(Credit: Timothy White/FOX)
But free passes were few and far between—of the several contestants who did take the opportunity to play instruments, most seriously regretted it. (Nothing points out a mediocre voice like amateurish guitar playing.)
There cannot be change without sacrifice, though, and a couple familiar facets of this round of competition were given the ax. “Idol” has earned the right to play with the formula after six seasons of the same routine, but the end of group performances is more bitter than sweet. Some of the most priceless moments in “Idol” history came with those late night hallway rehearsals of violent bickering and the inevitable post-performance backstabbing. Watching people get kicked off when there’s no one to blame but themselves just isn’t as fun.
Also different on Tuesday was the way in which the contestants learned if they would live to see Wednesday’s final elimination. Contestants were dealt the news on an individual basis, rather than in groups. Something about Simon, Paula and Randy going into a large room to unceremoniously dump 30 wide-eyed hopefuls en masse was incredibly comforting. It will be missed.
One notable who won’t be missed next week is young Josiah Leming (the guy who dropped out of high school to live in his car), who probably nabbed the most screen time during Hollywood week. More than half of the week’s tear-soaked tantrums were Josiah’s, and the judges graciously denied us the chance to witness any more. Thanks, dawgs!
As for the top 24, there are no complaints here. Pretty faces, good vocals and a wide variety of sob stories… what more could you ask for?
