Do Over: American Idol -- Top 11 Performance Show

I hope you all appreciate what I go through to bring you this blog. It's my day off (Thanks Cesar Chavez) and not only am I sitting in front of my computer (OK, I'd be doing that anyway) but I've queued up last night's episode so I can give you the best possible recap.

Just like last night, I'm fast-forwarding through that crap about last week. I love these two-hour shows where they waste the first 15 minutes. OK, so I'm exaggerating about the 15 minutes, but the first performer didn't come on until almost the nine-minute mark. Move it on.

Just one thing before we do though. Does J-Lo get hotter every week. She looked stunning.

American Idol -- Top 11 Performance Show

After last week’s mediocrity, I’m lowering everyone’s score by at least five this week. You want a good grade? Earn it by having more than one good performance. The problem here isn’t talent. This batch is at least 30 percent more talented and memorable than last year’s drones. Case in point, Casey James finished third last season and I literally had to google “Idol season 9 Casey” to remember his last name. And I LIKED him!

The problem here is consistency, charisma and risk. Every one of the contestants that are left (except maybe Thia Megia) could blow the roof off the Kodak Theater if they put their mind to it. But so far, we’ve seen manic or spastic performances from out-of-breath and out-of-tune singers, dreary dirges that have us reaching simultaneously for no-doz and anti-depressants and – worst of all – completely in-their-pocket and safe song choices from the best of the best.

With the chance to go out on tour with the whole gang this summer riding on tonight’s performances, let’s hope they decide to bring something extra special. Let’s get to it.

American Idol -- Top 12 Performance Show

Let me just say right from the start: If my critiques seem lackluster and uninspired, it's because that's exactly how I felt about this "Songs from the Year They Were Born" episode. The song choices were just so-so, we have yet to see a truly original arrangement of a song (a la David Cook or Adam Lambert) and exactly one of the contestants tonight gave his /her best performance so far. Yawn. Let's get to it before I fall back to sleep.

OH, before we start. I was wrong last week. It was NOT live (according to tvline.com). I did see the "recorded from an earlier broadcast" disclaimer at the bottom of the screen here tonight, so I'm assuming it was live on the east coast this week.

American Idol -- Top 13 Performance Show

And we're live! I guess last week's results show was live as well (although I don't know that for sure), but some of you may or may not know that last week's performance shows were not. They were pre-recorded. I suppose there's nothing wrong with that; but I mistrust Idol (actually all TV) producers and I feel like giving them the chance to edit the proceedings makes it more likely that we're being manipulated. However, from what I've read, even when the show is live it can be "modulated" and auto tuned so I guess we never really know that we're seeing the real deal.

American Idol Semifinals -- Top 12 Girls

Last year I had really high hopes for the girls; then the performance shows started. So this year I'm keeping my expectations in check. Earn it bitches! On with the show.

American Idol Semifinals -- Top 12 Boys

So, I was wondering why we were doing the top 24 this week when they said all along that they were doing away with the semifinals this year. Now I understand. One shot for each of them and then we get the top five guys and top five gals. I don't know for sure, but it looks like they are just going to announce the wild cards on Thursday night. On with the show.