They say that the Idol season doesn’t really begin until after the first live performance elimination. If that is the case, the show really started last night when four contestants were dumped from the top 22.
In what was undoubtedly the most tension-filled show of the young season thus far, the first results show would send two guys and two girls packing.
On Wednesday night, I arrived at the Trinity Studios in Toronto for an earlier taping that began at 6:30 PM EST, with a 7:30 broadcast. Everything was clicking well and even the weather was cooperating as the rumored thunderstorm never arrived and the temperature had definitely cooled down as well.
It was great being there early and getting a chance to see the crowd file in. I think what was the most interesting was the fact that the atmosphere was not as jovial as it was for the performance shows. Clearly the family members in attendance were worried about their competing brothers, sisters, sons, daughters and friends.
During the warm-up, the audience also learned that it was Zack’s birthday and so a cake was brought out for the judge with the place singing happy birthday. When the judges came out, Farley was missing… and he showed up just five minutes before the show started taping (and airing live in the East). When the supervising producer (who was leading the warm-up) asked the judge where he had been, he said that he was doing the lord’s work Sparky.” I’ll let you guys translate.
Before the show began, I wanted to write down my predictions for how the evening would go. Even though no one would see my notepad to prove the accuracy of my prognostications, I knew that correctly calling who would leave would cement my own reputation as the world’s foremost reality television expert.
For the guys, I said that it was going to be a pair of Ontarians. Namely, Derek and Justyn. Ontario just isn’t known for its strong voting and while many are applauding the fact that the province got so many contestants into the top 22 stage, I actually think it is going to hurt all of them at the beginning of the competition, since their core votes are being split amongst them all. When you counter that with Tara for example, who probably has all of Newfoundland behind her… it’s easy to predict Ontarians going home initially. It’s important to note, however, that the people from Ontario who do survive and make it to the top 10 will greatly benefit from their competition’s misfortune as I can easily see all of the fallen support go to the few who are left standing. It’s totally a double-edged sword.
For the girls I saw Scarlett and Mila leaving. My feeling was that Scarlett just wasn’t ready for the big stage after being thrust into the competition as a last-minute replacement. That being said, however, I thought that people might vote for her because that exact reason. I felt she might get the sympathy vote. People would support her because she didn’t have as much time as the others did to build a core support base.
With Mila, it was the same Ontario factor (as I explained for the guys), and I didn’t think her performance was that great.
The show began with the contestants coming out and the guys sitting on couches (on the stage) while the girls moved to the TD Comfort Zone seating area.
I was extremely interested in who sat where when the guys took their places on the couch.
On the front couch (from left to right): Liam, Brian, Justyn, Dwight, Greg, Andrew.
On the back couch (from left to right): Derek, Matt, Jaydee, Tyler, Clifton.
It’s interesting to note that Jaydee was originally on the front couch, but was moved to the back.
I thought that this immediately offered a clue as to who would be going home. I figured they would tease us by picking four guys total and then cut that in half later in the show. By this theory, I figured they would select two people from the front couch and two people from the back couch.
Looking at the rows, I figured it would be Justyn and Andrew from the front couch, and Derek and Clifton from the back one.
The show began with Ben welcoming the crowd and introducing the judges. He then threw to a recap of all the performances from the last two nights. It was then time for the results to begin as he called out each contestant’s name, read what the judges said about him, and then announced Canada’s verdict.
DEREK: BOTTOM 4
MATT: SAFE
JAYDEE: SAFE
TYLER: SAFE
CLIFTON: BOTTOM 4.
The back row went exactly as I predicted.
LIAM: SAFE
BRIAN: SAFE
JUSTYN: BOTTOM 4
DWIGHT: SAFE
GREG: SAFE
ANDREW: BOTTOM 4
The world’s foremost reality television expert comes through with a perfect prediction.
Commercial.
During the break, the guys and the girls switched places with the guys moving to the Comfort Zone and the girls sitting on the stage couches.
On the front couch (from left to right): Khalila, Scarlett, Naomi, Maud, Christine, Annika.
On the back couch (from left to right): Montana, Martha, Mila, Tara, Carly Rae.
Using the same theory as above, I figured Scarlett and Christine were in trouble from the front couch and that Mila and Martha were probable choices for the bottom.
Time for the results.
MONTANA: SAFE
MARTHA: SAFE
MILA: BOTTOM 4
TARA: SAFE
CARLY RAE: SAFE
Haha. A beautiful play by the Idol producers. They did the 2 and 2 for the guys… but for the girls, they only picked one from the back couch meaning that three would be coming from the front. They fooled me. I know this probably doesn’t mean much to most people, but in terms of building suspense on a reality show… it was flawless execution and definitely warrants a nod of respect.
Back to it.
KHALILA: SAFE
SCARLETT: SAFE????????
NAOMI: BOTTOM 4
MAUD: BOTTOM 4
CHRISTINE: BOTTOM 4
ANNIKA: SAFE
Much more of a shocker for the girls. I was positive Scarlett would be in the bottom but perhaps my idea from yesterday about her receiving sympathy votes from joining the competition so late was on point. I was surprised that the Juliet half of Romeo (Justyn) and Juliet (Scarlett) would be the one staying and her other half would be leaving.
Commercial.
With the new bottom eight, I still predicted Derek and Justyn to be going home for the guys and Mila and Naomi leaving for the girls.
When the show resumed, Ben asked the judges who they thought would stay and go. This was also done well, because Ben asked Zack and Sass who would be leaving for the guys and girls, but asked Farley and Jake who would be staying.
Zack: Christine & Maud (leaving).
Farley: Naomi & Mila are staying.
Sass: Justyn & Andrew going home.
Jake: Andrew and Derek, I’d like to see stay.
Ben then announced one person from each group would be safe.
For the girls, it was… NAOMI. I was somewhat surprised.
For the guys, it was… CLIFTON. Completely predictable.
Commercial.
The time had come.
Ben said that Andrew was safe and as he started walking to the couches… Justyn followed him and Ben called him back. I was amused.
That meant that DEREK AND JUSTYN were going home (as I expected).
For the girls… Mila was safe.
Translation: CHRISTINE AND MAUD were going home.
Ben asked Maud what the best part of Idol was. She said that it was meeting all the extremely talented and gorgeous people.
Christine said that she had no regrets and that she performed to the best of her abilities.
Derek said that there were a lot of great people left in the top 18.
Justyn said that he was feeling disappointed and that he was not what Canada was looking for. He looked pissed, which was awesome because it was a real reaction and not a generic one that is usually par for the course on any Idol show.
Time for closing comments from the judges.
Zack: The business is built on extremes. Must take risk, stand out and be extreme. People played it too conservative and thus, sayonara.
Sass: Well, I think in Justyn and Derek’s case it was song choice. These gals, eventually there’s gotta be people that get more votes than others and that’s what happened (responding to Ben asking her about what the departing four did wrong).
Farley: Listen to why we picked you and adhere to that.
Jake: Amy Winehouse, Avril, Gwen… you look at anybody who’s really successful in this business and there’s nobody else like them. Uniqueness wins. If you’re not unique, you’re going home.”
End show.
A busy three days as the Idol begins for me and ends for the first four eliminated contestants.
Wednesday was my favorite night of Idol so far and I know that things are only going to get better from here. Are you excited? Being the resident Idol aficionado that I am, I can tell you without any doubt that this is the best group of contestants that I have seen on any single Idol show. But sticking with tradition, it is now time for me to make my predictions.
I think that the final two will be:
DWIGHT D’EON
&
CARLY RAE JEPSEN
With Tyler Mullendore and Liam Chang also warranting a look.
I’ll hit you up next week. Looking for the good-looking guy who can type really really really fast.
Oh and if you’re interested… CLICK HERE to read last year’s first results show recap for kicks.
