Few opinions change
on ‘Idol’ rebroadcast

“Welcome to the show that none of us were expecting.”

That’s how host Ryan Seacrest opened Wednesday’s ‘American Idol,’ although he probably could have altered that a bit to read “the show none of us wanted.” Perhaps inspired by its frequent use on CBS last weekend during the NCAA Tournament, Fox proved on Wednesday that it has discovered the phenomenon of instant replay.

After a voting glitch rendered Tuesday’s show effectively useless, the network decided to turn Wednesday night into a first-run/re-run. Most of the episode was taken up by the rebroadcast of Tuesday night's songs, so the viewers who really liked Carrie Underwood’s channeling of Heart got to see it again. The judges’ comments were new, however, and the benefit of hindsight helped some contestants and hurt others.

Most of the contestants probably didn’t see their status changed, but conspiracy theorists take note: Nadia Turner mentioned that she wore her hair in a Mohawk as a tribute to the departed Mario Vazquez, and seconds later got a blistering dose of criticism from Simon. Turner was the big loser of the night, followed closely by the almost certainly soon-to-be-departed Mikalah Gordon. Scott Savol and Anthony Fedorov also had reason to regret the voter snafu, although it likely won’t affect Fedorov’s chances any.

Meanwhile, Nikko Smith and Vonzell Solomon each enjoyed a virtual lovefest from the judges, and went from being in slight danger to unlikely selections for the bottom three. The same goes for Jessica Sierra, a bottom three-finisher last week, who was praised by the judges Tuesday and got the same treatment the following night.

In general, it was a waste of an hour for viewers who actually saw Tuesday’s show, but there was one scoop. Bo Bice told viewers that there’s “no chance” he’ll be cutting his hair during the competition, since he’s had only two good haircuts in his life. If nothing else, he just won himself a contract to endorse hair-care products.

To read only the comments given on the Wednesday night show, read the sections marked "Upon further review" in the report cards given below. The other comments are from Tuesday night's show.

Anthony Fedorov, 19, Trevose, Pa.: One thing about Fedorov is that he doesn't lack confidence. He began the night by singing both parts of a duet, "I Knew You Were Waiting for Me" by Aretha Franklin and George Michael. Simon again had a problem with Fedorov trying to be a sex symbol, likening it to Randy Jackson taking his shirt off for a potential "Baywatch" episode, but nonetheless it was a nice performance from the teenager.
Grade: B+
The judges: "Anthony is back tonight!" – Randy Jackson.
Stay or go: Fedorov sang very well, and doesn't have to worry unless all his fans tuned in at 8:05 and didn't catch the right phone number. But it has to be worrisome that Simon doesn't seem to be a big fan.
Upon Further Review: It’s unfortunate for Anthony that Ryan asked Simon about his comments, rather than asking Paula and Randy, the two judges who were impressed by Tuesday’s performance. The king of crankiness called it “very karaoke, very ordinary,” but he’ll still easily make it past this week.

Carrie Underwood, 21, Checotah, Okla.: Underwood looked like she was late for her senior prom, with her hair poofed up for her performance of "Alone" by Heart. But the performance was fantastic, and if she had lost some of her luster over the previous few weeks, she gained it back on Tuesday.
Grade: A
The judges: "It was your best performance yet. You were unbelievable tonight." – Randy Jackson.
Stay or go: Um, duh. Underwood's a safe bet to stay until at least mid-April unless she totally falls off the planet in the meantime. She's certainly a lock to make it another week.
Upon Further Review: This time, Ryan asked Paula to discuss Simon’s anointing of Underwood as the Idol of all Idols. Paula snipped that it was way too early to be making that statement, a natural reaction from the judge who loves everybody equally. But it didn’t change the fact that Underwood’s performance was the best of the night, and rebroadcasting it couldn’t have harmed her long-term chances.

MORE FROM AMERICAN IDOL

Happy birthday, Simon, the best mean Brit ever

Happy birthday, Simon, the best mean Brit ever ‘Idol Gives Back’ returns to ‘American Idol’ Ellen brings EveryFan sensibility to ‘Idol’ Paula Abdul wishes Ellen luck on ‘Idol’   Add American Idol headlines to your news reader: