PUBLIC MARKS from vacelts with tags "Kris Allen" & "season 8"

With just under 100 million votes cast towards deciding this year’s winner, American Idol pulled out all the stops for its two hour finale. And what a finale it was!

It’s the last competition night of American Idol’s eighth season and the competition couldn’t be closer as the Final 2 take on three songs in their quest for the Idol title.

A close race and visits home make the Top 3 American Idol results show a very emotional one. And with only a million votes separating the Final 2, you can bet that next week’s finale will be an exciting one.

American Idol is down to its Top 3 and for its 300th episode each of the guys had to sing two songs – a choice of their own and one chosen by one of the judges. Hands down, the guys picked better songs than the judges. But between the guys, the competition is going to be close.

After Tuesday’s train wreck performance, I thought for sure that tonight’s American Idol results show would be the end of the line for Danny Gokey. But apparently Danny’s got some unbelievable luck or some devoted (although deaf) fans.

This week Guns N Roses’ Slash joined American Idol’s Top 4 for Rock Week. If the excitement of seeing the final four rock out wasn’t enough, Idol added duets to the mix this week.

The biggest shock of the night as American Idol dwindled its numbers to four was not who got sent home, but who was in the Bottom 3. At this point, at least one person had to grace the stools for the first time, but this week we got two newbies.

This week American Idol is down to its Top 5, the same number of members in the Rat Pack. So it was fitting that we were treated to the sounds of the Rat Pack tonight.

After 45 million votes, American Idol has dwindled down the finalists to five. After saving Matt Giraud last week, two contenders were sent home after less than stellar disco performances.

Last week, history was made when the American Idol judges used their save and sent no one home. But that means the fate of two are on the line this week. And disco definitely set apart the real contenders from those just hanging on. Originality was the name of the game tonight and you can expect to find those that came out big this week among the final three.

The American Idol judges finally did it. They pulled out the save card and they used it. The good news is that Matt Giraud is staying for another week. The bad news is two contestants get eliminated next week.

This week American Idol partnered with Quentin Tarantino to take on the songs of cinema, where in lies the problem. First let me say that I have no doubt in Quentin Tarantino’s movie making ability, but what qualifies him for as a musical mentor? Sure, he has experience picking songs, but how does that qualify him to coach others vocally? Is Idol that desperate for mentors?

The suspense was high tonight on American Idol as the judges debated the use of their save in the final moments of the show. But a 2-2 stalemate was not enough to render the unanimous vote required by the save and Idol said goodbye to Scott MacIntyre.

While American Idol’s Top 8 go back in time with hits from their birth year, Allison Iraheta proves that boys haven’t entirely wrapped up this contest.

This week’s American Idol results shocker wasn’t who was in the Bottom Three or even in who was sent home, but in how this contestant was sent home. Man, it was harsh, but well deserved.

As American Idol’s Top 9 flaunt their version of popular iTune downloads, it was a couple of men behind the pianos that really stole the show tonight, proving that you could make an old song new again.

Tonight, the American Idol stage was seething with talent and I’m not talking about the Top 10 who awaited their fate. I’m talking about performances by the greats - Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder. It was a reminder that the Top 10 still have a long way to go.

American Idol this week might have been a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Motown, but for the contestants it was a chance to show what they could do with great music. And the guys really stepped up to the challenge this week with the some great, original performances.

To round out the full hour American Idol needs to give us the one name of the person being eliminated this week, we were treated to performances by three Grand Ole Opry members - Brad Paisley and a duet by Idol’s own Carrie Underwood and guest mentor Randy Travis. But the performances would be overshadowed by the shocking news of who was to go home.

It’s Grand Ole Opry Night on American Idol and that means Simon is going to be extra hard to please. We all know how little the Brit likes country music so it’s a real test to see which of the Top 11 can impress him tonight.

The first elimination of American Idol’s Top 13 saw the birth of a new rule and sent two hopefuls home after nearly 33 million votes. Now the field has narrowed to the traditional 11 contenders and the judges still have a save card they can play.

Finally, we’ve gotten to the part of American Idol I love - when the real competition begins. The performances tonight were a huge step above what we’ve been tortured with the last three weeks.