This is what we call a competition

I had a dream last night that it was American Idol season, and the final ten didn't have a single note-murderer among them. There were no Camiles, no Nikkis, no Leahs, no John Stevenses, and no Carmens.

Then I awoke.

And it's true. We're going to have a season where one performance can make or break a contestant because, even though we can rank the final ten in terms of the weaker v. the stronger, each of them has a breakout performance inside, just waiting to be released.

And it's all thanks to the goodbye we said last night to Mikalah, a cute girl with an amusing personality, who just was out of her league from the moment she stepped upon the stage. Her only save was the fact that Lindsey was just more boring, which enabled Mikalah to make it as far as she did.

People everywhere are expressing absolute shock at the bottom three, though. I wasn't shocked that Nadia ended up on the seal, though. (Anthony was not surprising, and those who say his walk from the couch was unexpected haven't been paying attention.) But Nadia?

Tuesday (and, I suppose Wednesday, if we're being technical) was a disaster, from the pitchiness of the performance to that thing she called a hairstyle. So, if we're voting (as they say we should) based on a single night's performance, she should have been standing on that stage. If, however, we are voting based on the body of work thus far, she should have remained seated on the sofa. After all, sitting there were performers who have given us, over the past few weeks, performances more disappointing.

Perhaps Nadia's walk to the seal is the best thing that could have happened for her. When a player is told one week that's she's a steak in Burger King land, complacency is always a risk. She now knows she's not immune. And her fans know that too, much like Ruben's fans got a wake-up call during season two, and Fantasia's were given a kick in the pants during season three.

Have we learned nothing from Tamyra?

Mikalah handled her ejection with the poise and class of a pro. So long to her. And good luck. We'll see her in the finale, but not on the tour.

Group sing? Yikes. I didn't think it would be possible to like last week's better than anything, but the kids' rather strident rendition of He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother, one of the softest ballads ever, just left me cold.

But it's always a good night when the commercial makes me smile. Hey! Finally a fun commercial, well-produced and sufficiently amusing.

No word yet on next week's theme, although I have seen rumors circulating, speculating anywhere from club/dance hits (ouch) to one-hit-wonder night (YAY!).