise Testone

I Want To Know What Love Is by Foreigner
Zinni
Zoey 

Phillip Phillips

That's All by Genesis
Zinni
Zoey 

Joshua Ledet

If You Don't Know Me By Now by Simply Red
Zinni
Zoey 

Jessica Sanchez

How Will I Know by Whitney Houston
Zinni
Zoey 

Hollie Cavanagh

What A Feeling (Flashdance) by Irene Cara
Zinni
Zoey 

Colton Dixon

Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper
Zinni
Zoey 

Skylar Laine

Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler
Zinni
Zoey 

Get the iPhone app American Idol: The Game

Duets

Colton, Skylar
Islands In The Stream by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers
Zinni
Zoey

Holly, DeAndre
I'm So Excited by the Pointer Sisters
Zinni
Zoey 

Phillip, Elise
Stop Draggin' My Heart Around by Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks
Zinni
Zoey

Jessica, Joshua
I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) by Aretha Franklin and George Michael
Zinni
Zoey 

CATTICISMS

Zinni: For once, Randy had something helpful to say, telling DeAndre to use his regular voice more and just enhance with the falsetto.

Zoey: The skunk on Colton's head is gone and has been replaced by Kate Gosselin.

Zinni: It's a cutting edge look, born in the '80s.

Zoey: Vein bursts in Phillip Phillips' forehead during performance, film at eleven.

Zinni: Don't sing angry, Phillip, don't sing angry.

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Aired 3/28/12

Tonight, the top 9 will be singing their idols, and apparently there will be some singing in trios as well. Apparently they needed filler. Stevie Nicks is mentoring.

As a reminder, here's how the Prognosticats rate the contestants every week:

RATING SYSTEM

Litterbox Level

Paws-itively Purr-fect

Colton Dixon

Everything by Lifehouse
Zinni
Zoey 

Skylar Laine

Gunpowder and Lead by Miranda Lambert
Zinni
Zoey 

Heejun Han

A Song for You by Donny Hathaway
Zinni
Zoey 

Hollie Cavanagh

Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood
Zinni
Zoey 

DeAndre Brackensick

Sometimes I Cry by Eric Benet
Zinni
Zoey 

Jessica Sanchez

Sweet Dreams by Beyonce
Zinni
Zoey 

Phillip Phillips

Still Rainin' by Jonny Lang
Zinni
Zoey 

Joshua Ledet

Without You by Mariah Carey
Zinni
Zoey 

Elise Testone

Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin
Zinni
Zoey 

Get the iPhone app American Idol: The Game

Trios

Colton, Elise, Phillip
Fleetwood Mac medley
Zinni
Zoey

DeAndre, Heejun, Joshua
Michael Jackson medley
Zinni
Zoey

Hollie, Jessica, Skylar
Madonna medley
Zinni
Zoey

CATTICISMS

Zinni: Is Donny Hathaway really Heejun's idol? Somehow I don't believe it.

Zoey: Steven, "over the top" is not really a compliment, but you keep using it as one. I wish Heejun would work harder on not dropping those S's and not saying "da" for "the." If it weren't for that, he would have gotten a 3-1/2 from me. And way to go, Elise!

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Aired 3/21/12

Our top 10 are diving into the huge songbook of pop/rock icon Billy Joel. Diddy is helping Jimmy Iovine in the mentoring chairs, and the Idols are also getting some style help from Tommy Hilfiger (much needed in some cases—Phillip, we're looking at you).

As a reminder, here's how the Prognosticats rate the contestants every week:

RATING SYSTEM

Litterbox Level

Paws-itively Purr-fect

DeAndre Brackensick

Only the Good Die Young
Zinni
Zoey 

Erika Van Pelt

New York State of Mind
Zinni
Zoey 

Joshua Ledet

She's Got a Way
Zinni
Zoey 

Skylar Laine

Shameless
Zinni
Zoey 

Elise Testone

Vienna
Zinni
Zoey 

Phillip Phillips

Movin' Out
Zinni
Zoey 

Hollie Cavanagh

Honesty
Zinni
Zoey 

Heejun Han

My Life
Zinni
Zoey 

Jessica Sanchez

Everybody Has a Dream
Zinni
Zoey 

Colton Dixon

Piano Man
Zinni
Zoey 

Get the iPhone app American Idol: The Game

CATTICISMS

Zinni: Don't these contestants listen to any music from the previous century? The music world didn't suddenly come into existence in 2000.

Zoey: Jimmy and his co-mentors seem to be focused on teaching restraint, and I say it's long overdue. As for the judges, they continue to undermine the good advice these kids are getting backstage. Sigh. On another note, it appears Zinni and I agree on much this week. Must be a full moon or something.

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Aired 3/14/12

We've suddenly gone from 12 to 11, seeing as Jermaine Jones decided to play arrest warrant roulette by not divulging his criminal past to producers. So tonight the remaining 11 take on songs from their birth year. Yup, lots of '90s crap.

As a reminder, here's how the Prognosticats rate the contestants every week:

RATING SYSTEM

Litterbox Level

Paws-itively Purr-fect

Phillip Phillips

Hard to Handle by the Black Crowes (1990)
Zinni
Zoey 

Jessica Sanchez

Turn the Beat Around by Gloria Estefan (1995)
Zinni
Zoey 

Heejun Han

Right Here Waiting by Richard Marx (1989)
Zinni
Zoey 

Elise Testone

Let's Stay Together by Al Green (1983)
Zinni
Zoey

DeAndre Brackensick

Endless Love by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey (1994)
Zinni
Zoey 

Shannon Magrane

One Sweet Day by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men (1995)
Zinni
Zoey 

Colton Dixon

Broken Heart by White Lion (1991)
Zinni
Zoey

Erika Van Pelt

Heaven by Bryan Adams (1985)
Zinni
Zoey 

Skylar Laine

Love Sneakin' Up on You by Bonnie Raitt (1994)
Zinni
Zoey 

Joshua Ledet

When a Man Loves a Woman by Michael Bolton (1992)
Zinni
Zoey 

Hollie Cavanagh

Power of Love by Celine Dion (1993)
Zinni
Zoey

Get the iPhone app American Idol: The Game

CATTICISMS

Zinni: Bleh. Not too impressed this week.

Zoey: Another contestant (DeAndre this time) gets poor feedback after following Jimmy's song change. When that happens, I don't think the judges should be so hard on the performer. These are just kids, basically, and they are taking these suggestions to heart. I didn't hear what the judges evidently heard during Joshua's performance. They might as well crank up the confetti machine now.

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