The Top 8 Results

The Top 8 Results

A picture named Top8ResultsBuckya.jpegBucky Covington bids a fond farewell…

Despite the return of my beloved Pointy Pose, can I say that I hated tonight’s show?  That had to be the Worst Format Ever.  Get the kids on the couches.  Show them a teary clip of their friends and families expressing their love.  And then send them to the Bottom 3.  What a clever way to manipulate the contestant’s emotions!  I’d like to smack the producer who came up with that bright idea.  I found it neither fun nor funny.  It just stretched out the results longer than necessary and tortured the contestants needlessly.  UGH.

Time-Wasters

Ryan at the start of the show:  “Who is out? Another One Bites the Dust.”  GROAN.  Ryan introduces the judges by calling Simon “King of the Queens.”  And is Ryan Queen of the Queens? Har.  And then Paula says “I didn’t realize how hard Queen songs are to sing.”  Duh, Paula.  Freddie Mercury only had one of the best rock voices ever.  Why do you think so many were predicting a train-wreck? Then Ryan tells Simon that he’s the grumpiest millionaire he’s ever seen.  The preceding dialog: All typical AI time-wasting filler, because there is no need to stretch this crap out to an hour.

A picture named Top8ResultsPointy.jpegFinally a Pointy Pose and…

It kinda sucked.  Well, it would have been better without the Split Screen of Stupid Idol Highlights That We’ve Already Seen a Million Times.  What’s the point?  The first Pointy Pose in weeks, and it’s junked up by tired clips?  I mean–the songs, the cheesy arrangements, the terrible choreography–all stand on its own!  And what the hell? They made the highlight screen larger than than the performer’s? It’s lunacy, peeps.  Annoyingly, we’ll probably have to watch these clips at least once more in the finale.

Some highlights of the medley:

  • Chris Daughtry sounded great singing “Pressure”.  It would have been an excellent song choice other than the b-list Queen song he performed Tuesday.   Chris and Bucky sounded really good singing together.
  •  “Another One Bites the Dust” always makes me giggle.  True story–I think it’s because when I think of the song I always hear Marie Osmond’s version in my head.  Yes, people, there is a Marie Osmond version of this song.
  • Elliott Yamin’s solo during “Your My Best Friend” was my favorite–very soulful and passionate.
  • Taylor Hicks’s solo “We Are the Champions” made me glad he picked “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” to sing this week instead of WATC.  His solo was good, I just think “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” was a better pick, judging by this performance.  By the way, I was very happy to learn that CLTCL was a second choice that was actually Taylor’s preferred choice.  Ditto Katharine McPhee’s second choice, “Who Wants to Live Forever.”
  • It was nice to see Will Makar in the audience.  I liked that kid.  Ohhh, and the legendary Sam Moore too!

A picture named Top8ResultsCar.jpegAnd they ditched the split screen just in time for me to experience Complete and Total Full-Screened Pointy Pose Goodness!  Thank you, producers, for those few blissful moments.  What came next was more or less the Results Show from Hell.

Car-mercial

Featuring the Idols singing that Pat Benatar classic, “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”, dressed in dorky pastel golf outfits.  Bucky is featured prominently.  This makes me uneasy.

Ace to Ryan:  That’s the first time I’ve ever worn pink
Ryan to Ace:  I’ve done it many times.  I’m still alive.

A picture named Top8ResultsElliottc.jpeg

It’s 8:45.  Let the Torment Begin! 

Oh, this was just priceless.  Tonight’s Das Boot opens with sentimental clips from each of the contestant’s family members wishing their loved ones well.  Then Ryan’s all, HEY CAMERAMAN GET A SHOT OF THIS. And it’s Elliott crying.  GAH.  Once they get the contestants all “softened up”, it’s time to burst a few bubbles!  Here’s the plan. Ryan introduces each contestant,  runs a sentimental clip featuring friends and family members.  He then tells them: Safe. Or–See ya on the seal. 

Back from the break, we find out that Rod Stewart and his Great American Songbook will be featured for the Top 7 shows next week.

The entire top row–Taylor (we meet his goldfish Lamont and Ray),  Katharine (her Dad seems genuinely moved by his baby girl), Chris (Family! Man!) and Kellie (She has a brother??) are safe.  Funny moment:  When Ryan flicks Kellie’s “snot rag” toward Elliott and says “Elliotttheryouare.”  HAR.

A picture named Top8Resultsc.jpegElliott, Ace, Bucky and Paris sit on the bottom couch.  Oh man, I could see this one coming down Sixth Avenue:  Elliott and Ace are Bottom 3.  It’s between Bucky and Paris for the third spot.  Of course, Bucky is sent to the seal.

In the meantime, we hear about Elliott’s various illnesses as a kid and notice that Elliott and his mom are very close.  We hear Ace Young’s  impossibly adorable brothers rag on their youngest sibling.  Ace is already crying at the end of his segment.  

After Elliott and Ace are sent to the seal, Ryan asks the judges what they think.  Randy seems irked that Elliott’s bottom three. Ace says sarcastically to the judges after Ryan quotes Simon saying, “I really really hated it.”–“Thanks guys, I love you too.”  Once Ace is on the seal, Simon reiterates his Total Hatred for Ace’s performance. Then, the contestants are asked to perform.  Elliott seems surprised by this–or maybe he was just overcome with emotion.  Yeah, probably the latter.  Elliott sounds unbelievably awesome on what could be his final “singout”–as contestants, who loosen up when they believe they have nothing to lose often do. Ace performs better too–he sounds much stronger. 

A picture named Top8ResultsBuckyParis.jpeg

Elimination 

We come back after break with Bucky and Paris Bennett left to learn their respective fates.  In Bucky’s clip, we hear how his Idol run has brought excitement to his economically depressed hometown.  Paris’s segment features her young mom, (I’ll bet she’s about 30) and learn that Paris gave up singing for a little while. Bucky comforts a crying Paris as her clip ends.

Bucky is sent to the seal.  The audience is absolutely quiet.  The entire time, Bucky is smiling.  He performs a good singout.  Afterward, Ryan asks Simon who he thinks will be eliminated. Simon says, “Based on last night’s performance-Ace.” Ryan says, “Ready guys?”  Bucky says, “No”.  Whaddaya think Ryan?  Sheesh.

A picture named Top8Results8B3.jpegFinally,  we find out that Bucky’s singout is truly his last performance,  as Ryan announces his elimination.  Through it all, Bucky continues to smile.

Bucky Covington

I’m not surprised by the all-male Bottom 3.  Actually, I called the Bottom 3 correctly this week, but I was thinking Ace would be the one to get the boot–mostly due to Bucky’s good performance–and his strong fan base.  Ace has his fans.  But,  unlike Bucky, he was well-pimped initially and appeared to be one of the front-runners until lately. His fan base seemed to be eroding, while Bucky’s at least seemed to be stable, if not growing.  I felt some fear for Elliott too, but after his showing in the Bottom 3 last week, I’m not surprised his fans worked overtime to keep him alive.

A picture named Top8ResultsBuckyb.jpeg

Bucky had a good run.  He and his fans fought hard to stay in this thing. And he did stay–with very little pimping and no support from the producers and judges.  Besides his fans, what kept in the running were well-chosen song-choices that highlighted his talents (take some pointers, Ace) and consistent performances week in and week out.  Bucky never gave that spectacular performance that turned heads, but he never performed badly either.  His likeability and easy genuine southern charm went far to keep his train running, despite the obstacles. 

His presence may not have been large enough for Idol, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go off and make some good records.  And I’ll bet he really comes alive as a performer in an intimate setting. I have to give Bucky great big giant props for his hard work, and the class he displayed throughout the competition.  Bucky’s the real deal.