TIME TO SET THE DVR You know what time of year it is. For many fans, “American Idol” didn’t officially begin until last night, when they programmed their season recordings three weeks behind the rest of us. For those of you who either haven’t enjoyed or didn’t even watch the seemingly endless a capella auditions that have aired the last few weeks, we offer you….er, more seemingly endless a capella auditions.  But this time, for the FIRST time, Hollywood Week is actually –gasp!- IN Hollywood.

Hollywood Week on “American Idol” is not about singing; if you’re interested in that, check out your local opera. If it’s drama and schadenfreude you seek, however, then you’re in the right place.   The fun of these episodes is in pushing contestants to their breaking points.  What usually end up breaking, by the way, are voices and hearts.  In the case of people like Tatiana del Toro, though, there could be a complete “alleged” breakdown of all mental facilities. 

HERE COME THE TOP 36
This round marked the end of the judge’s decisions and the beginning of America choosing its own Idol. From the Top 54, the judges narrowed the contestants down to 36, even forcing them to engage in “Sing-offs” with one another when they weren’t sure whom to progress.
 

GROUP ONE SUFFERS IDENTITY CRISIS

Last night’s show definitely had a theme and it was this: identity crisis.  Many of the contestants, perhaps in an effort to “take risks,” sang songs that completely contradicted the artists that they had claimed to be in weeks prior. There is a sense that the contestants feel that they have to be a Whitney Houston or a Celine Dion to impress the voters and the judges.  Look at David Cook, though.  He is no Whitney Houston.

 
BAD SONG CHOICES ABOUND

ANOOP TROOP DISAPPOINTED IN ‘IDOL’ SHOCKER
Although viewers were promised a shorter results show this season, last night’s “American Idol” timed in at the usual 60 minutes.  Time was filled with recaps, a toe-tapping group performance of Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours,” encores from those progressing to the Top 12 and a duet from last season’s Carly Smithson and Michael Johns.  While the three Wild Card slots have yet to be determined by the judges, many viewers were no doubt confused by the results.

Unlike a certain curvaceous diva who is touted as a great songstress yet chose to lip-synch on Oscar night, at least last night’s contestants actually sang live.

  

You’d never have known it.

As the judges continue to stress, with only three people from each group moving forward, now is the time for these would-be’s to bring out the showstopping numbers. Apparently most of them didn’t get the memo.

The night got off to a bumpy start with the first three -- and their incredibly wrong song choices:

Does Fox actually program their “Idol” shows now with the knowledge that everyone is watching on Tivo?

How else to explain the hour-long Results Show? And the filler. Did I mention filler? Oh, sorry, they call them “recaps.”

First, there was a video montage RECAP of the hopefuls’ “Idol Journey,” which mainly featured our contenders flailing around and screeching with Golden Tickets in their hands and the judges saying unpredictable things, like “Congratulations.”