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Season 12 American Idol Review (Winner Announced!) + Top 20 Most Memorable Performances of the Season

…and that winner would be…

CANDICE GLOVER!!

This is my third year writing American Idol recaps and, for the first time, I finally get to write “The right person won.”

The right person won.

There was a time when Kree was my favorite. There was even a week where I put Amber in my #1 spot (before she sort of floundered). But Candice has always been the rock of this season. She’s the most consistent. She has the strongest voice. She chose the best songs with the most variety. This year we were lucky to have a very strong top 5…but, despite that, Candice usually rose to the top. That is why, when I reveal my top 20 towards the end of the post, you’ll see she takes up nearly half the slots. She has been that good.

I haven’t been this satisfied and pleased with a winner since season 7. Dats da troof.

However, I should say some nice things to Kree. I meant what I said last week: I would have been happy if Kree had won. She has been a calm, consistent presence throughout the competition. Her spirit is full. Her demeanor is relaxed. She has a great, humble personality. (I found it really endearing that she allowed Candice to go last during the performance show.) If she sticks with country, I believe she’ll do just fine. Actually, I hope all the finalists find some sort of success or happiness from being on this show. It’s weird…I didn’t think this top 10 got along very well in the beginning of the live shows. But seeing them be so supportive towards Candice and Kree these last couple of weeks has been darn right inspiring. Despite all the negative press, these tykes seem to be having the time of their lives (more on that later). So…go them!

This season has been interesting. Despite it’s relatively low ratings, it’s gotten a lot of buzz and has been the ~~ridicule~~ discussion of every entertainment site. I honestly don’t hate this season as much as the rest of world does. Maybe I’m just happy that we got a female winner. I dunno…but I honestly didn’t dislike this season. I watched every episode. I anticipated every performance show. Clearly, I enjoyed the show…or else I wouldn’t be watching it. However, I DO think this show needs a major makeover for next season. Better theme weeks. More helpful mentoring. A new judging panel (maybe keep Keith, but definitely get rid of Mariah). I’d even limit the voting and shorten the results shows but…I know FOX would never do that in million years.

This show has bounced from slumps before. Season 9 still remains my least favorite season…but season 10 and 11 were comparatively better. I have faith in this show. It’s still a high rated show (technically). If TPTB want to continue this show…then I let them. But they need to work hard…or else their ratings will fall even lower. But I faith in this show. I certainly still like it more than the other singing competition shows (Sorry, Voice fans!)

But, enough about that…let’s discuss some of my favorite moments from the finale…

1. THE HUMOR - It was weird, and almost a little cringe worthy…but I appreciate that the show was willing to take such jabs against itself. I liked the skit about the girls sabotaging the guys so they would be eliminated one by one (the show’s thinly veiled way of admitting that they manipulated things so a girl would win, maybe?) And I liked the skit where the contestants made fun of the judges (particularly Nicki and Randy). I dunno…I laughed. It was funny. Kill me. The one part was a little too much was the “The Voice” diss. I dunno…a LOT of AI viewers LOVE The Voice. I’m not sure if they would appreciate that joke, much.

2. MARIAH - Yeah, she’s still got it. I adored her little medley. Just her, on stage, in a sparkly gown, singing her hits. That’s all we ask from her (literally),

3. AMBER and EMELIE - “Next To Me” is still stuck in my head. They both sounded great together.

4. CANDICE and JENNIFA HUDSON - That’s right. “Jennifa.” Those harmonies were sick.

5. ANGIE and FRIENDS - Those friends being Adam Lambert and Jessie J. Quelle sick!

6. KREE and JUDGES - Kree sounded really awesome next to Keith and…Randy. I always forget that Randy is actually a talented bassist. Maybe he should go back to doing that…

7. JENNIFER LOPEZ and PITBULL - What can I say? Her dance moves slay me.

And of course, the best moment was seeing Candice reprise her coronation song ”I Am Beautiful” to a crazy load of confetti. Awes!

But, seriously, I definitely got choked up seeing Candice’s dreams come true. I’ve been following her on Youtube for the last year, hoping that one day she would get the success she deserves…I’m glad she got it.

Before I FINALLY list my top 20…I should talk about Randy a little. Even though I truly believe this is the right time for him to leave (and for the show to get rid of him), I will miss Randy. I don’t think he was completely useless. During the first 7 seasons with the original trio of judges, sometimes he was a nice mediator between the loopy/too nice Paula and the sometimes overly critical Simon. He was a necessary member of the panel and I’m glad he was there. Yeah, Randy wasn’t the most articulate judge on television…

Anyway…let’s close this. Here are my 20 favorite performances from the season.

20. Janelle Arthur “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” (top 6) – A breezy, fun performance that showed Janelle’s personality well.

19. Devin Velez “It’s Impossible” (semis) – A performance that PROVES he has a beautiful voice.

18. Kree Harrison “Piece of My Heart” (top 7) – Sometimes you can show some real grit in a performance while you’re in pain.

17. Burnell Taylor “I’m Here” (semis) – Best male solo performance of the season.

16. Candice Glover “Ordinary People” (semis) – A solid, clean performance that propelled her to front runner status.

15. Angie Miller “Try” (top 3) – I was totally fist pumping during this one.

14. Candice Glover “I Am Beautiful” (top 2) – A great “FU” for anyone who has ever told her she wasn’t “commercial” enough (or some BS like that).

13. Candice Glover “I Who Have Nothing” (top 2) – The acapella beginning gave me chills.

12. Candice Glover “Satisfaction” (top 7) – One of the moments of the season where she really rocked out.

11, Kree Harrison “What the World Needs Now…” (top 6) – A beautiful, contemporary rearrangement that fit her voice perfectly.

10. Janelle Arthur “Dumb Blonde” (top 5) – If only more contestants this season took more risks like this. Task: listen to the Dolly Parton version…and then listen to Janelle’s interpretation. Exactly.

9. Candice Glover “Straight Up” (top 5) – Bububububye.

8. Amber Holcomb “Love On Top” (top 6) – A bubbly, infectious performance that gave us a glimpse at how current she could be.

7. Janelle Arthur “You Keep Me Hanging On” (top 8) – One of the best interpretations of any song this season.

6. Candice Glover “Don’t Make Me Over” (top 6) – TAKE ME FOR WHAT I AM! Seriously. Gawl. (I liked this performance more than “Love song.”)

5. Candice and Burnell “The Letter” (top 7) – Harmonies were sick. Probably Burnell’s finest moment. At least he left the show on a good note.

4. Candice, Angie, Amber “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” (top 8) – Sassy performance from my three favorite contestants this season.

3. Amber Holcomb “She’s Leaving Home” (top 9) – If Amber had taken more risks like this, maybe she would have made it longer on the show…

2. Angie Miller “Who You Are” (top 4) – An electric performance that was needed in an otherwise disappointing performance night.

1. Candice Glover “Come Together” (top 9) – Beatles Night was probably my favorite episode this season…This performance is just so much fun and so different from what Candice usually gave us. I knew if Candice could conquer this song, she could conquer anything.

Well…thanks for following me this season. I had a lot of rants but…I still enjoyed recapping the show. Let’s see what next year will bring.

Also…please PLEASE PLEASE support your favorite contestants after this season. Whether your favorite was Candice or even Lazaro…please SUPPORT them. We take “who wins” too seriously nowadays. What matters is the success after the show (just ask Daughtry). So seriously…support them (and, if you haven’t already, buy Jessica Sanchez’s new album…it should be doing better!)

Bye! Next up… EMMY TALK! Stay tuned for that.

2013: 05/17
CATEGORY: american idol
fox
music
recap
reflection
review
television
the voice
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Goodbye, The Office

It’s the end of an era.

I don’t know how to start this post. There are so many emotions and feelings right now. I guess I’ll start with the beginning. And the beginning begins with 30 Rock. 30 Rock was the first adult, single camera TV show that I watched and enjoyed. Before the first season of 30 Rock, The Office had become really popular, especially among the students in my school. But, considering I was still in my “Disney/Nickelodeon” stage, it wasn’t a show I was much interested in. In fact, the first ever episode of The Office I watched was the season 4 premiere “Fun Run”…and I still didn’t think much of it (NOW, I love the episode…it’s really one of those jarring episodes I wouldn’t recommend a newcomer watching first though).

However, during the third season of 30 Rock, The Office was in its 5th season. I was so obsessed 30 Rock…but, really, I was also just obsessed with “comedy” in general. I needed another show I could watch when I had no more new 30 Rock episodes to watch (at that that point, I’d gone through every episode at least thrice). So…I reluctantly turned to The Office on Hulu. A few episodes had already aired in the season so I decided to start from the beginning: “Weight Loss.” Yes, I was confused because I obviously wasn’t familiar with the characters or their situations. Yes, looking back, it’s sort of a bummer that I saw Jim happily propose to Pam before seeing how their relationship had developed beforehand. But, man, when I watched Kelly Kapoor obsess over her weight and look sickly as a result, I cracked up so hard and realized that, hey, this show was actually pretty good.

So during my senior year of high school, I happily watched 30 Rock and The Office side by side, and my love of both shows grew exponentially. (I ended up watching the earlier seasons during my freshmen year of college when I got Netflix for a full month free…best moments of my college life.) It’s appropriate for me to start this way because, the “The Office/30 Rock” hour long comedy block was just perfect television for me. The two best comedy shows during that time together on one network, one night, one hour – so convenient. It was “Must See TV.” Maybe, in terms of ratings, the block never reached the highs of The Cosby Show (the best family sitcom IMO), Friends (a show I’ve only mildly enjoyed), or even Will and Grace (still a favorite of mine), but, personally, ratings don’t mean much to me. It’s about how I feel about a show. And 30 Rock and The Office were shows that made me feel happy and giddy and excited.

The two shows were different…they almost clashed. But…opposites attract. 30 Rock was zany, weird, filled with cultural references, cutaways, and famous guest stars. The Office, however, was still zany, but a lot more subtle and realistic. 30 Rock highlighted the extraordinary, while The Office celebrated the ordinary. Both were effective and both had different strengths (yes, I always preferred 30 Rock but…let’s not get into that).

Add in Parks and Rec and Community, and, at one point, we really had a comedy night done right. Why people clung to the likes Two and a Half Men and Rules of Engagement over this…I’ll never know.

So…yeah…it’s the end of a comedy era.

The Office is a show I can’t help but look fondly on;; especially during seasons 2 to 5, the show simply hit it’s marks so well. There were awkward moments (like when Michael attempted to kiss Oscar), there were sentimental moments (like when Michael bought Pam’s painting), there were sweet romantic moments (Dwight and Angela / Pam and Jim / Michael and Holly), and…well…there was comedy. A lot and a lot of laughter. I truly believe this comedy will become a classic. In 50 years, as people are tossing their Modern Family DVDs, they will say “Hmmm…The Office not only popularized the mockumentary format, but it also did it the best.”

What I loved about the show was that it was a true ensemble. Yes, Michael was the center of attention. And, yeah, Jim, Pam, Andy, and Dwight were given more screen time than the others. But, really, it was a true, strong, almost unbreakable ensemble. Every character contributed something to every episode. Whether it was a line towards the camera, or even a small facial expression, every character did their part. It was a workplace comedy that didn’t treat the lesser characters as “environment.” They all had personalities and they all had moments.

This is why initially, I didn’t think it was a bad idea when the producers decided to continue with the show despite Steve Carell’s departure. I thought with Michael going (as sad as it was), it would give the smaller characters a bigger chance to shine. I thought the show would remain perfect and hilarious…but then the writers gave us a James Spader bomb* and things only got worse from there. By the middle of season 8, I watched an episode and I realized that…I wasn’t laughing anymore. I wasn’t enjoying myself. The show took a nose dive the same way Weeds did during its 6th season…thus, I just couldn’t watch anymore. And judging from the reviews from fans and critics, it doesn’t seem like the show got better.

*Did anyone notice that during the retrospective, when the cast members were recounting their favorite guest stars, a certain someone was missing from the discussion? Exactly.

But I had to watch the last few episodes of this season, including the finale, and I have to say they’ve been excellent, filled with little moments that have reminded me why I loved the show in the first place. This series finale had so many amazing moments (Dwight and Angela’s wedding, Toby breaking down at Pam, and the last scene where they’re all in the office one last time, Kelly and Ryan’s escape into the sunset). The one where I really broke down was when Michael came back for Dwight’s wedding. I knew, despite conflicting reports, that Michael would make a cameo…I just didn’t know in what way. Michael coming back to support Dwight was perfect and it truly cemented their ~~friendship~~ “friendship.” So…will I ever go back and watch the episodes I missed? Maybe…but I’m going to start at seasons 1 and 2 so I can fully remember why I fell in love with this show in the first place.

But despite a rocky post-Michael era, that doesn’t take away the legacy this show has created. Shows like The Office, 30 Rock, and Arrested Development (the latter show which is, technically (and ironically) the last show standing) really shaped TV comedy for the future. Whether it’s been single camera or even traditional multi-camera, I think every television comedy that’s on air right now has taken something from these shows. The Office is a show I’ll miss deeply…and I hope everyone in the cast moves on to bigger and better things (love The Mindy Project right now!)

Before I go, I do want reveal my two favorite episodes of the series. SO many episodes (practically every episode from season 2 and 3 could be a contender) but…there are two that especially stand out. One is season 3′s “Business School,” mostly because I LOVE that moment between Pam and Michael. I remember when I first watched the episode…it really took me by surprise how emotional it got. However, my absolute favorite episode would have to be “Dinner Party” from season 4. I love Michael and Holly…but Michael and Jan’s dysfunctional weird relationship is still a highlight from the earlier seasons.

So…that’s it. I feel like, as a senior who will be graduating from college this weekend, things will be coming full circle. When I’m in apartment during my first year of graduate school, I’ll be, once again, laughing and crying from one of the finest comedy shows ever made.

Thank you for reading.

PS…I also still need to watch the UK version. I know. I know. I’m awful.

2013: 05/17
CATEGORY: 30 rock
about me
look back
nbc
reflection
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television
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Season 12 American Idol Results Review (Our TOP 2 IS ANNOUNCED!!!)

This is going to be very short because…I have a 10 page paper I need to finish by tomorrow noon (hashtag exam week…hashtag senior week! hashtag graduation can’t come soon enough!) This is also why I didn’t post a recap last night. I did watch the episode though. The hometown visits were emotional like usual (esp. Kree’s) and the performances were great (esp. Angie’s “Try” and Candice’s everything). So I came into this results show having no idea who would make the top 2.

All 3 are excellent. Like I stated last week, despite my sadness over Amber leaving, I felt this season gave us one of the most dynamic and evenly matched top 3′s ever. HOWEVER…I was really rooting for a Candice/Angie finale. And after hearing Kree’s emotionless “Friggin’ Perfect” last night, my feelings got a little stronger. Still, I came into this results show with a mixture of excitement and nervousness (both kinds of “anxiousness” according to the 1998 Parent Trap).

I definitely wanted Candice to make the top 2. She’s the contestant I’m rooting for the most. So when she was called out first, I immediately jumped up and shouted “EFF YAH!!!’” over and over again. The audience and the judges (esp. the judges) seemed pumped. Candice was understandably shocked. It seemed like the whole world was singing with a bottle of Coke.

And, at that moment, I figured Kree would be the one going home because…I pegged Angie for the winner. She had the most Twitter followers. She had never been in the bottom “anything!” She had a strong voice but she looked marketable. I mean, she was polarizing…but her fan base was strong enough to keep her afloat…

And then Ryan called Kree’s name and I was like…whaaaat.

It was definitely a shocker…and I 100% believe that Angie should have been in the finals with Candice. But…Kree has been great all season long. It’s an exciting, intriguing shock…and it’s not the worst thing in the world because Kree is amazing in her own right. This isn’t even close to when Jasmine Trias made the top 3 over Latoya London. This isn’t a bad shock…it’s an interesting shock.

It’s an interesting shock that makes me happy because…for the last 5 years we’ve had to deal with skinny, white, “attractive,” boy next door winners. I know this season has had seem relatively low ratings (it’s still a top 10 show…and it’s in its 12th season!!!) and I know this season isn’t “perfect.” But…it’s nice that the typical “American Idol audience” is embracing 2, slightly heavyset, mature female singers. It is truly astounding. It really gives me hope. It took some manipulation from Nigel and co. but…WHEN has the show NOT been manipulative? When it was pimping out the likes of Lee, Scotty and Phillip? Exactly. For once, Nigel used his manipulation skills for good. THERE! I SAID IT!

So…am I happy with this top 2? Inspired? Excited? Yes!

But…was this really and truly the right top 2? Honestly…no. I’m sorry, Kree fans. Yes, Kree was consistent. But Angie took more risks. She sang more uptempo songs. She sang more current songs. Her song selections interesting. Lately, Kree’s been putting me to sleep a bit. Angie’s been improving in this competition while Kree has been settling. Growing and improving is what this show is about…and Kree simply hasn’t been living up to that standard.

So…unless something drastically happens next week, I am whole-heartily rooting for Candice. And while Kree winning would obviously be a welcome change of pace from the last 5 winners…I will probably be a little bit disappointed if Candice isn’t given the confetti shower.

I’m sure Vote For the Worst is ecstatic though…even if picking Kree was bullshit.

So…Angie Miller got the boot. Very shocking. I believe she was singing ~~her original song~~ Colton Dixon’s “Never Gone”. She could barely get through it. She really looked messed up (in a smiley sort of way.) It’s interesting comparing her elimination with Amber’s. While Amber’s tears were more “I knew this was going to happen, but I’m still very sad,” Angie’s were more like “I’m just happy I made it this far but I REALLY thought I would win and I REALLY wanted to win but I’m still proud of those 2 girls but still…god dammit.” Just an interesting little ….

But I was very emotional watching this result show. I mean these girls have been so good. They seem so close and…I just feel the sisterhood this season. Maybe Burnell hates Devin. And Devin hates Nicki Minaj. And Curtis hates Lazaro. And Lazaro hates everyone who isn’t Amber*…. But the 5 females really had a bond this season (like the TPTB wanted all along).

*I’m just kidding guys. Obviously.

Anyway…thanks for reading. And, yes, I will be recapping next week.

PS…so…Randy is leaving. It was time. I think he had slivers of greatness (like when he was being brutally honest, ie. “That was straight up terrible, dawg”) but…it was time.

Apparently, TPTB are looking to replace the whole judging panel. I disagree with this. Keep KEITH because he’s normal and he hasn’t really done anything wrong this season. Keep NICKI because she’s honest and she clearly cares about the contestants even if she is a little wacky. And…yeah, you can dump Mariah. And then hire either Melinda Doolittle, Adam Lambert, or just a random unfamous person who is working in the music business and would know his stuff, like a pre-X Factor Simon Cowell. Keep the panel to 3. And we might have a good show.

2013: 05/09
CATEGORY: american idol
fox
music
recap
reflection
review
snubbed
television
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Season 12 American Idol Results Overview (Top 3 Announced)

Before we talk about tonight’s results, I want look back at the past eleven “top 3′s.” Let’s see how this season’s top 3 stacks up with the others.

Season 1: This probably would have been a solid top 3 if Tamyra had made it. Nikki was a cute underdog but she was clearly out of her league against the other 2.

Season 2: This top 3 was absolutely perfect with Ruben, Kimberly and Clay. In fact…I really loved Josh Gracin during that season so I even thought the top 4 was perfect.

Season 3: I know everyone LOVED the “three divas” during the season…but I honestly wasn’t a huge fan of Jhud until Dreamgirls. That being said, the “three divas” being the top 3 would have been better than Jasmine Trias making it. What bunk!

Season 4: This…is not a season I know much about (I know, ironic). So…I honestly don’t know anything about Vonzell. Next!

Season 5: Overall, this was a good top 3. Similar to Jennifer Hudson, I didn’t feel much for Daughtry while he was in the competition. Confession alert: Taylor Hicks was actually my favorite during the season. So…I dunno, maybe this top 3 would have been better if Daughtry had been in there for McPhee…

Season 6: Unlike a lot of people, season 6 is actual a favorite of mine (minus Sanjaya…although he was hilariously bad, unlike some other VFTW picks who were simply bad). I quite liked this top 3. But, I probably would have switched Blake for Lakisha.

Season 7: This season focused so much on “David vs. David” that the third finalist didn’t even matter much. Sorry!

Season 8: Ugh. What was Danny Gokey doing there? Replace him with the wonderful Allison Iraheta and we would have had the best top 3 ever.

Season 9: Season 9 sucked. Top 3? More like top 1 (and that “1″ was Crystal Bowersox.)

Season 10: Solid top 3 but Haley was CLEARLY on another level.

Season 11: Overall good top 3…but I still have very mixed feelings over Phillip Phillips.

So…I think I would say the most “evenly matched” tops 3′s occurred during season 2, season 5, season 6, and the last couple of seasons. Why the long introduction? Just so I could make the declaration that season 12, despite all its problems, has given us one of the strongest, most evenly matched top 3′s in American Idol history. I’m not saying this was a perfect season as a whole. I’m not even saying the top 10 was all that great. But these three girls remaining are (for the most part) the cream that have thankfully risen to the top of my mocha cap.

And I think this is a very diverse top 3. We have Candice who has an R&B Jazmine Sullivan thing going on. We have Angie who is a Miley Cyrus-inspired pop rocker, sort of a female Billy Joel if you will. And then we have Kree: the thoughtful, mature country girl. All three contestants have something great to offer. And…most importantly…THEY ARE ALL GIRLS. I know I know…we’ve known this for 3+ weeks now; but this season is going to give us our first female winner in 6 years. Quelle exciting!

So people can bitch and complain at how manipulative this show has been this season (because American Idol TOTALLY has never been manipulative before). I will be enjoying these fine ladies battle it out until the end. And, while I’m still rooting for an Angie/Candice finale at this point, even the thought of Kree winning makes me smile. I’m happy…

But, a few minutes ago, I was a bawling mess. I usually don’t cry during eliminations. The last few times I remember crying was when Haley was eliminated in season 10, Allison in season 8, and Melinda in season 6 (I also cried after Crystal performed “People Get Ready” in season 9 but that’s different story.) But when my little Amber Holcomb got eliminated, my stomach dropped. And then when she was trying to get through “I Believe in You and Me,” my eyes water. And when her father came on stage to hug her, I lost it. Wooh! Emotions!

This wasn’t surprising. We all saw it coming. Most people believed Amber should have been the next to go. Honestly, I still prefer Amber to Kree but…maybe it was Amber’s time. It was Amber’s time. She had a great run but, quite honestly, I have to compare her to Candice. Candice is simply the stronger, more experienced artist. So if one of them had to go…then it’s good that it was Amber. I wish Amber had grown more during her run…but maybe that needs to happen off the show.

But…she really was a contestant I enjoyed immensely throughout the competition. Some of her performances early in the season still stick in my head (She’s Loving Home – which is definitely making my top 20 list in a few weeks, Lately, What About Love, Love on Top). It’s very impressive that she was able to make it far despite barely being featured before the Las Vegas round. She clearly made her mark with “My Funny Valentine” (her first performance) and that’s impressive enough. Even though she’s gone, she will always be a member of the “original fab 4.”

So…where does she go from here? Who knows? I’m not going to sit here and pretend she’ll be the next Whitney. It seems like fewer and fewer AI finalists find commercial success post tour. But…she still did something a lot of singers would not have been able to do and that’s a reward in itself.

However…if/when she puts out a new single (maybe with the help of Nicki?), I’ll be the first to download it.

Anyway, I think I’m just going to end this post here. A few other things happened but I think everything I needed say was said tonight. See ya next week (…maybe.)

Byeeeez!!!!

2013: 05/02
CATEGORY: american idol
drama
fox
music
predictions
recap
reflection
review
snubbed
television
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2013 Early Emmy Talk #1(The “locks”)

Last year, when I did this post for the 2012 Emmys, I actually predicted most of the locks right. The only ones I got wrong was Parks and Recreation for Series and John Slattery for Supporting Actor. However, I was still very weary about making a post this year because…for some reason, I feel like we’re in store for some really big surprises this summer. With some shows finishing out their tenures (and some new shows coming out), it’s tough figuring which shows and people are “safe.” The truth is…no one’s ever truly safe. Last year, everyone and their mother predicted Parks and Recreation and Louie for series nominations, and maybe even wins. Instead, they were surprisingly overturned by the likes of Veep (yay!) and Girls. So…it may be a bit silly to make predictions this early in the season…but, the Emmy bug is itching so…here goes.

Just a reminder, here are some ground rules:

1. This is not an OFFICIAL prediction list. I actually don’t make concrete predictions until voting’s over. I’m just going to name the 1 or 2 people in each category that, no matter what, will most likely get a nomination. That’s all…

2. I never consider new shows and new actors “locks.” Even if it’s PAINFULLY obvious, I leave them out for now. Remember when we all thought Luck would dominate? Exactly. (Side note: are there really any new series this year that are major contenders this year? Is House of Cards that big of a threat?)

3. …I think that’s it, actually.

OK. Here are the locks for the 2013 Emmys as of April 29th…

COMEDY

Lead Actor: With Larry David out of the way this year, we have one slot open…a slot that will probably be filled by either Matt LeBlanc (Episodes) or Jason Bateman (Arrested Development). However, this a category that seldom sees much movement so…Alec Baldwin (for his last season), Jim Parsons, Jon Cryer (last year’s winner) and Louie CK remain the four strongest contenders this year. Don Cheadle is very much in the game but…I can’t help thinking that last year might have been a “one time thing.” I guess we’ll see.

Lead Actress: She probably won’t win, but Tina Fey is most definitely getting in for her last season of 30 Rock. Last year’s winner and reliable Emmy favorite Julia Louis Dreyfuss is also in (and might even win again if the rest of season 2 is as good as these first 3 episodes). Parks and Recreation may be losing stock, but the likable Amy Poehler should stick around. And, last, I think America’s sweetheart Lena Dunham should have another chance of Emmy gold after being routinely snubbed last year. There aren’t many new contenders in this category, so we might very well see the same nominations we got last year. Newbie Mindy Kaling could squeeze in though…but again, I’m not considering newbies (not that I that I think she’s much of a lock anyway).

Supporting Actor: Is it too easy to assume that all four Modern Family dudes will be back this year? It’s tough because Arrested Development could bring a couple supporting actors of their own…and that would still be a perfect six. But still…supporting actor is tighter than you may think. I haven’t watched a single episode of MF this year so I have no inkling who’s been standing out. But…I think previous winners Eric Stonestreet and Ty Burrell are safe. If this is going to be the year that voters think outside the “Modern Family box.” then I believe those two will be left standing.

Supporting Actress: Because there are only two adult women in the Modern Family cast, I think it’ll be easier for Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara to get in easily. As for everyone else? Good luck. If Jane Krakowski hadn’t been egregiously snubbed last year, she would definitely be a lock because it was 30 Rock‘s final season. However, because Emmy voters usually play the “Once you’re out, you’re always out” game, it’ll be a tough road for Jane K. Jessica Walter (AD) may also be a contender and could even win if given the chance. And last year’s surprise nominees Mayim Bialik and Merrit Weaver are still in the game…even though I’m quite confident both will be knocked out come July. (Hey…a Girls gotta eat.)

Series: There are three locks this year: Modern Family because…well…it’s Modern Family, 30 Rock (because their last season was universally acclaimed unlike the last seasons of past Emmy bait shows like Will and Grace. ) and Girls. Everything else is in a bubble. For Veep, it’s too early to say…although I would love to see it get nominated again. For Arrested Development….it’s even more too early because none of the episodes have premiered yet and, well, they could in theory be crap (also, we don’t quite know how voters will react to online television being in contention). Big Bang Theory remains the highest rated comedy on television. I haven’t watched it all this season (actually there are a lot of comedy shows I’ve missed on this season for one reason or another)…but I’ve heard even the most diehard fans say how uneven this season’s been. Louie SHOULD get in…but it’s last 2 (IMO superior) seasons have been snubbed so maybe we should just give it up. It’s also the last season of The Office but…unless the very last episode is spectacular, I’m not seeing right now. And, for the fun of it, let’s not leave out New Girls, Parks and Rec, Episodes, and Enlightened, k?

DRAMA

Lead Actor: The likes of Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom) and Kevin Spacey (House of Cards) have been getting a good amount of buzz…but they’re new shows so…Also, The Newsroom is a hella polarizing. Just sayin’. Anyway, I think the magic three (Bryan Cranston, Jon Hamm, Damian Lewis) will pop up. Steve Buscemi is a little shaky just because Boardwalk Empire isn’t a “hot button” show anymore (at least, that’s what it seems like to me…BTW, I don’t follow the show so maybe I’m wrong), but I still think it’s a lock. I think those 4 definitely have a better chance than Hugh Bonneville and Timothy Olyphant. Michael C. Hall will probably get a nomination, but I wouldn’t consider him a lock persay.

Lead Actress: Once again, I’m not going to put Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men) on the list because there’s still that slight chance she’ll switch to supporting (thus giving Jessica Pare a better chance to prevail). Who knows what’s up with Moss or her character or how long we’ll follow her this season? So…she’s not a lock. Call me strange but, like Lead Actor, I think there are 4 locks: Julianna Margulies, Claire Danes, Glenn Close (if she could manage a nomination last year, she’ll probably get in again this year for the last season of Damages) and Michelle Dockery (Golden Globe and SAG nominee who definitely stood out this last season of Downton Abbey). With Kathy Bates out, there is pretty much one slot open. Will it go to Kerry Washington? Connie Britton? Jessica Pare? Mariska Hargitay?

Supporting Actor: The Supporting Drama Actor category is looser than a…something that’s loose. Yeah, Aaron Paul and Peter Dinklage are virtual locks. But outside that…it’s anyone’s game. I mean, let’s remember, last year…two guys from Downton Abbey got in. You never know what the voters are thinking. I do believe Mandy Pantinkin (Homeland) and Jonathon Banks (Breaking Bad) are probably the next up…but they’ve never been nominated before [for these roles] so…again…very loose.

Supporting Actress: The Good Wife is in an interesting position. For the last three years, they’ve been able to hold on to those 2 supporting actress slots. But this year their hurt by a couple things. One, is Archie Panjabi’s really bad story line during the 1st half of the season. And two, the show as a whole being snubbed series which signifies that voters may be letting go of the series slowly but surely. Will these otherwise amazing actresses be the next victims? Only time will tell. Right now, they’re not locks. Maggie Smith and Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad) definitely are. (Hayden Panettiere FYC).

Series: It’s strange. All 6 nominees from last year could get in this year. In fact, that’s probably what I would predict if I were making a real prediction right now. However, for the sake of me not being bold, I’ll say that the only locks right now are Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and last year’s winner Homeland (even though critics and fans alike were very critical of the latter half of the season). Downton Abbey could be the token period piece / network show this category needs but…I dunno, it’s not everyone’s favorite show. And, hey, The Good Wife could come back and take the spot from Game of Thrones or Boardwalk Empire. Maybe? Probably not. House of Cards, The Newsroom, The Americans, and even Nashville are also contenders. But, again, I think it’ll probably just be the same 6 as last year…

Cool. I got that out of my system. Did I leave out any BIG contenders? Am I underestimating the power of Malibu County? What about Glee? Is that still a thing? Would it be so totally awesome if Shameless got any love besides Joan Cusack? Sound off below.

2013: 04/29
CATEGORY: awards
connie britton
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Season 12 American Idol Results (Top 4 Becomes…) + another mini rant

Yeah, let’s just get this out of the way. No one is eliminated. Shocker.

But, before we talk about all that…because I pay 25 dollars a year to have my own website domain, I think I have the right to put in my two cents over “producer manipulation.” This is something I’ve discussed at length before. I’ve made the point that this isn’t the first season that TPTB have manipulated results so their “favorite” will win. But, I also admitted that this year the manipulation has bugged me less because we ended up with a really strong top 5 (and we’ll finally break the WGWG chain).

If you’ve been reading my recaps, you know how much of a sweet spot I have for Amber. I think she’s a very talented “underdog”…and I think she’s had her fair share of moments (“She’s Leaving Home,” “Lately”). She was even my number 1 pick at one point before I slapped myself straight and turned my support towards Candice. Nonetheless, I always look forward to her performances. But…I have to agree that the pimping from the judges have gone too far. Last night, she received two “Standing ovations”…but she didn’t really deserve them. They were very good performances (well, at least “Power Of Love” was). But…the judges have not given her the same constructive criticism that the other 3 have gotten. And it worries me because 1.) it prevents Amber from truly growing. And 2.) because people start to turn on her.

After I finished my blog post last night, I was shocked at all the venom thrown towards Amber (directly and indirectly). And here I thought we were all on the same page. I thought we were excited over this top 4 and it wouldn’t matter who won at this point. But, after last night, it seems like people have made it clear that Amber doesn’t belong in this “top group” that’s already being inhabited by the other ladies. “She’s clearly the worst and she needs to go home immediately” is what I read. I’m not going to lie…it made me sad. I guess you never truly know how much you care about a contestant until it seems like you’re the only person who still likes the contestant.

With Candice and Kree getting the shaft last night, and Angie and Amber elevated, there’s a theory going around that the producers want the “skinny girls” to win and the big girls to go home because the skinny girls are potentially more marketable. These are valid theories and I’m not going to say they’re wrong…but I’m also not going to say their right. I just don’t fully believe it. And, yes, maybe this is my way of defending Amber…but I’m going to speak my mind anyway.

First of all, Angie was clearly the best last night. The ONLY performance that truly SHINED and excited me last night was Angie’s “Who You Are.” That was the only performance that deserved a standing O (and she didn’t even get a full one because Mariah only saves her standing O’s for Amber apparently). On top of that, she had a strong duet with Candice. Angie has gotten better and better in this competition…and, on top of her great vocals, does a good job of picking current songs that people under the age of 20 would recognize. Good for her. So let’s keep Angie out of it. She deserved the praise she got last night…and she’s certainly has gotten her fair share of criticism (remember “Shop Around”?)

Not let’s pretend that Amber doesn’t exist for a second…I stand by what I wrote about Kree last night. She was weak. She has a painfully consistent voice and always stays on key. I appreciate her calmness and her maturity throughout this competition. After the last episode, she even took her criticism well…something her fans could learn from. BUT…her first performance was confusing and weird and lacked any emotion. She was just strutting around the stage singing aimlessly to the audience. Her second performance was better…but sure as heck not memorable. Kree has gotten lazy these past few weeks and you wanna know why? Because the judges have been loving her and offering her nothing but praise the weeks prior . This was literally the first week where their comments were even a little critical. And the same goes for Candice.

Are we forgetting “Lovesong”? Are we forgetting what happened after that performance? How the judges literally jumped and started bowing to her like she was a god. How Mariah threw glitter in her face. How Keith Urban swallowed his pride and admitted he made a mistake by not putting her in his top 3 the week earlier? Even Amber hasn’t gotten that amount of cheers.

I just don’t understand how a week of lukewarm praise suddenly means that the producers are out to get Candice and Kree. Am I missing something here? I really do believe that this was the top 4 the producers wanted all along and that they would be fine with any of them winning (and that includes a Kree/Candice finale). So why the Amber pimping?

I think it really started when Amber was in the bottom three after Beatles week. I think the judges were afraid that Amber would be eliminated before one of the guys (particularly, gasp, Lazaro!) Amber, for some reason or other, was underrated by the public early on and I guess the judges were trying to make up for it. But now that we’re down to the top 4…I think the judges have forgotten how far Amber has gone and are still trying to give her praise when she doesn’t need it anymore. What she needs is a judge to tell to her choose better songs to perform.

Look…I agree that Amber is overpraised compared to the other girls…but I also believe that some of the angry reactions this week in regards to her and Kree are going overboard IMHO. And some of the gripes towards Amber has been uncalled for. I don’t don’t understand why people suddenly hate her…but I think those people need to think again. (And I say this as a big bellied 21 year old who would 100% LOVE a Candice/Kree finale…someone who has stood up for Kree since the beginning of the season and Candice since the previous season.)

Since I took so much time to write that mini rant, lemme just quickly go over some highlights from this results show and then, finally what I think of the actual result.

1. The top 4 sang “Girl on Fire” and it was good, but not extraordinary, performance. Another reason why I’ve disliked this anger during the last 24 hours is that it simply takes away from how great this top 4 is and how well they seem to get along. I liked when Kree gave Amber a small smile during the performance, silently saying “We got this, gurl!”

2. Stefano Langone performed his newest single “Yes to Love.” During season 10, Stefano was interesting character. I really liked him in the beginning of the season and saw him as a worthy finalist…but after his sleepy performance of “Hello,” my interest in him waned. Still, I do enjoy “I’m On A Roll” from time to time. This newest song is OK, but a little too generic (and not in fun way like his first single). But…he’s looking good. I liked the glasses during his video package. And, obviously, he still has a very nice voice.

3. My favorite moment of the night was definitely having Drake surprise Candice. She looked SO STOKED. It was great. The other girls were also nuts, particularly Amber and Angie. See? This is what happens when you sing songs from artists who are still famous. They can possibly take the time to visit you during the results show. So…this is the second time Candice has met an artist she covered on the show. But, yeah, the producers TOTALLY hate Candice.

Degrassi fans unite!

4. Ugh…Lee DeWyze…the one win that STILL irritates me. I’m sorry…but I’m not sorry. Anyway, he performed “Silving Lining”[s Playbook?]. Wait…so the judges stand for Stefano, but not this? Sometimes I feel like the judges should just be glued to their seats at all times. This is what’s causing all the problems in the world. Anyway…very “Mumford and Sons”…I loved it. I can’t believe I’m actually going to download a Lee DeWyze single. Help me, Sir. In all serious, I enjoyed that very much. Now, can we invite Crystal to perform next?

And so…finally we got to the results. Kree and Angie were in the top 2 (I’m guessing Angie got the most votes) while Candice and Amber were in the bottom 2 (I’m guessing Amber got the fewest). And, unsurprisingly, no one was sent home because, again, the producers can’t get enough of this top 4 and they felt like this was the best time to not have an elimination. I still think they should have done this last week when Janelle was still on just for the sake of female empowerment…but this was a nice moment for the 4 girls. Angie and Kree seemed genuinely happy. Amber looked relieved and composed (although a little p’ed off when Ryan announced that the votes from this week would be carried over to the votes next week) while Candice was a crying wreck by the end. So…that’s all I need to say about that.

Next week the top 4 perform “then and now.”If you ask me, we’ve had enough “then,” we need more “now.” If got through this long post, thank you so much for reading! I encourage you to, y’know, comment and rate. Man’s gotta eat.

’til next week!

2013: 04/25
CATEGORY: american idol
fox
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Season 12 American Idol Results (Our Top 4 is Revealed…uh…what?)

OK, this was actually one of the more enjoyable results shows of the season. So…let’s countdown the reasons why.

1. Without any dead weight males in the way, the group performance of Donna Summer songs actually sounded really good. Naturally, Candice stood out the most…but really they all had a chance to shine.

2. The Ford Scavenger Hunt video package thingie was really cheesy and corny and scripted…and that’s what made it hilariously entertaining. And it only got better when their mystery celebrity turned out to be…Matthew Morrison! I could maybe see Amber excited, but Candice…girl, she was thinkin’ I don’t watch Glee. Who this be?

3. PAULA ABDUL! WHAAAT?? That semi-random appearance just blew my mind. It’s nice to see that she, I guess, had no hard feelings towards the show that unfairly fired her (esp. considering she was on The X Factor for a year…BTW, I periodically forget that she was ever a judge on that show.) Anyway, Candice looked happy. The judges looked happy. I was happy. Happy days…is my favorite Barbra Streisand song.

4. Idol Family reunion! This episode actually featured a lot of old friends. First we saw a glimpse of Jordin Sparks in the audience which was nice (I loved Sparkle by the way). And then season 2′s Clay Aiken came back to perform one of his signature songs: “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” He sounded excellent and it’s sad that we don’t hear male voices like that anymore. It’s, I guess, out of style. According to Wikipedia, he’s the fourth highest selling American Idol alum (Ruben is 6th BTW). His first three albums did very well, but he’s been on the decline ever since. Oh well. I still enjoyed his presence…the weird Ruben Studdard joke towards the end was the only sour note.

Then we were unfortunately reminded of that terrible results show during season 3 when the three divas (Fantasia, Latoya London, Jennifer Hudson) were in the bottom 3, over the likes of Jasmine Trias and John Stevens (blech!). That was the night when Jennifer Hudson was eliminated. However, we ended up getting a follow up on Latoya London who, despite being wonderful that season, never had the success of the other two ladies. She gave some vague details on a new album, but it was nice to see her again and she seemed really excited to introduce Fantasia.

Fantasia (who, BTW, is the 5th most successful alum) premiered her new single “Lose To Win.” It was pure 90′s R&B and I loved it. She was passionate and emotional and, even if the performance seemed to go on forever, I still enjoyed watching her get into it. I honestly think Fantasia’s a bonafied success. If you consider her genre of music, she is actually still one of the premiere female R&B singers we have right now (and no, Beyonce and Rihanna are NOT R&B).

So now we had to get down to the results and, unsurprisingly, Janelle Arthur got the lowest number of votes…and she’s…going home WHAAAT? So…is this season going to end a week early? I don’t really get this. Honestly, by the time we get to the top 4…there’s no use using the save. It would have been nice to have seen these 5 ladies sing together for one more week. So…this result makes me scratch my head more than anything.

However, as much as I loved Janelle and her spunk and her spontaneity…she was technically the weakest of the girls. But…I really enjoyed on the show. She was wonderful during Hollywood week, she had some rough moments during Las Vegas and semis…but she really redeemed herself with “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” and proved that she belonged to stand side by side with the other female powerhouse singers. She was bubbly. She was sweet. And I’ll miss seeing her on the show. Y’know…Kellie Pickler is the 9th most successful alum. If Kellie Pickler can make a Gold Album and become BFF’s with Taylor Swift…then who knows what Janelle can achieve!

So…we are down to four. And…I’m not going to rank these girls…I’m just going to say one good thing about them…and one thing they need to improve on. So…in alphabetical order…

1. CANDICE GLOVER - You’re creativity has really come out these last few weeks. However, singing more current songs wouldn’t hurt. You’ve been lacking in that department.

2. KREE HARRISON - You are terribly consistent and reliable. However…too many ballads. You haven’t truly rocked out for us yet. It’s time to stand out.

3. AMBER HOLCOMB - When you hit those high notes, it’s absolutely beautiful. I know “Love on Top” wasn’t your most popular performance…but ya gotta take more risks like that. Your first album won’t be ONLY Whitney Houston inspired ballads.

4. ANGIE MILLER - Keep doing the Christian thing. Keep doing the piano thing. Keep looking like Miley Cyrus. Just try to connect with your songs more.

There you have it…a strong top 4. And I’m looking forward to next week. I esp. hope they take advantage of “Contestant Choice” and do something really interesting.

Thanks for reading! Bye bye!

2013: 04/18
CATEGORY: american idol
fox
music
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Season 12 American Idol Recap (Top 5 Perform) + a mini rant

Who run the world? GIRLS!! GIRLS! Rock it pop it lock it…yeah, I don’t know the lyrics of the song.

Anyway…I have to say I have mixed feelings coming into this episode. On the one hand, I absolutely adore this top 5…definitely one of the strongest top fives in a the history of the show. I just feel so loose and refreshed…I think, at least right now, any of these five would be deserving of the win (including the recent VFTW pick…)

HOWEVER…I took a look at the leaked song list and…I gotta say, I’m pretty disappointed with the boring, bland song choices. (Why is it that Angie has the most interesting/current song on the list?) I will repeat my sentiments from last week…if you’re allowed to sing two songs in one night, then YOU MUST make one of the songs uptempo. This is why I didn’t LOVE Candice’s “Lovesong” as much as everyone else in the world seemed to…it was a ballad that came after a slew of more ballads. When too many ballads are sung in one night, they all begin to melt together and become insignificant. So…unless Amber has turned one of her ballad songs into an uptempo remix, then I won’t be truly satisfied with her.

Now…before I begin this recap, I need to address something. After Lazaro’s elimination last week, I’ve been reading a lot of comments and blog posts that are sort of similar to this sentiment: “The producers (aka TPTB) are so manipulative this year! They purposely paired the girls with AWFUL guys this year so a girl would win. It’s not right! This isn’t the right way to get a girl to win. And, even though I like this top 5, who ever wins won’t TRULY be a winner because of the backstage manipulation. Humph! End of rant!”

Now…’statements like these are bullshit…and I’m going to explain why right now.One, saying that the guys this year were AWFUL is really over-exaggerating it a bit. Yes, the girls were undeniably stronger. But at the same time contestants like Burnell and Devin were quite good TBH. Actually, they each had at least one excellent moment on the show (“It’s Impossible” and “I’m Here.”) Curtis Finch Jr. didn’t choose the best songs but he didn’t have a bad voice. And Paul Jolley, despite his “vanilla flavor,” actually had potential. Lazaro was really bad…but he would have been put through any other season anyway because of his stutter and inspiring story (remember Scott Macintyre of season 8?). The point is…the dudes weren’t that bad.

Two, I know we’ve all been making comments about how the producers purposely stacked the shows with “bad” male singers so a girl could win.,.but it’s mostly been in jest/snark (at least coming from me.) I feel like people are taking this speculation way too seriously. The truth is…there is no hard boiled concrete evidence that this was Nigel’s intention. Yes, maybe they were trying to find male singers who weren’t white and gifted at the guitar for the sake of diversity, but there’s no proof that they were purposely seeking out sucky male singers. This isn’t Superstar USA.

The truth is…if the producers were manipulative this season…they weren’t any more manipulative than they have been the last few seasons. It’s the nature of the show. TPTB choose contestants who they believe will be the most successful post-Idol and pimp them out until they win. This is why contestants like Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery were constantly receiving praise, while all Haley Reinhart had to do was sing one night off key to get an undignified “dawg” from Randy. Joshua Ledet constantly got standing O’s from the judges and Phillip Phillips was given a kick ass coronation song, while Elise and Skylar weren’t given nearly enough credit. And when Jessica made the top 2 what possible coronation song was she given? Exactly.

And what did all this manipulation lead to? FIVE FIVE FIVE WGWG winners in a row. Now, I don’t know how people can bash a historic top 5 all female finale, while being “OK” with the fact that the last five winners have been of the same color, gender and musical instrument of choice. I’m certainly not OK with that. I’m not OK with the fact that Lee Dewyze’s distant stage presence and “awe shucks” routine allowed him to steal the American Idol crown from the spectacular Crystal Bowersox. Season nine was truly an awful season. From Ellen Degeneres to Tim Urban and an overall questionable top 10 to an aloof Simon Cowell, it was awful season. Crystal Bowersox was the ONE THING that made the season watchable. And yet she got second place. I don’t care that she never became a success after the show, she still deserved to win (and it’s not like the actual winner did much better himself…actually he pretty much did worse.)

The show has been downright sexist for the last three years; and I find it a little disturbing that America has finally embraced female singers yet there are people out there who find the need to complain. I think it’s insulting to these 5 women. I’ll repeat what I said last week…these are five TALENTED women. And I refuse to see Candice’s (or Kree’s or Angie’s) eventual win be tainted because there are some pissy thirteen year old girls out there who hate the fact that there’s no eye candy on the show for them anymore. You guys are upset about this season? Well, I’m still upset over the last three.

All I’m sayin’…is that if you think this is the first season Nigel or the producers or the judges have manipulated things…then you’re truly naive. S’all! I be done!

Anyway…let’s review these performances. Uh…I sort of spent a long time on this rant so…four sentences per performance, K?

First the contestants will be performing songs from the year they were born!

Candice Glover: She was born in 1989 so she sang Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up.” Wow, what a creative arrangement. This is how someone takes an old song and makes it current and interesting. She sounded great – what’s new? Also…I really liked the camera work in this one…it was interesting. (Also…that was very nice of her to give Janelle props for the song choice.)

Janelle Arthur: She was born in 1989 so she sang “When I Call Your Name.” I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, she sounded perfectly pleasant and lovely. However…maybe I’m just not a big country fan…but the song was a little too sleepy for me. It didn’t leave a big impression on me…but she still sounded beautiful.

Kree Harrison: She was born in 1990 so she sang “She Talks to Angels.” I really enjoyed this performance and song. Her voice is perfect…so I think now she needs to work on stage presence. She’s getting better and better with every week…but I think she could still be livelier. I think she’s so concerned with having a nice voice that she pulls back a bit.

Omigod…I love Nicki and Mariah so so much.

Angie Miller: She was born in 1994 so she sang “I’ll Stand By You.” She dedicated it to the Boston bombings. All the judges stand except…Nicki for some reason. Call this blasphemous…but I liked this version more than Pia Toscano’s. While Pia’s was, in my opinion, a little pageanty…I feel Angie really put some new found feeling and edge into this one. I do think this song has become over sung so I’m a bit disappointed with the song choice…but she did her best with what she chose (or was given, whatever).

Amber Holcomb: She was born in 1994 so she sang the Mariah Carey version of “Without You.” (Yeah…I agree, this is sort of a cheat.) Nicki must be in a bad mood or something. Yeah, I agree with her. Things got a little awkward when Amber sang low. But, Amber is so great when it comes to musical climaxes. Her voice just rockets. I really don’t like this song…but she sung it well. I just don’t think it was “on your feet” worthy.

I think Candice definitely won this first round, followed by Angie Miller.

NEXT UP…A DIVA IS A FEMALE VERSION OF A HUSTLA….my lip gloss be poppin’ (Again, I don’t know these songs.)

Candice Glover: She sang “When You Believe” by Mariah and Whitney. Finally Nicki stood up with the rest of judges! Candice is just so effortless. She moves me every time she sings. I simply loved it. You go glen coco.

Have you guys noticed that there is a small band of irrational “Candice haters” who are roaming through the message boards with shit like “She isn’t current enough. STOP VOTING FOR HER!” I don’t know who these people are…but I’m really glad they’re not the majority.

Janelle Arthur: She sang “Dumb Blonde” by Dolly Parton. No! The judges are wrong. Keep doing what you do, Janelle! Thank you for livening things up a bit. She chose a song that very few people know exist. It was fun and peppy and upbeat. She takes risks. And, she sounded great. This wasn’t supposed to be a “moment” and that’s OK. At least she didn’t try to attempt “I Will Always Love You.” I’m starting to like this chick more and more…

Kree Harrison: She sang “Have You Ever Been in Love” by Celine Dion. Yes, this was another ballad…but I feel like this is the performance I’ve been waiting for from Kree. Something that I can truly take in. Something that’s powerful and uninhibited. I think she proved, with this performance, that she’s still in the competition.

Angie Miller: She sang “Halo” by Beyonce. I was hoping she would do the fast version from Glee. And she too gets a standing O from the judges (poor Janelle). Anyway, I love the current song choice. I mean…it’s ridiculous how rare these are this season. In fact, Angie might be the contestant who has chosen the most “current songs” so…I commend her for that. I love how Angie’s voice just soars. It’s so ethereal and beautiful. And I think this song allowed her to do that. She sounded a great without the piano…but it would have been kinda cool to see her play the piano hook herself. Anyway, great job.

Amber Holcomb: She sang “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?” by Barbra Streisand. There was a raw maturity in this performance that I hadn’t really seen from her previous ones. Yes, I like it when she’s having fun and acting young (like last week’s “Love On Top.”) But I thought there was something nice about how composed and grown up she was. I think this performance will keep her for another week…

Hm…I think…Angie won this second round. So, I pretty much think Angie and Candice stood out last night. But, really, all five of them did wonderful…and I’m really going to enjoy this season.

So, here’s the deal…if the save is used tonight, I’m not going to post a quick recap or ranking. If the save isn’t then I obviously will. But..,I believe in terms of scheduling, the judges MUST use the save…or else we’ll all die. Even if it’s Janelle going home (and I think it will be her), then I think they still have to use the save despite their clear ambivalence towards her.

Anyway…uh…that’s all folks. Byeee!

2013: 04/18
CATEGORY: american idol
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Season 12 American Idol Results (Top 5 Revealed…SPOILERS!)

Omigod…that was a close one.

I am in such a giddy mood right now. So…here’s the deal. I’ve been a wreck this whole day. When American Idol gets intense, I can’t help but obsess over the show. I’ve read every online recap…every Youtube comment…trying to understand…trying to pray and hope that the person who should be eliminated ends up eliminated. Every Thursday, I have class until about 8:30…and I was literally in a rut. I wasn’t paying attention. I was in a bad mood.

I was nervous.

I figured two things ~~would~~ could happen.

1. A girl would be the lowest vote getter…probably Janelle or Amber…and she would have been eliminated without the save because…well…at this point, what’s the point, right?

2. Or…a girl would be the lowest vote getter…again, probably Amber or Janelle…and the judges would use the save. No problem.

Both situations would have been awful for reasons that are obvious.

Last night, I predicted that Lazaro would be eliminated…but I thought maybe I was just wishful thinking. I mean, he performed really bad this week…but he also performed pretty bad last week and he was still in the top 3. He clearly had a passionate fanbase who was “inspired” by him. So…it wasn’t a confident prediction…

…but in the end…it was the right prediction.

I really hope I’m not hallucinating right now. I really hope I’m not going nuts. Lazaro Arbos WAS eliminated, right? Like…let me check wikipedia real quick…OK, he was.

I really hope I’m not dreaming right now.

Anyway…what can I say about this? He…showed potential…and promise. He was a nice guy (I guess). And it is pretty remarkable that he’s able to sing without a stutter. He’s an…barf…”inspiration.”

But I (and I don’t recap audition episodes so there’s no way to prove this but still…) NEVER thought he was great. I didn’t think his audition was all that good. And I wouldn’t have put him past Hollywood week. While people (even respected bloggers like Michael Slezak – whom, by the way, I trust and respect more than anyone) were showering him with praise during the early stages of the season…I was sitting back and wondering what people were hearing. I’m not going to pretend that he suddenly had a downfall during the finals. Through my ears, he’s always been “not ready” for this competition. And I’m not going to sit here and offer some insincere praise towards him. It’s not technically his fault. He just played the game. The judges/producers/whoever should have realized this early on and not offer him false praise through the rounds. This is why he got as far as he did. And this is why he’s gotten all this “hate.”

I really hope Nigel can learn from this experience. DON’T JUDGE TALENT BY THE SOB STORY!

So fans of Lazaro…if you’re distressed…then prove us wrong. Support Lazaro. Buy his album. While you do that, I’ll be listening to Crystal Bowersox’s.

In other news…this is the best top 5 we’ve had in a while. AND…we’re finally going to have a girl winner. Yes, I feel a little guilty how it came to this (desperately finding amazing girls to compete against mediocre guys). But…after 5 years of WGWGs (and cough cough 3 undeserved wins), it was time. THESE GIRLS ARE TALENTED. And I think right now, they’re all deserving to win. Even with the backstage manipulation, let’s not pretend we have a sucky top 5. We don’t. Each girl has given at least a couple amazing performances and…I’ve never been more excited for a latter half of a season…coincidentally the last time I felt this way was during season 6…after Sanjaya was eliminated. Hmmmm…

I don’t want to rank these girls…

…let’s rank these girls.

1. CANDICE - OK, she’s finally number one on my list. I tear up thinking about her. Ever since she was unfairly eliminated last season, I’ve been begrudgingly following her on Youtube, wondering if she would ever make it…She’s made it. No matter what happens, I think she’ll be fine. She’ll, at worst, make 60,000 dollars a year performing gigs and making music…and that’s pretty much what one should hope for after leaving American Idol (assuming that’s not what he or she was doing before Idol…)

2. AMBER - She needs to work on diction. But I still love her “Love on Top” performance. I have to enjoy this uptempo break for as long as I can because next week she’ll be back to singing ballads (also,next week will probably be her last week so…)

3. KREE - She’s getting boring…na mean? She’s so consistent…but Candice has also been consistent, yet she’s produced more exciting moments. There might be a time when I’ll stop rooting for her…like when she’s in the top 2 with Candice.

4. ANGIE - I love how, when she has the chance, she chooses Christian songs from semi-obscure singers. I’ll…probably never like her more than my top 3…

5. JANELLE - Keep doing what you do!

So…what else? I pretty much missed the first half of the show, but I did see Kelly Clarkson perform. Her new single is awesome and she sounded great (what’s new?) For a while, because she was a mentor on Duets and The Voice, I thought maybe she was silently turning her back on Idol. I’m glad to see that she still has time to perform on it and act nice…even if (like everyone else) she probably thinks the show should just end. Hey…it’s not like any future winner would overshadow her. She’s unstoppable! I also liked her little back and forth with Mariah…and how the producers were trying to cut to commercial but they couldn’t because Kelly and Mariah are just that awesome. You know…Mariah is a weird/non-present judge…but I like her as a person, y’know? (And her obsession with Mean Girls makes me smile.)

So…does this mean the save is just not going to be used? This will be the first season since the save was first introduced that it won’t be used? Iiinteeerrresting…

Anyway. I’m happy. I’m going to bed. Goodnight, lovelies!

2013: 04/11
CATEGORY: american idol
fox
music
recap
reflection
review
television
tv
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Season 12 American Idol Results (Top 7 Becomes Top 6…my ranking)

Even Candice realizes this elimination is BS.

Definitely definitely an emotional results show for me.

In my desperate quest for a female winner, I’ve been pretty ambivalent towards the eliminations thus far. Curtis Finch Jr. was unrelatable. Michael Polley was too “vanilla”. Devin Velez lacked connection. These were three eliminations (for the most part) I agreed with.

And…honestly…if Lazaro couldn’t go home (more on that later), I knew it had to be Burnell Taylor. And I’m glad, despite the circumstance, it was Burnell. But…still…so sad. He did really well throughout the competition. He has a beautiful tone and a great personality…and I’ll miss him on the show. I think he needs to work harder on his diction because even during his save-me song (“Ready to Love”), despite how wonderful he was, I still had a tough time understanding many of the words he was singing. But, he should be proud of his journey and…y’know, I’m going to guess he’s not going to be a HUGE Carrie Underwood sized success…but he should still be proud of the experience and realize he did something a lot of people could only dream of doing: performing The Color Purple on the 2nd most popular singing competition in the country.

Now, with all that lovey-dovey crap aside…the top 3 truly spooked me. WHAT THE FRAK, AMERICA??? STOP VOTING FOR LAZARO! TOP 3???? You know why the producers decided to reveal the top 3 this week…to subtle-y tell America to stop voting for this dude. So, everyone, let’s listen to Nigel and create a balls to the wall top 5 with the fierce ladies. I will not be able to fully enjoy this show until this bulge is outtie…K?? K.

A top 3 without Candice is like…a moon without its stars.

OTHER SHIZ:

The show started off with a performance of “Somebody to Love” by the top 7. I’m 70% sure they lip synched this. However, I love how Candice was given the “Mercedes” solo towards the end. Fierce!
Casey James came back to perform “The Good Life.” I honestly disliked season 9 (anyone who claims season 12 as being the worst season has clearly only started watching the show since season 10). The only contestant I truly loved in that season was Crystal Bowersox. But…Casey James is a cool dude and I have to admit, he had a couple better-than-decent moments while he was on the show. Right now, I definitely like this country/laid back thing he has going on. And I enjoyed the performance and song very much.
Carrie Underwood came and performed her newest single “See You Again.” The major pimpage she got was actually deserved considering she’s one of maybe 5 bonafied successes from the show. In fact, she has sold more albums than any other alum. Despite all this fame, it’s nice to see Underwood have such raw appreciation for the show and her journey. Seeing her well up a bit and at least attempt to compliment the rest of the contestants and give them hope was a nice moment from this neck of the woods. She has a nasally voice live…but it’s my nasally voice, and I love her.

OK…that’s all for now. Next week the contestants are singing two songs. One from the Bacharach/David songbook…and the other is pretty much anything the contestant wants. So hopefully, the top 6 uses the opportunity to sing something current (Candice), fresh (Kree), and upbeat (Amber). And…well…on key (VFTW pick).

Let’s rank them:

1. AMBER - The heart wants what the heart wants. I can’t lie to myself anymore. I anticipate her more than the others at this point. But…still she really needs to sing something fun and upbeat. “What About Love” isn’t necessarily a ballad…but she certainly didn’t rock it out like expected. But, for now, I’ll put her at 1.

2. CANDICE - Consistent consistent consistent. I’d like to hear her sing some Jazmine Sullivan. Preferably “Holding You Down” or “Need U Bad.”

3. KREE - I agree with other fans, I think Kree is getting a little too comfortable on stage. That’s why I honestly loved her performance the other night (“Piece of My Heart”) because I felt like there was some genuine struggle in her voice and it was refreshing. I think she desperately needs to sing something from the new millennium quick so we can really see what kind of artist she is.

4. ANGIE - I don’t think she’ll ever be above the top 3 from my picks…but I really do like her and she redeemed herself this week. I would not mind if she won. She’s so good!

5. JANELLE - Cutie patootey. I feel like I’m never giving her the praise she deserves. She’s probably taken more risks than the other girls, I admit that. She’s been wonderful these last few weeks.

6. LAZARO - I think maybe a Bruno Mars song would be a nice change of pace for him. Or maybe even Michael Buble. Also…it’s a travesty that he’s still here.

Thanks for reading!

2013: 04/05
CATEGORY: american idol
fox
music
recap
reflection
review
television
tv
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An Opinion blog about TV, Movies, award shows, music, books, school, etc…

Season 12 American Idol Review (Winner Announced!) + Top 20 Most Memorable Performances of the Season

Goodbye, The Office

Season 12 American Idol Results Review (Our TOP 2 IS ANNOUNCED!!!)

Season 12 American Idol Results Overview (Top 3 Announced)

2013 Early Emmy Talk #1(The “locks”)

Season 12 American Idol Results (Top 4 Becomes…) + another mini rant

Season 12 American Idol Results (Our Top 4 is Revealed…uh…what?)

Season 12 American Idol Recap (Top 5 Perform) + a mini rant

Season 12 American Idol Results (Top 5 Revealed…SPOILERS!)

Season 12 American Idol Results (Top 7 Becomes Top 6…my ranking)

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