As for existing shows,  I typically keep them on the schedule if I managed to watch the entire previous season – and was excited for each new episode.  If I didn’t absolutely freak out when I missed an episode, chances are that show was already dwindling off my “must-watch” list. Its rare that I quit a show mid-season, but often, those shows don’t return to my DVR the next year. (See: House, How I Met Your Mother).

So, without further ado, here’s my grid! At least, this is what it looks like today. Come October, some of these shows will inevitably be cancelled, either by the network or simply deleted on my personal DVR.

So, what will you be watching? What new shows are you looking forward to? Stay tuned for my post on my top picks for the Fall TV season

Inception is part action, part thriller, part sci-fi, yet it’s none of these things. It’s an upside down romance, a time-traveling trip that takes you to the one place that’s never been explored–the human dream. Cobb (Leonardo Dicaprio) and his small team are big-time thieves, stealing secrets locked deep in the minds of the powerful. Cobb’s operation is not only illegal, somehow, it’s kept him on the run and away from his children– and one last job offer could make all his problems go away and let him go home.

The difference is, this job is something different–inception, or, the planting of an idea in a subject’s mind during his dream state. This is the opposite of what Cobb is trained to do, but in theory, it works pretty much the same. I understand the concept of wanting to extract secret information from someone’s brain–it sure beats torture– but I’m not sold on inception. Whatever happened to good old manipulation? Are the people in Christopher Nolan’s (The Dark Knight) world immune to persuasion, bribery, and threats?

Cobb assembles himself a team– his right hand man, Arthur (Joseph Gordon Leavitt), an newbie architect Ariadne (Ellen Page), who constructs the physical dream world, a forger named Eames (Tom Hardy) who can imitate anyone from the dreamer’s real life, and a chemist, who designs the sedative that will send them into the subject’s dream–as well as the “kick” that will wake them up.

The plot is simple enough — they create a dream world, then go deep into the subject’s subconscious to plant an idea– and idea that on the surface seems minute, but when realized, could change the course of his entire life. But the mechanics are complex. Creating one elaborate dream world, and then another, with all the details perfectly in place; getting the timing just right; and fighting off “projections”, or people and objects created by the subject’s mind that can “sense” any outsider in the dream, like the dream’s immune system fighting off an infection.

The action is fast, but the plot is faster. Watch carefully or you’ll miss a step from one plot point to the next. But the movie is filled to every corner with visual diversity : delicately imagined scenes of a road that goes up instead of straight, glass shattering into a million pieces, bridges forming out of nowhere, snow-capped mountains that go on for miles. And when the dream collapses– that’s the most brilliant destruction happens. Inception is stunning both in its art direction and in its storytelling, with each independent scene folding seamlessly into the next, Each segment of the film is a uniquely created piece of a patchwork quilt; each designed with different shapes and colors and fabrics, but every one is necessary to complete the whole.

As the multiple layers of dreams unfold, so does the personal dream-demons of team leader Cobb. The scenes between Page and Dicaprio are effortless, and they alone bring emotional depth to what would otherwise have been a pretty, fun, twisty flick. Inception isn’t afraid to explore complexity of its main character, and goes so many places that movies today are afraid to venture. Like its mishmash of characters that plunges blindly deep into the subconscious, Inception asks its audience to take a leap of faith too, and to accept a film with as many layers as a dream.

I’ve had 2 months to digest the 2010 season finales. The end of this year’s TV season was so full of drama and angst and endings and new beginnings that I was overwhelmed by it all, and I still don’t know exactly how I feel about it. The season endings of Lost, Fringe, Bones, and some of my other favorite dramas have left me angry and awed and speechless all at the same time, but I wouldn’t know where to even begin telling you about it.

But that’s not why we’re here. We’re here because now that the regular season has passed, there are some fun, indulgent, and quirky shows filling what was once a programming void. And if I’m being honest, I’m not missing my regular season shows one bit right now. Except maybe Fringe, ’cause that alta-verse is pretty trippy. So, here’s what I’m watching to get me through the heat.

What’s Out: Bye, bye competition reality shows. No more SYTYCD, Bachelor/ette, Top Chef, Big Brother, Real Housewives of (Insert city here) and whatever other shows that glorify humanity at its worst. It took a lot of time not using my brain muscles, but I’m finally moving on. I will admit, I have recorded HGTV’s Next Design Star, but after 2 episodes, the rest are still sitting on my DVR.

Reality That Works: Being female, I’m extremely drawn to the “follow”-style reality shows on women’s-oriented networks like TLC, HGTV, and WE. I can’t get enough of Say Yes to the Dress, The Little Couple and shows like My First Place and House Hunters. I’ve even watched an episode or two of Raising Sextuplets, Toddlers & Tiaras(my brain still hurts from the gallons of makeup, perfume and spray tans) and yes, even the occasional Bridezillas . What can I say, I’m a chick.

Save the Drama for…SyFy? Yep, SyFy. This little network knows how to blend drama and fantasy and comedy all into one show. Case in point: second-season Warehouse 13, which stars the charming Eddie McClintock and cute newcomer Joanne Kelley. It’s a little like Bones, except our dynamic duo are special agents who down fantastical artifacts from history, literature, and art that make people go a little nutty. I’ve also started watching new series Haven, based on Stephen King’s The Colorado Kid, that follows female FBI agent Audrey Parker to the small town of Haven, Maine, where she teams up with a local cop to solve crimes involving people with special abilities…that they don’t even know they have. And while I don’t watch it personally, anchor show Eureka is still going strong. SyFy is a little corny, and the special effects are low-budget, but the writing is charming and it’s easy to lose yourself for an hour in one of their original shows.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: OK, here’s my girly side again, although some guys would admit their fondness for these next shows. The first is standout dramedy Drop Dead Diva, which blends sassy women, courtroom drama, and a dash of fantasy. It’s about self acceptance and making the most out of what you’ve got. It’s funny, it’s quirky, and I love it. Second, I just started Covert Affairs: one part Chuck, one part Bourne Identity, one part chick flick. You think those things can’t coexist–but they can, and they do. On the lighter side, Pretty Little Liars is Gossip Girl for ABC Family: four friends are the target of a mystery stalker that knows their secrets surrounding a friend’s death. Add in divorcing parents, teacher-student relationships, ambiguously gay, blind and psychopathic students, and good old-fashioned rebellion, and you’ve got yourself a pretty decent show. And the kicker: the characters are actually pretty likable. And in a weird way, kinda virtuous. If you watch any show on ABC Family this year, make sure it’s PLL, and not Secret Life of the American Teenager, which frankly makes me want to strangle someone. Like everyone who’s a part of this dumb show. (All I can say is, shame on you, Molly Ringwald. I’m no longer honored to have you as a celebrity doppleganger).

So, what are you watching this summer? Have you found any shows worth your time? Speak up in the comments!

So, what prompted me to write today? Michael Slekak’s Idolatry interview of Didi Benami! (He also does video recaps every week, and they’re way better than the show itself!)

We all know the producers have a heavy hand in how we feel about contestants. They want us to love Big Mike and fell sorry for Lee and think that Aaron Kelly is the cutest little thing ever. And they wanted us to think that Didi was an unstable crybaby. And she admits that when she wanted to do an acoustic song, they pushed her to do something different, and she didn’t stick to her guns– maybe for fear of being more AI fodder? Don’t worry Didi, cause you’ll probably end up being way more successful than most of the clowns still on the show. I’ll totally buy your album – in fact, I’m going to iTunes right now to download “Rhiannon” and “Playing With Fire.” And the best part is, you don’t have to deal with stress of being on the show anymore!

Any other Didi fans out there? What did you think of the Save being used on B.M.? Was it deserved?

So how bad was it this week? It was pretty mediocre, with a couple of really bad performances thrown in.

Who did well? To me, Crystal was stellar and Lee finally loosened up and it really impacted his ability to hit notes. For once, his growl really worked, and I was all tingly after watching his performance. Sure, it was borderline Gokey, but I thought he did well. Crystal’s always had the voice, but this was the first week I was actually drawn in by her performance. She seemed really humble and likable during her interview with Ryan. I’m finally starting to get it. She said she has big plans for next week, so I’m excited to see what she does.

I was also a little surprised that she asked Miley to sign her guitar, since she doesn’t seem like a Miley Cyrus fan, but I thought it was a very nice and humble move for her to recognize Miley as a “strong woman.” I was really wary when they said Miley was mentoring, but I actually thought she did a good job for her location on the totem pole of music. She herself admitted that she was intimidated by the talent, and that she really didn’t think she was qualified to give them singing advice, but she just advised them on performing based on her own experiences. She could have worn something a little less slut-tastic, but overall I was pleasantly surprised by Miley’s coaching sessions. And truth be told, she was right about 90% of the time, and it seemed to really help the contestants’ confidence.

Who was middle-of-the-road? Siobhan, Aaron, Didi, Casey, and Big Mike. What, you think Siobhan deserves to be in the top? I was not a fan of her song choice (I’d rather her sing Stevie Nicks than Stevie Wonder), her pitch was all over the place, and that scream is getting old. Especially since it’s not always in tune. I’m honestly not sure what to make of Siobhan.. she’s trying to be Adam Lambert but without the vocal accuracy. I’m also hesitant putting Big Mike in this category, since he was closer to the bottom for me, but he definitely was a cut above the worst performances of the night. Aaron chose one of the cheesiest songs ever recorded, but I’m glad he didn’t go the country route. He actually kind of knows what he’s doing. Poor Aaron sounded much better in his rehearsal with Miley than during the show, and I hope it was due to his tonsillitis/laryngitis. This kid is actually growing on me a little. He hits more notes than most of his competitors, and as long as he keeps himself from spazzing all over the stage, he might make top 5.

Casey has a nice voice, but his song choices are all kinds of wrong. I love Huey Lewis and the News, but it was like watching barroom karaoke. I would have chosen something by the Eagles for him.. Hotel California would have really showcased his voice. And we know he’s a great guitar player, but this isn’t an audition to replace Eddie Van Halen, y’all. And my girl Didi..I did NOT think she was as bad as the judges made her out to be. I wasn’t a fan of the song choice, but I think the judges focused too much on the “act” she put on instead of her actual vocal, which was actually pretty decent IMO. However, I don’t think Didi should have lashed back at the judges; I know she was trying to defend herself but that kind of attitude may lead to trouble.

Who was at the bottom of the barrell? Katie, Tim, Andrew, and Paige. Katie’s voice fit Fergie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry” pretty well, but she doesn’t have any soft spots in her voice. It felt like she was screaming during the chorus; the tone of her voice is nice sometimes, but there’s not much range. Same thing goes for Tim… his voice has an okay tone, but his range is so tiny it really prevents him from having any depth to his voice and really limits his song choice abilities. Like Simon said, he tried to distract from that fact with schmaltzy stage antics that were very High School Musical. Right on, Simon.

As for Andrew… he’s someone I really want to do well, but every week he just gets flatter and flatter. I think his problem is that he likes to play around with songs and melodies, but he really doesn’t have a good voice to accompany it. And I hate to be so mean, but his accent makes his word pronunciation horrid. Did you watch him when he was singing? He continually sang “heard it through the gratevine.” UGH. Don’t you know my singing pet-peeves are bad lisps and poor pronunciation!? And then there’s Paige. When Ryan said she was singing Phil Collins, I thought, ooh, maybe it’s some soulful rendition of “Sussudio”. But no. It was some bad ballad that she sang way out of tune. It was just really bad. Which is why she was finally put out of her misery last night.

What were your thoughts this week, Idol watchers? Did America get it right by sending Paige home? Did you think the contestants can bounce back from this week’s disaster? Are you excited next week is R&B week? Hit the comments!

That pretty much sums up how I feel about this week’s show.

After last week’s painful elimination, I was not really looking forward to this week’s performances. I was actually pleasantly surprised that none of the performances were disasters, which amazed me given that it was Rolling Stones week. However, there weren’t any performances that were so good they knocked me on my ass either. (See: Kris Allen, “Heartless”; Adam Lambert ,“Tracks of My Tears”). And thank goodness that this week is only one night instead of two.

Michael Lynche, “Miss You” – I didn’t recognize the song, but Big Mike did his thing. He definitely is corny on stage and he needs to tone it down a bit if he wants people to take him seriously. However, I think Big Mike has a Big Fan Base that will vote for him.

Didi Benami, “Playing with Fire” –If you didn’t know by now, I’m pretty biased toward mellow-voiced, singer-songwriter types on this show, and I love Didi! I still thought her performance last week was my favorite of hers, but this was the best performance of tonight’s show. Didi is probably the only contestant whose album I’m already planning on buying.

Casey James, “It’s All Over Now” —I think Casey is relying way too much on his cute looks and his groovy guitar playing. Without all the filler, his singing is just so-so. I would have really liked to see Casey strip it down and do something more mid-tempo without his guitar. And how weird was his mom with her Casey photo necklace and T-shirt??

Lacey Brown, “Ruby Tuesday”—I’m a fan of Lacey’s voice but something about her performances is just a little off. It’s like I’m only getting half a cookie with Lacey. That half a cookie is delish, but I’m not entirely satisfied. And I want my whole cookie, dammit!

Andrew Garcia, “Gimme Shelter”—Oy, what to say about Andrew? He wasn’t really “into” the song until the very end, but that wasn’t enough to redeem it. He looked unsure of himself, and that really came across on screen. And wow, did his mom look pissed during his family interview.

Katie Stevens, “Wild Horses” – I actually thought this was Katie’s best vocal to date. That being said, it fell short on the spectrum of this year’s contestants. Were you like me, wondering what Lilly or Katelyn would have done with this song? She’s average at best, and there’s really nothing memorable about her. I’ve said it once but I’ll say it again. Please, someone get this girl a job performing at Disney World.

Tim Urban, “Under My Thumb” —Hey Tim, Jason Mraz called and he wants his shtick back. Everything about Tim Urban is so wrong—from his ginormous family (that I presume will get offered their own show on TLC one day in the near future) to his trendy teen boy hair to his permanent fake smile. He just seems so… robotic. I didn’t love his reggae twist on the song, and his vocal was very flat. I know the VFTW types are dialing at lightning speed, but he really is just painful to watch.

Siobhan Magnus, “Paint it Black” – Kara said exactly what I and everyone else is thinking: this year’s female Adam Lambert. The drama, the crazy glory notes. I like Siobhan but we’ve seen it all before. And to be honest, I don’t care for Glambert as a recording artist. He’s so much of a performer that he just doesn’t do it for me without the visual. I think Siobhan’s vocals are crazy good, but I just don’t know what kind of album she would make—and if it would appeal to the masses.

Lee Dewyze,—I started out as a big fan of Lee’s, but week after week I expect so much more out of him than he actually delivers. His song choices are lackluster, he’s always a bit off-key, and he gets lost on the stage. I hope Lee can pull it together soon, or he’ll be an early ouster.

Paige Miles, “Honky Tonk Women”—Paige went country with “Honky Tonk Women”—but someone needs to tell her wardrobe stylist that country does not equal safari. She should have laryngitis more often, because this was the first night she wasn’t horrible. That doesn’t mean she was good, but at least she was on key most of the time, as opposed to last week.

Aaron Kelly, “Angie” —If he could just stop doing his Backstreet Boys dance impersonation, he might stop distracting me from his halfway-decent vocal. I thought he did pretty well on the song, but I personally just don’t care for that type of Rascal Flatts country twang. He did well, but I still miss Alex.

Crystal Bowersox, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” –I wish C-Bow would do something different already. Is it just me, or does she actually make things sound less current? Don’t get me wrong—her voice is tremendous—but her arrangements seem kind of old-fashioned. She’s getting a bit repetitive, so I’d really like to see her take a big risk next week.

Bottom 3: Andrew Garcia, Tim Urban, Lacey Brown

Who did you like? Hate? Did you miss our fallen comrades from last week? What do you think next week’s theme will be? And will we see our first Idol mentor of the season?

Here’s how it all went down. Katelyn was the first shock of the night when she was sent home instead of “Smiley” Paige Miles. America was doing such a good job of voting last week, sending home Michelle Delamore and Haeley Vaughn. So what happened?!? Did Paige get votes because of her–dare I say it–ethnicity? Or did Katelyn’s rendition of “I Felt the Earth Move” completely block every memory of her cover of “The Scientist” out of the brains of every American? I never thought Katelyn had a chance of winning, but she was certainly Top 6 material. I was shocked–Shocked!–that she was bypassed for less-than-average Paige Miles, who hasn’t given a Top 12 worthy performance her entire run on the Idol stage.

Then, America voted off Todrick Hall. I can’t say I’m angry at this one–in fact, it was the only vote of the night I did agree with. Stop screaming at me that Todrick is one of the best vocalists on the show. I know this. But America already used up all its gay votes last year on Adam Lambert. It was a combination of the showiness and the cockiness that got Todrick eliminated. And I’m okay with that.

The worst moment of the night for me, however, was seeing Alex Lambert standing next to Andrew Garcia, whom he’s clearly outsung three weeks in a row, and looking scared to death. And rightly so, because the next thing out of Ryan’s mouth was that Andrew was in, and sadly, Alex was out. The tears started to flow on-screen and off, and I suddenly got really emotional watching Alex’s final performance on the Idol stage. So, America, please tell me what possessed you to bypass Alex and instead vote for the likes of Tim Urban and Aaron Kelly. Because I certainly don’t understand it. My mind is officially boggled. So far, America, you’re doing a crappy job.

So, the final two girls came down to Katie and Lilly, and we all know what happened next. Katie was sent straight to the silver stools of popularity, while quirky indie chick Lilly guffawed at the results. Was I surprised by the results? Not really. I don’t like it, but I kind of get it. This is America. Conservative, crabby America, who doesn’t like change, and definitely likes its entertainment mainstream and formulaic. America is the reason shows like CSI:Miami and Law & Order are still on the air. We simply don’t like anything that threatens our order and banality. So, as we sat on our couches Tuesday night, we asked ourselves: “who do I like more? The weird 20-something with the funky look and dead-end job? Or do I like the sweet, wholesome, 17-year-old that loves her parents and would never think of dying her hair? I wish my daughter was more like that. She probably goes to church, too.” And we dialed, dialed, dialed for Katie Stevens. God loves her.

And there you have it, the inner thoughts of the voting publilc.

So, tell me how you really feel about last night’s vote. Did you think America got any of it right? Should AI change its slogan to “Keep America Boring”?

Lee Dewyze. He’s singing “Fireflies” by Owl City. Oh Lord, I HATE this song. Seriously hate it. I mean, it’s some emo dude singing about fireflies, for Chrissakes. It’s not even a band. It’s just some guy that calls himself Owl City. And he sucks. So, did Lee make me forget all about the abhorrent lyrics? Not necessarily. Did he make the song suck any less? You bet. I’ll take Lee’s guitar and vocals over Owl City’s electronica and whiny girl voice any day.

Alex Lambert. Singing Ray Lamontagne’s “Trouble.” (Marc: “Isn’t that the song from a commercial?” Yes, it’s in in the Traveler’s Insurance commercial with the dog and the bone. I love that commercial.) His voice works for the song, but there’s not near enough angst. Plus, it’s too fast. But I don’t care, cuz the other A. Lambert is still one of my faves. And Ellen thinks he’s a mushy banana. She just hopes he’s not a cocky one. Simon tells him to picture Randy in a bikini to relax–but I’m afraid that would make already-nervous Alex wet his pants.

Tim Urban. Oy, he chose “Halleluiah,” probably the most overdone song on the planet. And most of those versions are better than Tim’s. (See: Rufus Wainwright and Gavin DeGraw). Tim’s performance is perfectly respectable, and even though he’s almost always in tune, his voice has no range. And why is he always smiling? Kid needs a lesson in emotion. I’m sorry, but this performance is not good enough to redeem you for weeks past. So Long, Timmy boy.

Andrew Garcia. He tries to replicate his “Straight Up” success with Christina’s Genie in a Bottle. While it’s better than the last two weeks, it’s still underwhelming. Andrew’s quickly become a one-trick pony–that can’t even get that trick right every time. Maybe if he had sung “Fighter”??

Casey James. I applaud Casey for taking on a country song, since his voice obviously fits it. However, I wish he had done something a little more old-school. It’s hard to out-do a really good contemporary country singer, especially on a song like “You’ll Think of Me.” His vocals were good, but he did not surpass (or change up) Keith Urban’s original. Plus, it was kinda boring.

Aaron Kelly. Aaron on the other hand, chose exactly the wrong country song. It did not work for him on any level, and I’m really turned off by his thrust-dancing.I kind of agree with Kara that the story of the song was a little disconnected. So why not just come out and stand kinda still and sing a sweet song, like Taylor Swift’s “Fifteen”?

Todrick Hall. Dude just came out and kinda ruined one of my favorite songs. I loved how the judges equated it to Glee, since they did perform “Somebody to Love” in one of their episodes. Is Todrick trying to be Adam Lambert, with the weird S&M-inspired costumes? He definitely had a good vocal, but too bad it was overshadowed by all the unnecessary drama. Simon was right that he belongs in musical theatre, not the Idol stage.

Michael Lynche. I don’t know the song, so I didn’t quite know what to expect. It started off a little slow and weak, but quickly picked up and became a pretty groovy tune. Mike gave one of the best performances of the night (just ask Kara’s running eyeliner), but in a group of guys who are barely trying, that’s not saying a whole lot.

My faves: Michael and Lee, if I have to choose. Bottom 2: Really, I can only pick two? OK, then my picks are Tim and Todrick. Aaron gave a weak performance, but he’s got more range than Tim and more sincerity than Todrick, so I’d prefer to keep him around another week.

Tonight, we’ll find out how America voted. In the meantime, tell me what you thought!

Katie Stevens. I don’t know if putting her first was a curse or a blessing in disguise for poor Katie. Despite following the judges’ comments—probably a little too literally—Katie was in way over her head with Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway.” Not only does Katie not know who she wants to be as an artist, but she clearly doesn’t know the limitations of her own voice. I would love to give each of the contestants a voice recorder they can sing multiple songs into so they can play it back and hear exactly how they sound on each song. It might make song choice a little less of a travesty.

Siobhan Magnus. I’m so torn on this girl. On one hand, I like her “big” voice and her loopy personality. But I do not love her voice when it treads in its deep, dark tones. When she uses her lower register, the notes sound too forced and drawn out. Maybe it was the way she slowed down “House of the Rising Sun,” but I found it a bit unstable. Still, she’s different, and has a good range. I still think she’s a lock for the top 12.

Lacey Brown. I can’t put my finger on exactly why, but I’ve been pulling for Lacey. Her voice is unique and really pretty when she pairs it with the right song. I thought Carly Simon’s “The Story” was a great song choice, particularly because it’s understated and sweet, just like Lacey. I just wished she hadn’t just sat on the stage, because I didn’t get the emotion I wanted out of it. Sure she chose a couple of bum songs before, but I hope this is a turning point for one of my early faves.

Katelyn Epperly. Katelyn is so all over the place. There’s no coherence to her song choices week to week. While there’s no arguing that she has a nice voice, I question what kind of music she wants to make—and I don’t know why the judges don’t. She goes from the Beatles to Coldplay to Carole King—from a somber piano ditty last week to an upbeat, “cutesy” performance this week. Her song choice, and even her clothes (cowboy boots and a weird jumper) were a little too immature compared to her last performance. It just didn’t feel like she was taking this seriously.

Didi Benami. Didi gave my favorite performance of the night. The song was gorgeous, enhanced only by the way her voice naturally goes up and down, which made the song very multi-dimensional. I also loved the way she nixed the backup singers except for that one moment where they joined her on a single note. Lovely. And this is why I’ve been rooting for the girl since day one.

Paige Miles. “Smile” did not make me smile. At all. Instead, it made me fast-forward through the rocky runs, the off-key notes, and the way her voice cracked like she was about to cry. Another girl who has no idea what she wants to do, and crediting her love for Michael Jackson as a reason for picking this classic Charlie Chaplain song made it even worse. So long, Paige.

Crystal Bowersox. OK, we know the girl can sing. Probably better than anyone else in the competition. But is anyone else getting tired of Crystal’s slightly careless attitude, like she’s been praised so much she thinks she’s already got the crown in the bag? I wasn’t a fan of the song choice, but I can’t say I’m surprised Simon doesn’t chastise his golden child for her “sound-alike” song choice. It was a great vocal but a “meh” song choice for me.

Lilly Scott. Again, is it just me, or does Lilly think she’s too good for AI? I didn’t really understand her song choice—Patsy Cline’s “I Fall to Pieces.” I agree with Simon that it was neither a risk nor a song that would really connect with audiences. I kept expecting him to call it “indulgent.” And unlike Kara, I didn’t think she made it sound current at all, especially with the steel guitar and the awkward inclusion of the mandolin. Really, it just sounded like she was singing an old country song! I think Lilly needs to step away from her personal record collection and sing something that actually works with her voice. And maybe try to find something other than a sundress to wear. Girl needs some edgy clothes to match that hair and eyeliner.

My favorites this week were Didi and Lacey—I feel like they both took last week’s criticism to heart and stepped it up this week. Crystal, Lilly and Siobhan all gave solid performances but I really want to hear something new from them—especially Crystal and Lilly, who seem to rely on the same shtick week after week.

My bottom 2: Paige and Katie.

Who do you want to see go home this week? Am I totally off base with the Indie Twins Crystal and Lilly?

Crystal Bowersox is up first–I wonder if she wants to get it over with in case she has to go back to el hospital. I don’t know what kind of IV drip that girl was on but she wowed me this week. I grew up listening to CCR (thanks, Dad!) but I’m not too familiar with this song. She really made it sound current and I adore her ability to sing a song without a million vocal tricks and still sound amazing. Crystal makes singing look effortless, and that is why she is awesome.

Dear America: please put Haeley Vaughn out of her misery and send her home this week. It’s kind of sad when you’re upstaged by Miley Cyrus. I find her voice very screechy and still have a problem with her enunciation. Could you hear her deep breaths every time she needed extra air for a longer note? I was afraid the poor girl was having an asthma attack with all her wheezing. And I was irate at the judges for telling her that she needed another year before she was ready for this competition. Then why in the world did you pick her instead of someone more vocally mature? They conjured Hurricane Haeley but don’t want to deal with all the aural damage she’s causing.

Twangy girls from Amarillo are super cute, and Lacey Brown is no exception. She’s got funky hair and a sweet southern drawl, but she’s much too meek and insecure to compete with vocal powerhouses and “true artists.” She just kind of gets lost. I’m pretty disappointed that she took Kara’s advice literally and sang “Kiss Me,” which is kind of a grating song anyway. She’s a little quiet and a little too karaoke, and while I think she’s lovely and artistic (I could see her running a quaint little coffee shop, where she sings and teaches furniture decorating classes), she may not be cut out to be a recording artist and performer.

I don’t know what it is about Katie Stevens, but I find her kind of “meh” in a season of a few “wow” girls. It’s not like she can’t sing, but her little girl demeanor strongly clashes with her old-fashioned voice. Something just doesn’t fit right, and I would have as much trouble picking a song for her as she does. Maybe Michelle Branch’s “All You Wanted” or even the Jonas Brothers’ “Lovebug” would be better, younger choices.

I’ll start by saying I have liked Didi Benami since the show started, and I don’t know why she chose “Lean on Me” when she can pretty much sing anything. I admit it was a poor song choice, but I didn’t hear the bunk vocal that the judges did. I thought she was mostly on key and the natural rhythms of her voice tweaked the song a little bit. It definitely would have been better if she did an acoustic song, since her voice totally clashed with the soul vibe of the music. But I think she’s one of the best singers so I want her to stay.

I was seriously afraid when Michelle Delamor sang a (gag) Creed song. She didn’t change the song at all, she just put her R&B voice over a rock track. Sure, she took a risk, but the vocal fell flat for me. There’s a reason R&B singers don’t sing screamy rock songs like that. Maybe she should try country next time–we already know there are lots of songs that cross the country/R&B boundaries (see: “I Will Always Love You”, “Proud Mary,” “I Swear,” Ray Charles)

I always want to call Lilly Scott Lilly Allen because she’s a similarly quirky/indie artist, albeit one with a few more personal problems than our silver-haired songstress. “A Change is Gonna Come” is a pretty frequently done song here on Idol, just last year covered by runner-up Adam Lambert. And even though she closes her eyes and doesn’t look at the camera, Lilly Scott has something special. She’s one of the few girls that I can honestly say I would go out and buy her album.

Katelyn Epperley broke it down this week and turned an already steady piano track into an even more stripped-down ballad. I’m not a huge Coldplay fan, mostly because I get annoyed with Chris Martin’s robot voice after a few minutes, but “The Scientist” is one Coldplay song I actually get. It might have made Ellen sleepy, but I was captivated. Every note was precise, and she made weird John Mayer-esque faces, so that has to mean she’s doing something right. My only problem with Katelynn is that she doesn’t stand out to me as much as some of the other girls, and I typically forget about her by the end of the show. I hope she does something next week that makes her really memorable (and not in a falling-off-the-stage kind of way).

I don’t think that Paige Miles is using her voice to her advantage. I get that she wants to be kind of a soul-pop-rock chick, but choosing these up-tempo songs that she’s practically yelling does her no favors. Girl, there are such things as slow and mid-tempo rock songs. Paige, meet the power ballad. You might like it. Oh, and the kindergarten-teacher vibe your giving off isn’t working either. But I think you’re a great singer, so hoping to hear something better next week.

So we all know Siobhan Magnus is a bit of a space cadet, but did we know she could give us a powerhouse Aretha vocal? I certainly didn’t. While Siobhan definitely did a Simon “sound-alike” you can’t deny the girl’s vocal ability. And how adorable was she when she gave Kelly Clarkson credit for the glory note she learned while singing one of her songs in the shower? If she could just focus that voice into something a little more rock/contemporary, we might have ourselves a winner.

What do you think, Idol watchers? Who did you vote for last night? Who should be on the chopping block? Haeley and Lacey are my obvious choices to go home. I think Paige and Didi might be at risk but I would prefer to lose Katie or Michelle.