Thanks to Cinequest and the lack of a decent DVR, I missed all three days of American Idol last week, leaving my favorites high and dry, as the show narrowed the field of contestants to twelve. Luckily, America saved them and gave the boot to the singers who needed it most (by my estimation).

While appreciative of the nation's efforts, I felt I needed to do my part this week, so I made a point of being home to see the show live. An added incentive to watch came in the form of this week's musical theme: Lennon and McCartney.

The Beatles have always seemed to cause contestants trouble. One or two have managed to make their melodies shine, but most have only managed to mangle them. That pattern (or tradition) persisted tonight. Most performances were awful, but there were a few saving graces.

To help recap tonight's episode, I've divided the performances into three groups: awful, average, and awesome...

The Awful (or I Think My Ears Retreated into My Head):

Syesha Mercado - At her best, her singing is average, and tonight, she wasn't at her best. Her rendition of "Got to Get You Into My Life" was lackluster.

Ramiele Malubay - When The Beatles sang "In My Life", they made it sound tender and nostalgic. When Ramiele sang it, she made it sound monotonous. I like her, but every week, she keeps disappointing me. She can't seem to fulfill her potential.

David Hernandez - His rendition of "I Saw Her Standing There" was weak. His voice and presence didn't seem big enough for the song. Barring a voting snafu, he'll be the first guy voted off.

Kristy Lee Cook - She meant to sing a country version of "Eight Days A Week", but accidentally sang a Country Bear Jamboree version of it instead. She's going home tomorrow night.

David Archuleta - He rocked Lennon's "Imagine", but wrecked "We Can Work It Out". He didn't seem comfortable with the song and he forgot the lyrics. With any luck, he'll rebound next week.

The Average (or I Can Hear My Ears Snoring):

Jason Castro - Mr. Dreadlocks and Guitar sang "If I Fell". His performance wasn't awful, but it didn't blow me away either. It was frustrating to see because I like his voice and I like him. Plus, it felt like he was cheating on the high notes, at least until he went into his falsetto.

Carly Smithson - Every week, she performs well (or so say the judges), but something about her rubs me the wrong way. And maybe it was just me, but it seemed like she was shouting most of "Come Together".

Amanda Overmyer - Speaking of shouting, Amanda shout-sang "You Can't Do That". Surprisingly, I liked it, but compared to the other performances, it was only so-so.

Michael Johns - He didn't destroy "Across the Universe", but then again, he didn't send it soaring either. He, like Ramiele, showed amazing promise early on, and like her, he's been skating by on it.

The Awesome (or My Ears are in Love):

Chikezie - He delivered an amazing version of "She's a Woman". It was highly stylized and energizing. He owned that stage. It was possibly his best performance to date. Afterwards, Ryan spent seventeen minutes dancing around like a hyperactive child. He's the reason why the show took two hours.

David Cook - When he performs with his electric guitar, it's magical. Tonight, he went without the guitar, but still rocked "Eleanor Rigby". It wasn't his best performance, but it was the best performances of the night.

Brooke White - She played the piano while singing "Let It Be" and it was the perfect combination. Her whole vibe is one of sincerity and simplicity and allowing the piano to be her only accompaniment for most of the song worked. It was a brilliant move. I like her more every week. She and Cook (of the David variety) are my Final Two.