American Idol: Part 2 of the top 24 (spoiler alert)

Somebody certainly likes their cliffhangers on American Idol.

First we had to wait almost 24 hours to learn whether Adam Brock would join the top 24 (of course it was a yes).

On Thursday, we'd just watched the finalists dancing through their introductions when we learned a 25th person will be joining them. But we'll have to wait until next Tuesday to find out who it is.

And in what seems an even stranger twist, we're told it will be one of four guys: deep-voiced Jermaine Jones, sweet-voiced teenager David Leathers Jr., country control freak Richie Law or good looker Johnny Keyser.

Jermaine or David I could see. Jermaine's ouster seemed to bother the judges most as he clung to them and cried after getting the bad news. And watching David get the hook while his friend Eben Franckewitz was put through was sort of like watching someone kick a puppy.

But Richie? God no. He sings all right, but he's annoying. And do we really need a Scotty McCreery clone this season?

Johnny's a bit of a head scratcher. I really like his voice, but he hasn't got anywhere near as much air time as some other contestants. Maybe that's because Nigel Lythgoe and his fellow producers didn't want us to see him coming or maybe he's a red herring. We'll know Tuesday. 

At just an hour long, Thursday's episode moved along briskly with few surprises, including the fact that Adam made it through. With all the attention lavished on him since the Hollywood auditions, it was inconceivable he'd get left in the dust.

I just hope they stock extra tissues when he eventually gets eliminated. Same goes if they bring Jermaine back.

Some other no-brainer picks included Jeremy Rosado, Shannon Magrane and Skylar Laine, whom I like better than her country counterpart, Chelsea Sorrell.

It's no big shock that Hallie Day and Aaron Marcellus made it, either, but why so little screen time for Hallie on Thursday, who's been a knockout throughout the auditions.

I figure Eben will battle Deandre Brackensick for the preteen girl vote, although I think Deandre is a better singer. The dreadlocked teen made it through after getting turned down last season.

Also earning spots in the top 24 were country singer Chase Likens, who hasn't really been on my radar, and second-time auditioner Hollie Cavanagh. She nabbed the last girl's place over broken-hearted Shelby Tweten, one of my early favourites, and Ariel Sprague.

My current favourites out of the 24 include Jen Hirsh, Joshua Ledet, Reed Grimm, Heejun Han and Hallie Day, and Phil Phillips is growing on me. But check back with me at the end of next week when we know who choked during the first live performances.

Besides finding out the identity of the 13th guy, we'll see all the fellows perform live on Tuesday. The girls follow Wednesday and there'll be results on Thursday.

Tune in Tuesday at 8 p.m. for the first two-hour show and look for the recap here.

And let's have a conversation. You can comment here, tweet @realityeo or visit my Facebook page.

(The photo of Hallie Day is by Michael Becker for Fox.)

Comments

[Jill]

Hopefully it will be Jermaine Jones who returns. He should not have been let go, he has a Barry White voice that just needs the right material. If they bring back Johnny Keyser or Richie Law I won't watch again. Keyser was cut two rounds ago and and Law is just a loser. This is a terrible season of AI and while I don't think it will be the last (probably one final lame season next year), it is definitely dead creatively.
http://mankabros.com/blogs/onmedea/2012/01/19/american-idol-dead-show-walking/

[Debra Yeo]

I still have a bit of a soft spot for Johnny, perhaps unjustifiably, but certainly it would seem most fair to bring back Jermaine. I truly, truly hope it's not Richie. Blech.