caution: crankiness ahead...

Is it just me or is this season losing steam faster than a locomotive headed for a cliff? Or is it just headed for a cliff?

When ardent, some might call even psycho, fans of this show admit to finding other things to do during performance episodes, things are not good. When my good friends start emailing me because they can't think of anything to comment here about, things are looking bleak.

One crappy episode is understandable, even somewhat expected in an American Idol season. But back-to-back ones? One could blame last week on the crappy music from the era they were given to choose from.

But last night there was no excuse. None. Nada.

With the rich history of country music, the breadth of the artists, the styles and the stylings, I refuse to believe that the nine songs selected were the only ones available. And then only a couple of them rose enough to the occasion to call themselves worthy of being on that stage.

What I would have given to hear Katharine try Patsy Cline, even though she's not "bluesy." Too freakin' bad if she's not bluesy. She's perfection. The whole point of theme nights is to get out of your self-constructed box and show the world you can. Then, once it's over, climb back into the box and bluesy your life away.

Of course, I was in a crappy mood to begin with, kinda like I am today, so I expected not to really like anything, and I really didn't all that much, but I do have to give props to Pickler, the one who I've raked through the coals this season. Unfortunately, her fine performance had to be preceded by yet another manufactured spin conversation, which ticked me off beforehand. C'mon. The criticism of Pickler has less to do with calamari and more to do with fabrication. I lost it with this girl the moment she claimed not to have sung in front of people before, even though it was well-established that she was a pageant veteran. And frankly, I'm just sick of stupid being a fashion statement.

And who in the hell sucked out Taylor's soul and replaced it with cotton candy? You know cotton candy, right. You can see it. You know it's there. And it's very sweet, but it's nothing. I want Taylor back. Hopefully he's just at the dry cleaners.

And frankly, I've had my fill with these genre theme nights that Simon (or either of the others) just refuses to even try to understand. If they're gonna insist on country, then learn about country music. Hell, go out and buy the Cliff's Notes if you need to, but don't just dismiss every performance with "I hated the song." You're being paid enough money to put in a little homework time. Otherwise don't have the stupid theme. Criticize their vocals or their lack of performance skills or even their song choice, but don't criticize the song just because you don't like/understand/comprehend the theme.

Whew. Got that off my chest.

Seems Nigel's been at it again, this time on Ryan Seacrest's radio show. He's avoiding the "S" word this week, but is lamenting the fact that tonight's bootee will be sad to lose because he/she is "well-liked." He also says that, since there's nine of them, they're gonna do the good ole stack 'em up into three groups of three and let everybody wonder which group contains the bad people.

Then there's Dial Idol, who has been doing some tweaking of its formula to account for the differences in population between the right side of the country and the left.

Couldn't help but sort through my pre-season predictions. This was my first predicted "shocker" week with Paris as the victim.

How do you pick a bottom three when none of them have done anything noteworthy in the past two weeks to merit not being there?

I'll tell ya. You take a wild ass guess and just hope you're somewhere in the vicinity of kinda correct.

Or not.

Here goes:

Who I want: Mandisa, Pickler, Ace (Ace)
Who should: Bucky, Mandisa, Ace (Ace)
Who will: Mandisa, Elliott, Paris

And it will be Mandisa who gets to avoid getting up close and personal with the music of Queen.

Okay, I showed you mine. Now, you show me yours...