The future arrives

As Ryan notes at the start, we're down to two contestants from 100,000 who tried out. Jordin I'm happy with--but Blake?!

Oh well; for some reason tonight doesn't feel like a big show, maybe just because I think Jordin's gonna win in a walk. But we'll see, Blake could get lucky and have the perfect songs.

Poor Paula's got a broken nose, which Simon helpfully points out; Paula gets him back by running her hands down his open shirt. They look back at Blake and Jordin in Seattle at the audition round; interesting that they both came out of there. So much for Southern domination.

Paula was a big fan of Blake from the get-go, Simon not so much. All the judges really like Jordin; I, of course, was also an inaugural member of her bandwagon... we should get special t-shirts.

They televise the coin toss to see who gets to sing first, as if it's the Super Bowl; Blake wins, then dumbly asks Jordin is she has a preference, she doesn't care, he even more dumbly decides to go first.

Blake redoes You Give Love a Bad Name, looks slick in a sport coat; it's fun to listen to again, but in combination with some bad camera movements it's got to be one of the most disjointed things I've seen on the show, not sure I'd have started with this. The crowd's into it though, big ovation eh, it was good, if you like that kind of thing. Randy gives him 10s for the beat boxing, but to heavy boos says the singing was just alright; Paula loves it, much better than at CBS (which Ryan later clarifies as a reference to the other studio where they film Idol); Simon says you're not the best singer, but you're the best performer, singing was flat but energy was amazing so it may not matter. Shot of Phil in his uniform in the crowd.

Jordin does Fire, which I don't think we've heard before. Ugh, very odd choice--in unflattering outfit, and the song is simply disjointed. The chorus part is pretty good; but really, whole thing is a bit average to me, nothing so notable. Gets better as it goes on, although she seems a bit out of breath. Wow, really starts to build toward the end; she just wails out--but song's not to my taste, so I don't know. Not as much applause but a chant breaks out for Jordin; Randy says your voice was stellar, brilliant, even if it wasn't super-entertaining; Paula likes it too; Simon says great young choice, but vocals were shrieky, round 1 goes to Blake. Randy says Blake wins performance, Jordin vocals; Paula says an amazing tie.

Back, clip of Blake talking about learning how to beat box in high school. Intersting choice by Jordin to go with new song first; Blake does now, Maroon Five's Am I Right in a blah sweater. He's very good, tone is perfect, a few problems vocally but I like the song and the cool, unspooling way he delivers it. Some more vocal or timing problems, hmmm; pretty pitchy at parts but it actually doesn't really detract from the song. Chris Richardson should've sung it. Applause not as nuts this time; Randy says great song, nice natural and pure vocal; Paula says great and relaxed; Simon says good, safe but not as good as first time, bad choice because the song doesn't make that much of an impact. He's right, it's nice but no wow factor.

Jordin chats about how she's always been singing, doing Martina McBride's A Broken Wing, which is from the only week I didn't watch. Wow, she's good--so slow and intense and heartfelt; normal blouse with a bird or something on it. A bit too quiet maybe through the first part, like she's swallowing her words, but you can feel the big swell coming--and out it comes. The second part really gets big; she's good, but didn't hit it out of the park in my opinion, even with the big finish. At her best you get chills listening to her, given that the last song is by an amateur I don't think we're gonna get that tonight. Randy says he's loved her since day 1, calls the song flawless, better than the original, wow; Paula says great vocal voice tonight; Simon says now that, was good. Many of her best moments on the show really are in between, when she's clowning on stage next to Ryan; she has an unbelievable amount of charisma and stage presence, she'll be great no matter what she pursues.

The winners of the songwriter competition are introduced, both from Seattle, This Is My Now. Blake looks funny lounging up against the giant screen to start, it's very mannered and hokey. Wow, the chorus is actually pretty good--totally generic, but has that pop hook songs on the radio all share. Blake's voice is just okay, it really drags him down for this one, no chance for him to throw in any flash. He actually sounds flat for a lot of it, it's not bad but not astonishing. Curious what Jordin makes of this; song drags a bit toward the end. Randy says this isn't your type of song, it was alright, don't feel that bad about it; Paula is like great job; Simon says all a little odd, asks Blake how he feels, says you looked a bit frustrated. Blake never really answers; Simon says we have to judge you based on the first two performances. Very odd strategic decision by Idol to have our final impression be a song both performers are hostage to.

Ryan's up in the balcony when we get back with random people to do a commercial essentially; wow, Jordin looks great in a black dress, the song is like totally different in her hands--it's slowed way down, and is compelling as heck. Man, I was wrong, here's the goose bumps moment--she is really good, gives the song a freshness and just sings it so well and truly. My gosh, this is something I'd buy. Big finish too, she totally blows Blake away; she's like in tears as it finishes, she really sells the song, I guess it totally fits her story. Wow, wow, wow; big-time applause from the audience, the judges are just sitting there. Randy straight-out says you were the best singer tonight, this is what it's all about. Paula says you're great; Simon says last week I didn't think you were good enought to make the finals--I was wrong; you just wiped the floor with Blake on that song. Yeah, it's true; big-time chants for Jordin.

Ah, what a great show sometimes; in my mind Jordin's just redeemed much of what's been a mediocore year. I'd vote for her--but the line's always busy.

They waste some time after the recap, Randy says Jordin wins, Paula says they all end up winners, Simon liked Blake's first song but Jordin overall.

Then, in a startling move, they have Chris Daughtry perform live as they 'recap' the season behind him. This show is dumber than dirt sometimes--why in the world would they bring back a great but losing talent from last year as your final image, when tonight's supposed to be about Jordin and Blake?!

I mean, Jordin and Blake aren't even on stage for the last three minutes; the last image you see of them is a shot from last week--behind Chris!

At least Jordin knocked it out of the park; if she hadn't you'd have millions of people wishing they could vote for Chris.

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