AMERICAN IDOL PREDICTIONS & HEARTACHES

It's been a tough couple of weeks. First, one of my all time favourite shows, the grossly underrated Malcolm in the Middle, had its series finale with such little fan fare that I almost missed it completely. However, fate intervened and I was able to catch it in the nick of time, and true to form, I was not disappointed; as the show ended it's hilarious 7 season run on a high note with a brilliant exit from network television. It will be sorely missed.

But even before that bittersweet event, Chris Daughtry, one of the four American Idol finalists, and my personal favourite, inexplicably gets cut from the competition proving once again that the public is clueless when it comes to choosing an American Idol. The incident was so devastating, I almost boycotted the remaining episodes. It reminded me of last year's heart breaking season finale, when Bo Bice inexplicably lost to Carrie Underwood. Chris has been one of the hardest workers in the competition, he has consistently received the best reviews from the judges, he's got amazing stage presence and charisma, and he's an awesome vocalist. Sure, the Elvis themed show was not one of his finest hours (only because he didn't choose the right songs), but still, out of all the final four, he was the most deserving of another chance. Nevertheless, I have recovered from Daughtry's unjust departure. My heart has healed and I know it will go on. Besides, how upset can I get over a show that's essentially a guilty pleasure?

Before Elliott got eliminated, I wasn't quite sure who to root for. I like Taylor alot, he's a unique talent with a great soulful voice, but I don't think he's lived up to his potential during the competition. More often than not, he tends to choose the wrong songs - songs that don't really showcase his vocal abilities, earmarked by performances that are far too karaoke-esque. In fact, throughout the contest, he's focused far too much on the performance to the detrement of the vocals. True, it's fun to watch someone who enjoys performing so much that he looks like he's on crack each time he steps out on stage, but all that mania gets stale very quickly when the vocals aren't there to sustain your attention. Plus I'm annoyed that he might win simply because everyone likes him so much, when there are contestants who have worked much harder and who deserve to go farther as a result. It wouldn't bother me if Taylor blew me away everytime, but he's had more misses than hits.

With regards to Elliott, here we have someone who doesn't strike you as an American Idol at first glance, but who, nevertheless, is one of the most authentic, down to earth and likeable contestants the show has ever had. Not to mention that he too has has worked his butt off throughout the competition, showing the most improvement over this season's run. Unfortunately, Elliott's style, no matter how cool, is not one that connects well with a mainstream audience.

As for Katharine, let's just say I haven't caught the McPheever and I don't plan to any time soon. She has a good voice and she did do a great job with her rendition of Over the Rainbow, but something about her bothers me. I think it might be that under all that cutesieness, she's much more of a diva than she's letting on. Not to mention that I find it extremely annoying how her father cries everytime she sings and how they're always showing it.

Now that it's down to the final two and now that they've had their final match, I predict that Taylor will win, and not only that, based on last night's performance, he should win. His opening number was a real show stopper and he deserves the American Idol crown for that performance alone. Plus he wisely chose to tone down his manic dance steps and focus on showcasing his great voice and his considerable vocal abilities. Besides, as far as I know, Taylor has never been in the bottom two or three in any of the matches. It's just too bad that once again a deserving rocker got the boot.