This Week In Tonight In American Idol [18 February 2009]

I didn't have the chance to watch Idol live on Wednesday due to previous commitments. But that's okay, because there really isn't much point to "live-blogging" the "results show", because the only important takeaway is "who left?".

But also as a result of said previous commitment, I don't know "who left?".

So, I'm doing an after-the-fact semi-live-ish-blog in which I'll offer up my first impressions on some of the changes that result from the new semi-final elimination scheme...

More -- or less -- as always, after the jump...
[Due to the timing of this, and the whole "tell us who left!" thingy, we won't be bothering with time codes...sue us! -- Eds.]

Ryan: 24 million votes after Tuesday's performance episode, almost 10 million more than "at this time last year"...okay, that's impressive...

Ryan: Kara, who disappointed you last night?

Kara: Stevie, Casey, Stephen...
Randy: Simon...
Kara: Simon...

Ryan: I'm not talking about after the show, I'm talking about during the telecast

CHECK PLEASE!

I can't be bothered to unpack this group performance, because it's late, but I am actually glad we'll get three of these over the next few weeks, because I actually like these...and F'IN' NINE OF THESE PEOPLE* ARE GOING HOME TONITE!

[* not necessarily nine of these people, moron...up to three of these people could come back as wildcards -- Eds.]

Ryan recaps Tuesday nite..."but, it was Tatiana who turned the nite around"...

SRSLY? was Ryan watching the same show I was???

Casey to the stage (she's gone, of course...)

Ryan: unfortunately, you're not in the Top 12

Stephen to the stage (also gone...)

Ryan: you...are...NOT in the Top 12

Alexis to the stage

OK, SRLSY PEOPLE, DID YOU WATCH LAST NITE'S SHOW??? THE FIRST TRACTOR-SEAT-OF-SAFETY HAS ALEXIS' NAME WRITTEN ALL OVER IT!

Ryan: you made it into the Top 12

i am SHOCKED!!!

So, here's a twist, perhaps -- after Ryan tells the semifinalist s/he is safe, s/he who is being roiled by butterflies must sing again...this is a change from previous seasons, when it was the rejectee who had the chance to sing again...to undoubtedly give her/him another chance to use the Idol stage to promote her/his career...

or maybe this is a an Alexis-Grace-only rule, giving voters another chance to hear someone they heard little of in previous weeks?

maybe this bodes well for Ricky Braddy???

Ricky Braddy and Jackie Tohn to the stage (Jackie is gone, but whaddabout Ricky???)

Ryan: Ricky, you are not in the Top 12

Ryan: Jackie, Simon wins, you are also not in the Top 12

Anoop "Dogg" Desai and Michael Sarver to the stage...

Ryan: the person going through to the Top 12 is...Michael

Ryan: ...Anoop heads home

And Rascal Flatts appears on stage to perform "I Don't Want To Be"

Ryan tells us that after 24 million total votes, only 20K separated Michael and Anoop...I guess that's a reminder -- you have to vote for your favorite...

Prediction for the rest of this show and Semifinals Weeks: Danny will make it through tonite, and Anoop is teed up as a "wildcard" finalist...

Oh, this is clever...after Ryan promos the new "American Idol Experience" attraction at Walt Disney World in Orlando -- using a tape of David Cook performing with Carrie Underwood -- he's ready for "the next two contestants"...

wait, why doesn't he name names? Oh, because it's really just Carly Smithson and Michael Johns from last year's finals, here to promote something (which I'm sure has nothing to do with the "American Idol Experience" thingy...)

[reminder: if you've forgotten how awesome the Smithson/Johns duet on "The Letter" was during last year's "final results show", please google your youtubes for the video...please -- Eds.]

holy crap! my editors paused the TiVo and inserted the above before I had any idea what these two crazy kids would be doing here! let's listen and decide whether this compares to last year's "original"...also, find that video!...

Incredible, even though I think last year's performance was slightly better...

Also: Joanna Pacitti -- please watch this video and last year's performance again, and write an essay about...your choice of themes...

Ann Marie, stand up...

Brent, stand up...

Stevie, stand up...

Ryan: none of you made it into the Top 12

Ryan: Danny and Tatiana, to the stage...

Ryan: Paula -- who is it?

Paula: Danny

Ryan: after the break...

Ryan: the person going through to the Top 12 is...Danny

Danny sings again, as Tatiana melts in a pile of tears...

To recap: Alexis Grace, Danny Gokey, and Michael Sarver made it through to the Top 12, with 4th place vote-getter Annop Desai well-positioned for a wildcard birth...

...until next week [?]