Last night was the first Tuesday night in five months that American Idol wasn't on television. To be honest, I didn't know what to do with myself.
What is on TV on Tuesday nights? my fiance and I wondered. The answer was a whole lot of nothing. I was forced to pick up a book(!) to pass the time.
It's always hard to let go of an American Idol season. For the past week, I've been basking in the glow that is a victory for the right David. But that glow won't last forever.
So until AI 8 revs up, let's take a moment to look back on the season that was...
Here are my top 10 Idol performances of 2008 (in chronological order with YouTube links).
David Archuleta: Imagine [1]
Archie sent everyone a buzzing very early in the competition with his stripped-down version of John Lennon's "Imagine." His vocals were pure as fresh snow launching him into the top contender spot where he would easily fend off opponents for several weeks thereafter.
Jason Castro: Hallelujah [2]
Easily the best song choice by any contestant this season. I was smitten by Jason Castro before, but when he took the stage to sing this Leonard Cohen/Jeff Buckley number, I fell head over heels for the guy. He gave a good performance, even with its imperfections, that subsequently drove a kajillion people to the Web to hear more.
David Cook: Hello [3]
Handicapped by horrible hair, David Cook had trouble getting noticed - until he rocked out Lionel Richie's "Hello" on 80s night. It was a turning point for Cook and he didn't look back after that.
Chikezie: She's a Woman [4]
Chikezie didn't last too long in the Idol competition, but thankfully he stuck around long enough to deliver this bluegrass/rock version of "She's A Woman" on Beatles night. It was truly a shining moment for him. He worked the stage and his voice to perfection.
David Cook: Eleanor Rigby [5]
His hair still sucked but David Cook continued his rise to the top on Beatles night with a rockin' "Eleanor Rigby." The rock star moment at 1:05 gets me every time.
David Cook: Billie Jean [6]
Admittedly, I cheated and peeked at the contestants' song selections on this night when the theme was tunes from their birth year. That was a big mistake - as soon as I read David Cook was doing Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," I could barely contain myself throughout the rest of the show. Thankfully, he did not disappoint. Picking from the best of Chris Cornell's version of the song, Cook continued his rise to the top (and finally someone talked some sense into him about his hair).
Michael Johns: It's All Wrong, But It's All Right [7]
It took way too long for Michael Johns (who came into the contest with a bunch of buzz) to find a song that he connected with, but it finally happened on Dolly Parton night when he sang "It's All Wrong, But It's All Right." It was sexy, bluesy and the vocals were spot on.
Syesha Mercado: One Rock N Roll Too Many [8]
Like Michael Johns, Syesha Mercado suffered from poor song selection until Andrew Lloyd Webber stepped into the picture. The singer/actress hammed it up in a sassy little red dress on "One Rock N Roll Too Many" proving she could be a Broadway force to be reckoned with.
Carly Smithson: Jesus Christ Superstar [9]
We knew Carly Smithson could blow, but she didn't find that perfect song to wail to until Andrew Lloyd Webber pushed her to sing "Jesus Christ Superstar." Good work ALW. It was an amazing choice for her. She pounded the stage and sang her heart out. It was a good note to leave the competition on.
David Archuleta: And So It Goes [10]
Archie's ballad schtick got old quickly, but it was hard to deny that his golden voice was a beautiful touch to Billy Joel's "And So It Goes" (I still can't believe Paula chose so well).
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Brooke White: You're So Vain [12]
Brook White set herself apart from the pack in semi-finals, bringing a guitar to the stage and delivering a nice performance of Carly Simon's "You're So Vain." She was happily branded with the singer-songwriter stamp.
Brooke White: Love Is A Battlefield [13]
Brooke proved to be a decent song arranger with this acoustical Pat Benetar number.
Carly Smithson: Crazy on You [14]
She loved Heart and made not bones about her dreams to sing this song on the stage. It worked out for her.
David Cook: Music of the Night [15]
David Cook abandoned his rocker getup to become the Phantom of the Opera on "Music of the Night." He surprised everyone by singing it straight (and showing off some impressive chops). Admittedly, I couldn't help loving his admission that he grew up doing musical theater. Other rockers might consider that a bad move (street cred and all), but I found it horribly endearing.
David Cook: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face [16]
David Cook might not have considered dusting off Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," but thank goodness Simon saw its potential in Cook's hands. It was a stunner to open the big finale with.
Highlights of the season: A variety of contestants (rockers, singer-songwriters, stoners); David Cook's rapidly improving hairdo; instruments!; Carly Smithson finally covering up her tattoos; Interesting song choices and arrangements; Andrew Lloyd Webber as a surprisingly useful mentor; And of course, David Cook fans hitting the phones hard to assure his big win over David Archuleta
Lowlights of the season: Scandals, scandals and more scandals (strippers, song stealers, stage dads!); Theme nights full of old songs; The second Beatles night, Hour-long results shows; Shameless positive comments for the "chosen" ones
TELL US: What did you like (or dislike) about this season of American Idol? What was your favorite performance? Favorite theme night? Favorite contestant? And was the right person crowned?