Oh America, give me one more chance (to show you that I can sing)

[jlh]

The MJ theme leaked last week, and the two-out-tomorrow was predictable, since they can't exactly add another week to the schedule. Simon has clearly decided that he is the head judge and should be treated as such, but Paula continues to be actually useful. I like how they rotate the judges so Simon isn't always last.

ali_wildgoose would like you to know that she does not approve of the song selections this evening.

1. Lil, "The Way You Make Me Feel." So I'm not a huge fan of her doing exactly the same quote as MJ did, but I was surprised how few changes she actually made and yet managed to really make the song her own. Ending was silly, though.
   
2. Scott, "Keep the Faith." I'm not sure about that military jacket, dude. Also, I'm not sure about your need to sing the most christian adult contemporary song possible—MJ as Marc Cohn seems a bit safe to me
   
3. Danny, "P.Y.T." And now we are in a lounge in hell? What was with that opening? The Danny fans will love this, but I thought it was mostly shouty.
   
4. Michael, "You Are Not Alone." Great song choice, and he did a very good job. As Kara said, I feel like I finally heard him really sing. (That said, I don't like this song all that much as it's kinda boring.)
   
5. Jasmine, "I'll Be There." She pushes the notes here and there, but she looked comfortable, and she had a nice tone to her voice.
   
6. Kris, "Remember the Time." He was very appealing! What a fun performance!
   
7. Allison, "Give in to Me." Very good song choice on her part, and I thought she did very well.
   
8. Anoop, "Beat It." Woe, for I agree with the judges. He didn't really do anything with the song.
   
9. Jorge, "Never Can Say Goodbye." Way to not change up the arrangement, dude—I had an actual flashback. He definitely wasn't connected to the song.
   
10. Megan, "Rockin' Robin." So the arrangement was a bit much (too close to the original, which is fine when you're a little kid but not so much when you have a little kid) but she was charming and sounded great. She definitely needs to get better stagecraft.
    
11. Adam, "Black or White." What is with everyone staying with the original (and dated) arrangements? I mean, the performance was his usual thing, and he made it work, but I just sort of didn't care. Also, he's wearing a turquoise leather jacket.
    
12. Matt, "Human Nature." I really liked this. I do like this song a lot, but Matt also sounded great, and sitting at the piano was a good choice.
    
13. Alexis, "Dirty Diana." I'm getting a Pat Benatar vibe off her, but I think that's mostly because she's so tiny. Very solid, but yeah, a little oversung.
    

[Poll #1363430]

I didn't vote; I'm not quite feeling it yet, but that might be because I don't hate anyone. Also, I want to see what the twist will be—I suspect we're getting some sort of Dancing with the Stars or SYTYCD set up. I'm annoyed that they didn't tell us what the system will be before we voted; it might change people's voting strategy.

Comments

[honestys-easy.livejournal.com]

I lied and watched. I just muted most of the intros (Lil's a mom. Scott's blind. Matt Giraud...has no sob story so here's a ping-pong table.) I'm certainly not as interested in this season as previous seasons and this week didn't do a good job at reeling me in.

I love your 1-10 question for this season, you rock.

Michael showed what kind of a singer he was tonight and I didn't particularly like it. (Despite my love for Chris Rich, I hate guys who do sloppy runs and such things, and the performance just rubbed me the wrong way.) I don't think he's got a big enough fanbase to keep him in. Jorge and Anoop did pretty badly tonight but all of Puerto Rico is voting for Jorge and Anoop's got major fanbase power.

And I wish I could vote a million times for Anoop's Thriller dance backstage as the best thing of the episode. Second best thing was Ryan telling Simon to keep his hands to himself and did he seriously pat him on the cheek?! I had to watch that a few times and go "Clio's right, only watching the YouTubes causes you to miss THIS."

[jlh.livejournal.com]

You lie like a rug!!! If you get a DVR, you can zoom through the bullshit packages and just watch performances and silliness. Oddly, Matt didn't have a sob story but his parents kept crying. I love Anoop, but the family thing made him very poster boy for spoiled only son of Indian parents, a type I knew all too well at college and elsewhere.

The final question for season 5 was Paula being on drugs, season 6 Rymon's shenanigans, and season 7 Randy's grasp (or not) of the English language, so I felt Kara should get season 8.

Michael smiled too damn much. He may well not have enough of a fanbase. I think that Matt is a sleeper though.

He clearly had to pat him on the cheek. Ryan's clear total confidence in Simon, and Paula's own confidence because of Kara's backup, is really bringing the Saula. I have to say, I've always found Simon's teasing of Paula to be sort of amusing, and clearly so does Ryan.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

That was totally Simon's best line. Talk about summing up his show. Also is the guy with the dead wife still on the show? Was that who Simon was talking to with his snarky comment about bringing out the wife too soon? Or was that my wishful thinking?

[jlh.livejournal.com]

No, hahaha, Danny of the bad dancing is Our Widower. Cute Kris is the one Simon teased about bringing the wife out too soon, since he's young and cute, etc.

Odd thing: Five girls, three are mothers and the other two are children themselves.

[eilujspark.livejournal.com]

It's totally going to be the judges picking who goes home after a sing off between the bottom two. Of course this week(double elimination week) it will be the 2nd and 3rd lowest vote getters, as the lowest will probably be eliminated first.

Just like X-Factor. I can understand people's unease with it, but I think if people give it a chance they may like it. It's not like they are randomly picking people to sing against each other, it's based on the vote. And(if it's like X-factor)in the case of a tie, it goes back to the vote. They also will probably(like X-factor) go back to a strictly public vote around the Top 5.

It makes the results shows more interesting, gives the judges something to do other than sit there and evade Ryan's questions, and at times will create some drama. Besides, SYTYCD does something similar, and DWTS has always had judges scores factored in to their results....I don't see the big deal.

I also like that it will take away some pressure from Ryan in revealing who leaves.

And knew that Ryan would tease the hell out of Simon for the "Grand Entrance". I also knew that Ryan would find some way to Top it.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I have no problem with it—I think it's totally fine. I just wish they'd told us before we voted, so we knew what we were voting into, especially with two people getting the boot. It may be that Fox said "look, we really need you to have an hour results" and this is a good way to fill the time, as you say. (Interestingly, RuPaul's Drag Race has the bottom two do a lip-sync-off to decide who stays and who goes, which is pretty awesome.)

I almost put Ryan's grand staircase thing (just because you're from Atlanta doesn't mean you're Scarlett O'Hara, sunshine) in the poll but there were too many other silly things. I did like how many places he managed to appear in the set, like it was an advent calendar and he kept popping out of different holes.

[boniblithe.livejournal.com]

I did like how many places he managed to appear in the set, like it was an advent calendar and he kept popping out of different holes.

*falls over laughing*

Wait, wait, no - WHACK-A-MOLE Ryan. AHAHAHAHA.

[zorb]

Yeah, I'm thinking the judges will get veto or safe-making power of some kind. Should be interesting!

Adam and Allison were my solid favorites tonight. I wish Anoop had not been so bad on an overall good night. As expected, the treacly stuff a la Scott, Michael, and Jasmine did nothing for me. I voted for Michael to go, but I could see Jorge or Megan falling off, too.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think in the end Michael just wasn't that memorable. I'd say Jorge but I dunno, there's that PR vote. And with the judges involved, who knows! For once the results show will actually be interesting.

[rymonrocks.livejournal.com]

I'm happy this season is going in more of an X Factor direction, the results shows needed more spark.

I'm suprised though - we all know Simon has more of an influence now Nigel is gone, but i thought the deal between Cowell and Fuller was to make sure there were different features between the 2 shows? I guess Fuller doesn't mind as long as it's a positive change.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I miss Nigel in some ways, but yeah, the results shows last year SUCKED with the whole stupid call in thing. Ugh. I'm excited to see what will happen tonight.

I think that at least the judge thing can be pawned off on SYTYCD and/or other reality shows. They still don't have the mentoring thing, which I think would make Idol more like X Factor. And anyway, Fuller still owns it.

[ziggy1278.livejournal.com]

Allison's personality was bugging the hell out of me previously, but now I am pulling for her in a serious way.

Scott, that song was laaaame. Like, tremendously CCM lame.

I think the judges are underestimating the power that is Kris and his heartwarming laser eye beams.

Dirty Diana was waaaay cooler than I thought it was going to be.

I continue to be seriously unimpressed with Adam. I don't think his stuff looks "effortless" at all - more ridiculously over-rehearsed.

Why did you do this to me Clio?

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Of all the family things, Allison's was the most interesting and the one that most put her into context for me. Before she was just whatever, rocker chick, but seeing her whole East LA thing makes her seem a little bit more like an actual rebel, and that she sang in some Costco-like shopping center is pretty adorable.

Scott was soooo lame.

Kris might be like Cook, in that he reads better on screen than on stage. Not that he can't work the stage--clearly he can, his jumping around was adorable--but he has that eyefuck thing that Cook has too, and it pops on camera but they can't always see it. Loved Simon's crack about his wife, even if this isn't 1962.

Alexis has some pipes, and certainly a cute little look, but she needs to move around the stage better and connect with the audience more. I find it interesting that the two MJ-does-rock-with-Slash-solos songs were done by the girls.

The slashy girls all love Adam so much, omg, the fandom is insane and already writing piles of Adam/Cook, which is so SS Have We Met? that I don't really know what to say to that. The idea that it's totally over-rehearsed is, I think, what appeals to Simon. Simon has a whole kitsch/Vegas kink that he tries to hide but comes out at odd times. He likes a showman.

You know, the universe is just better when we're watching the same shows. The lord giveth (HIMYM, Deadwood) and the lord taketh away (Idol, BSG).

Speaking of which, I did watch the opening credit sequence of Watchmen online. Not going to the movie though, for other reasons, but were there questions you wanted to ask? Some folks apparently didn't know there was an actual Doomsday Clock (well, still is) so I can verify that anyway.

I just taught my mom this: <3

[jm-cats.livejournal.com]

Thank. God. For. You.

I read all of my friends reviews of Idol week to week and just go, "Oh God, seriously? Pull yourself out of this zone your in and really view things unbiased enough to see what you're seeing." But you? Oh, you and I are on this same wavelength. It's intense, Clio, I swear it is. I want to come and hang out with you just so I can pick your brain, LOL.

I think way too much praise has been sent Danny's way when he pretty much did shout through a lot of that song and Jasmine gets a lot of flack when she wasn't that bad. There has been worse on this show. And I'm really getting into Matt G (Maybe it's the whole Elliott/Chris Rich vibe I get when he sings) and I feel people are giving him a hard time too. It's just all so unappealing the way every just fangirls and fanboys with the show.

And, oh, I'm like honestys_easy because I'm not supposed to be watching the show but I give it a look every now and again. It's still become very overrated and almost this world of its own that's suffocating on its own idiocy. And now I'm ranting...

Love you for being so unbiased and completely fun all at once!

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Why is it that now, when I DON'T have some stupid client sending me to Atlanta every two weeks, I have people I yearn to see there? It makes me a grouchy thing! Which is all to say, I would ADORE hanging out with you, natch.

Are you talking about the Adam love? Never underestimate the ability of your average slasher fangirl to like a gay boy just because he's gay. It's the nasty essentialist underside. Hags, we're more jaded. It takes a lot more than a turquoise leather jacket and some eyeliner to turn my head!

The thing about Danny in the room, I think, is that he was more energetic than they thought he was going to be, and he did a better job on that song than I would have thought. Not the triumph of low expectations exactly, but something pretty similar. But yeah, it was just shouty, and I was surprised Simon didn't pick that up because he hates that.

People should not give Matt a hard time!!!!! I thought he was fantastic! He was great on the wild card show too, when I don't really remember him from his own semis. He was pretty great, and is one whose record I'd look forward to. I get that Elliott vibe too, and god, I LOVE Elliott.

Idol is totally full of itself, but that's one reason I like it, I have to admit. It's like, the more egotistical and ridiculous Simon and Ryan are, the more I love them. I'm not sure what that's all about. But Idol's ratings are going down, so you know, this empire too shall pass.

<3 Thank you soooo much! Yay!

[lillijulianne.livejournal.com]

i did not like this theme. i feel that while michael jackson made some amazing, indeed well-nigh perfect, records, not so many are great SONGS. but then this is why i seldom enjoy one-artist theme nights- few individual performers have a catalog that can stand up to that. anoop fell into the worst possible trap in this situation, it's not about the song, it's about the record and the video, and you can either try to imitate a michael jackson performance, at which most people will fail, or do a deconstruction, as cook was able to do courtesy of chris cornell, which may succeed,

it's always weird for me when you and i disagree. i get what's irritating about adam, but i really like him. and while i liked meghan at her audition, i can't stand her now. hmm.

[lillijulianne.livejournal.com]

i hate when i hit post too soon. we ARE as one on matt. i didn't really remember him from the semis but said WOW when he sang on the wild card show. he picked my favorite michael jackson SONG (unless you count "i want you back") and he DOES have that elliott thing.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I agree with you re the theme; even the Beatles couldn't sustain it though Nigel said they only had 25 songs to choose from. Elton can, but then Elton is really tough to sing. Oh, I guess they're not having mentors this season since they haven't been pimping them.

I get what Adam is doing and why he's appealing; he just isn't appealing to me. But he's not really irritating, either; he's just sort of there. Which is an odd thing because you would think that he would have some kind of an impact, good or ill. But I just watch him doing his thing and I think he's very, very good at it, and there is clearly quite an audience for it, and good on him for finding that audience. Simon clearly thinks that way, too. And if he wins, I think that will be fine.

I didn't think Megan was awesome sauce, but I do love the tone of her voice. Alison loves her quite a bit, which might influence me.

Matt <3