Review of Finals Night for the Top 3 of "American Idol"

Well, it was a rather sad evening on American Idol, as Casey James left the stage, his Idol dream brought to an end. Although this was a very unsatisfying moment (due to the fact that the rather under-talented Lee made it through to the Finale,) the evening was actually full of some very pleasant musical guests, featuring performances by both Travis Garland and Justin Bieber. All in all, although the results themselves were somewhat disappointing, the show was actually one of the better Results shows this season of American Idol has produced.

That being said, it became very obvious from the outset that they were merely trying to fill up time in any way they could think of, with the result that the contestants were forced to chatter on at some length about their personal feelings. Unfortunately, their words came across as rather wooden and coached, and it was quite obvious that they had been told exactly what to say.

The homecomings, however, were quite powerful, and it was pleasant to see the constants so warmly welcoming by their hometowns. Casey James' return to Texas was particularly moving, as he went to the hospital where the doctors mad basically saved his ability to play the guitar, resulting in a moving reunion. It was actually refreshing to see Casey, who is one of the more masculine contestants that American Idol has seen in a while, show his softer side. It truly reminds us of why he has been such an appealing candidate throughout this season.

The guest performances, however, were quite enjoyable, especially considering the somewhat disappointing performances that have so far been offered up this season. Although it was rather doubtful that Travis Garland was going to be a good performance (considering the fact that he was given a rather dubious seal of approval from the irksome Perez Hilton,) his voice was surprisingly pure, and it would not be surprising if many in the audience were wishing that he were competing in American Idol. It was Justin Bieber, however, who really stole the show, which is hardly surprising, considering how much of a sensation he has become in the last year. Again, his voice was incredibly pure and sweet to listen to, although one cannot help but wonder if that particular quality is going to last past puberty.

The great disappointment of the evening, however, was the fact that Casey James was eliminated. While Lee DeWyze does have talent, he has not been nearly as consistent as Casey has, as has been proven time and again. Unfortunately, however, the judges made it very clear early on that they wanted Lee to make it through to the final, and so they have nitpicked Casey constantly about every aspect of his performance. Those who were supporting Casey should take heart, however, from the fact that he made it this far proves that at least some American voters have the intelligence to think for themselves. We can but hope that they will do so again next week, and Crystal Bowersox will emerge as the winner.