crocosmia

This was a bad, bad night for singing. Even the best of this group were not up to par tonight. These people make me think back on those who could sing well and didn't use gimmicks -- Kelly, Clay, Ruben, David Cook, Daughtry, Bo Bice (I still watch Bo's a cappella "In a Dream" occasionally on YouTube -- sooo good), and others, too. I have not really enjoyed Adanna that much up to now, but I thought she did okay tonight. She looked better, too, more covered and without the distracting loose boobage. Last week when Daniel announced that his "cute factor" was part of his popularity, it was apparent that he's buying into the gooey praise. He sounded awful tonight. His ego needs some maturity before he can handle this, and his voice needs some years to get past puberty. Jennifer, quit telling him how cute he is, because it's making him less cute every week. I like Rayvon, but he needs to occasionally lose the hat. I don't care if he's bald or balding. He has a sweet smile and a nice face. This was his worst performance ever, and I don't want to hear any more BeeGees covers unless they're sung by anyone from Season Two. Nick is cute, but I'd like to see him with a different hair style. I thought he did fine, not a stand-out, but a nice performance all the same. I agree with Harry in that I wish he'd done a different song. I guess I just don't get Joey. The clownish appearance is so artificial. I can't understand most of her words when she sings, and I don't enjoy the nasal quality of her voice. Instead of the "artistry" that the judges praise, it looks more like pretense. On the other hand, I do think that she's a nice diversion from the attempts at sexiness put on by some other girl singers. Tyanna was way off tonight. I actually cringed during her song. I hope its just one bad night, because she's been one of the few stand-outs so far. Jennifer -- meh. That was mostly backtrack vocals to cover up her weak singing. I'm liking Quentin's take on these old songs. I don't know why I'm enjoying him despite his quirky costumes and at the same time not liking Joey's quirks. But Quentin connects more with his songs, and his voice is good listening, mostly. This wasn't his best voice tonight, but his rendition of the song was interesting. Maddie is forgettable. She seems like a nice enough girl, and she's pretty, but she doesn't wow. Thank you, Clark, for being someone worth watching tonight. I love that he showed a different side of his voice in this one. Harry had it right when he said that Clark is a musician who understands what it means to "arrange" a musical composition. Jax just doesn't come across as authentic. It's as if there is a secondary contest this year between those who are trying to out-weird each other in appearance. Qaasim for the save? Really? He finally sang a little, solving the mystery of whether he can sing well. He can't. Or doesn't. It was nice seeing Kenny Loggins. Saw him in concert a few years ago, and he still entertains. Since he's been around since forever, he has lots of stories to tell, and he can still sing, which is nice. Jennifer Lopez looked tacky. If she had more than just marginal talent, she might be sort of tolerable, but tonight she was all T & A and too-heavy make-up. Keith has at times had bad haircuts that detract from his basic yumminess, but right how he's looking pretty sexy.

Sarina Joy -- not her best performance, but perhaps her pitch got lost in the excitement of being the first announced to go through to the top 12. Rayvon -- Yay! I really like this guy. His voice is just so pretty. I had a feeling that Daniel would be voted through based on the cute factor and probably also because of Jennifer's gushing. But Harry is right. Daniel is way too inexperienced to be this far into the competition. I don't know why Harry didn't notice that weeks ago. Since Maddie with her bleeding hair actually got plenty of votes, I made the effort to pay more attention to her tonight. She wasn't really that bad and was a lot more tolerable than some of the other girls. Tyanna -- I really like this girl. She's an excellent singer, she has an appealing and natural stage presence, and she radiates emotion when she sings. Nick -- I like his voice, but whoever said he's like a Daughtry-light is right. His voice is a shade less rich than Daughtry's, but that still isn't bad. Ugh. Jax. I don't like those nasally little girly voices that are so trendy, and hers comes across as more affected and unnatural than most. Qaasim -- can this guy even sing? And when he does "sing," I can't understand a word. He's all about prancing around with no real voice. He's like the opposite of Rayvon. Clark is really good at this. Great voice, and he emotes power and feeling. I guess I just don't "get" Joey and her clownish appearance, silly facial contortions, and atrocious pronunciations. I like Quentin and am glad the judges picked him. It wasn't his best performance, but he's talented and so serious as a performer that I find him very appealing. Adonna was awful. Turn it down, girl. I'm sorry to see Mark go. He has a great voice.

The only ones I like after last night are Tyanna and Sarina-Joi. Good voices, good, honest deliveries, none of the ridiculous affectations of the other girls. The others came off as mostly just acts and gimmicks. Joey looks and acts like a clown, not a serious musician and singer. Jax is artificial and pretentious. Alexis delivered what had to be one of the worst performances ever for a person who's made it to the voting rounds. Adanna needs to put some clothes on and quit mugging behind the person whose turn it is to speak to the camera. She was totally annoying. Loren is lovely but overly costumed and made up. Maddie I can't remember except for the hair.

Rayna's slapping Deacon when he told her he was sick was selfish of her, but it fit the melodrama of this kind of show. It also showed her sudden devastation at the news, and I thought Connie Britton did a good job of portraying reaction to such an abrupt smack of grief. Deacon's news was an emotional slap in the face, and she reacted with a real slap. I do like that Rayna finally has time for her daughters, even if it's only because she doesn't currently have a man to sleep with. Scarlett was so cute, all nervous and way too gabby on her first date with the doctor, trying to avoid any awkward silences by filling them up with chatter. Scarlett's character was awesome in this episode. I like that she vented her frustrations with Deacon, too. She got her point across with spunk, and she didn't have to slap him to do it. I'm glad Luke is still part of the plot. He's more interesting as Rayna's adversary than as her boyfriend. I like that they're developing his relationship with his son. Ha. Jeff and Layla are going to be a great scheming dynamic-duo. What fun. I hope that Sadie is merely holding Juliette's place until Hayden is back in performance mode. The domestic abuse theme is current and newsworthy, but it kind of adds too much reality to the "escape fiction" enjoyment of most of the rest of the stories. Dr. Cutie sure seems to have a lot of down time during working hours. Scarlett can just drop in at his office unannounced, and there he is at his desk. But it's a soap opera and they're awfully cute together, so there you are. The naming of the Scarlett, Avery, and Gunnar trio was much fun. I love the Stella sisters performing. Love them. And Teddy misses his daughters' debut while he's once again in some backstage nook talking with his hooker friend. Gads, he's stupid. When Will finally comes out, it's going to be pretty stale. His story line has been drawn out way past its shelf life. Love the Triple-Exes. All the music was great in this episode. Deacon is yummy.

I had a hard time hearing most of them over the band. Daniel just looks completely out of place. I was sorry that Mark's song didn't suit him, because I really like his voice. I still like Rayvon a lot. He's one of my favorites. Nice voice, nice smile, smooth delivery. Adam surprised me. This was the first time I almost liked his performance. He was still kind of silly, but he sang well. Clark really has a good voice, and I like what he did with that old song, but I think Keith was right. It would have been better if he had sung with just his own guitar and no band back-up. Not my favorite Nick performance, probably because I'm way tired of that song and don't think it did his vocals any justice. But he does have a great smile and is an engaging performer. Qaasim ain't no Stevie. Quentin's quirky appearance is borderline weird/borderline charming. He's entertaining, and he looks so much better without the nose thingy. It's easier to watch his cute face without that distraction. I like all of those who were eliminated except for Michael. I wish Trevor could have had just one more chance, and I would have chosen him over Daniel. Riley's performance last week was also sub-par, but I was thinking that he might stay because he's the only country guy, and he's a decent musician as well as a singer. If all 24 had competed together, I think that there would have been more girls than guys going home.

Deleted because ooopsie! Wrong thread!

I kind of liked Will's opening song. But I still don't like Will. His never-ending melodrama is wearing thin, and his deciding to join Luke at his new label is only going to make it even more pathetic. I like Bucky. I want some happy for Deacon, and it looks as if it might happen next week, but the writers will most likely not let it last very long. It never does for dear Deacon. Please, Sadie, go away. You take up valuable screen time from the more interesting characters. Luke is a jerk, but his bitterness toward Rayna is understandable. She did play him for way too long, and dumping him in the midst of the preparations for their big media wedding was a huge humiliation for a man who is so publicity-driven. With his new label, he's going to be an interesting adversary for Rayna. I loved that he duped and dumped Jeff. Ha. The only person in that whole over-populated cast who is more unlikable than Luke is Jeff, so there is some poetic justice there. Oh, please, Gunnar. Get over it. When Gunnar walked in on Scarlett while she was crying, the contrast between their respective despair was obvious. Scarlett's grief is heartbreaking and immediate. Gunnar's seems more self-indulgent and irrational. It was great seeing Gunnar and Scarlett singing together again. And with Avery! Pure joy. Jonathon Jackson is adorable. I'm glad Rayna is taking on Layla, and I hope she dumps Jeff and becomes a big star for Rayna's label. Layla has gone through a trial by fire and has emerged a more mature, sympathetic character. Scarlett and the doctor. Yes, yes, yes. I like that she's not shy about approaching him, and she has a cute, non-aggressive way of doing it. Oh, Teddy, you really blew it. Stupid is as stupid does. And as usual, Avery and Juliette made me go all soft around the edges. Love them. Their happiness is a nice little oasis in all the gloomy drama of this show.

They really had to squeeze the 12 performances into the allotted hour tonight. I don't usually like the drawn-out back stories and filler, but tonight's show was too rushed and condensed for me. It's surprising to see Adam in the top 24. He seems like a pleasant enough guy, but as someone upthread said, he seems more to be playing a character rather than delivering something musical and meaningful. It's unfortunate that he moved into the top 24 while really good singers like Cody Fry were sent home. Michael is forgettable. I can't even remember what he sang or what he looks like other than a general pleasant-looking blondness. I like Savion and think he's a cutie, but he sang a song that so belongs to Pat Monahan that I couldn't get past the Train version sealed in my brain. But I'm biased because I love Train. Mark is very appealing in kind of an unexpected way. Me likey. Trevor is usually a joy to watch, but sheesh, he was on triple fast-forward tonight. His nerves took over, but he's so darned likable that I'm hoping this was just first-night jitters. I like Clark. Boy can sing. Hoping to see more of what he can do in different musical genres. Rayvon has a lovely voice, and he's sweetly handsome. I'm rooting for him. I would like Daniel a lot better if Jennifer would quit the gushy-cutesy praise. Her goosey self is probably the main reason he made it this far. He does have talent and charm, but the talent needs experience and the charm needs maturity. Riley is another whose nerves kicked in tonight. With a little experience he could turn out to be an engaging performer. I'm not sure about how good he may or may not be yet. I kind of like Quentin's quirky looks, except for the nose thing. It looks like snot, and I can't get past the ickiness of it. He's talented enough that he doesn't need that gimmick. I look forward to seeing Nick every time. I like his look, his style, and his voice. I'm rooting for him, too. Qaassim (sp?) fell short on vocals while he was schmoozing with the crowd. Favorites so far -- Mark, Rayvon, Nick, and Trevor if he can rein in his nervousness. I don't entirely dislike anyone, but I think the four who go home after this first round should include Adam and Michael.

Not my favorite episode, either. I don't like the creepy dominatrix woman at all. I did like the flashbacks to Henry's past. I like the parallel story line of Henry's life with Abigail that has been developing throughout the season along with the present-day plot.

Unpopular opinions here, too. I think the show is entertaining, and that's why I watch it. Most of the singers who make it to the live shows are really talented. I liked last season a lot because there were singers with a variety of styles. I thought there was a lot of talent last night. I don't mind which coach wins, honestly. I like Blake a lot. He has a quick wit, and I think he's a good coach. I like Adam, too. Their banter is funny to me -- most of the time. Christina is my least favorite coach, but she's a good contrast to all the Blake/Adam hilarity and the tender-loving-care that Pharrell heaps on the contestants, especially those who lose and look really sad. I feel sorry for the kids who get no chairs to turn. It must be so disheartening to be singing to the back of the chairs for the whole song. I hope Pharrell does better as a coach this season. I'm glad he's getting a second chance at it. I enjoy reading all the opinions posted here.

When Sadie first appeared on this show, all sorts of red flags popped up about her potential to cause trouble for everyone else. First it was her antics with Rayna and her making goo-goo eyes with Luke, and now she's likely to make the Avery/Juliette happiness very brief. I don't like her or her erratic storyline. The show already has too many characters. I would not complain if the writers would just hook up Sadie and Luke and let them ride off into the sunset together. They've already hinted at a relationship between the two but left that loose end flapping around in the wind just as they've done with so many other Sadie details. I like Will Chase and think he's really talented, but his character Luke is a bummer. However, when Luke is singing, he's more tolerable. I've liked his songs in recent episodes. Deacon is a beloved character, and his dealing with the devastating news of his cancer has been heartbreaking, but his cheerless story line is going to wear thin if they don't find him a liver soon. It's inevitable that it's going to happen. He's too popular for them to let go unless Chip Esten finds something else he'd rather do and pushes it. Which I hope he does not, because I love him, too. But at least Deacon's health ordeal has brought Scarlett a potential new love interest. That doctor is a cutie, and it might be good for her to have someone outside of the business to keep her grounded and give her some perspective. I do want to hear her sing again, especially with Gunnar. I'm tired of Gunnar's angst. And Will's, too. Make some decisions and move on, boys. At least Luke, who's the least likable of the three, is trying to work it out through his music. The scene with Rayna marching into the board room and taking down Jeff was all kinds of satisfying. Rayna is so much better during those very short times when she's without a man. She's going to end up with Deacon, of course, and in addition to being her only true love, he just may be the only one of her men who will not cause her to neglect her daughters. When she has her eyes on a new man, she tends to forget that she has two young girls who need consistent and healthy parental involvement in their lives, but Deacon truly loves those girls and will most likely be more conducive to her being a positive presence for them.

I don't like any of the women except Tyanna. Tyanna's talent is pure without all the artificiality and theatrics that some of the other little girls are parading around. The sing-off was cruel. I didn't think either of those two girls were very good, but to tell one she has a spot and then snatch it away and give it to a cuter package is just plain mean-spirited. Loren Lott is back to screeching off key. She's beautiful, but she oversings, and that isn't pretty. Most of the rest are just a lot of nasally blondes that I can't tell apart at this point. The men were better, but I don't have a favorite yet. I was sorry to see Cody Fry go. His voice is pretty terrific, and he's certainly more accomplished and polished than Daniel, who is too young and growing too cutesy for his own britches. He's already wearing thin. The big rocker guy seems more a cover act than a serious singer. The two blonde guys look too much alike, and I can't remember which name goes with which body, but I thought the one who played the piano was better. He's very good, in fact. The guy with the hat has a nice voice, but it's not particularly remarkable, at least not in the few seconds that we saw him sing. I'm kind of looking forward to hearing what he can do with a longer bit of airtime. I'm already tired of the close-ups of Jennifer's mug. I'd much rather see the talented people.

So now Edith is going to uproot that poor little girl once AGAIN and break the heart of yet another adoptive mother. Edith is just a whinier and even less compassionate version of big sister Mary. So glad to see Bunting gone. Shut up, Isobel. I'm glad Robert finally smacked Bricker. You go, Robert! Bricker was drippy and inappropriate, and Cora was too stupid to stop him before he was encouraged enough to show up in her boudoir. The Bates drama has been drawn out for so long that it's become a big yawn. Anna is looking like the culprit, and I don't even care anymore. Rose and Atticus are charming together. No doubt JF will put them through plenty of tribulations before it's all over. I continue to enjoy the banter and friendship between Violet and Isobel.

I don't understand why certain family members keep pushing Tom to invite the Bunting to dinner. She's ungracious and ugly inside and out. I actually liked Rose this episode. And Isobel, whom I usually like, was kind of irritating. I think Lord Merton offered a very sweet proposal, but I like Isobel with the doctor better. Can't stand Cora's sappy little suitor. He's way out of line. OOOO, Tony's pissed. His dark side is showing. The setting in this show is always pretty, but tonight the scenery was especially beautiful. I don't think Bates did it. Edith should just get outta Dodge, with or without the kid. I'm tired of that big black gloomy cloud that fills every scene she's in. Daisy's suddenly educated and self-confident. That was quick! What's up with Barrow? That was quick, too! And why is Baxter suddenly trying to be his confidant?

This was a great episode for advancing the characterization. The plot line was secondary to the characters and their relationships, as it often is in this show. Jo's partner is a good guy. I liked that we learned more about him and his family life, his boisterous sons and his wife who he knew would welcome Jo at dinner. It was nice to see his sincere friendship and concern for Jo and to see this character develop in such a likable direction. Henry is starting to reach out to Jo in the same ways she's tried to comfort him. His situation has made his life lonely in ways normal people will never know. He eventually sees everyone he loves pass away while he lives on. Jo's heart is still breaking from the loss of her husband, and Henry's been through that many times through his many lifetimes. He has a deeper understanding of Jo's loss than she can possibly know at this point. I liked the kid who came into Abe's shop and rearranged his treasures. I agree that he might be an interesting recurring character. The flashback scene with Henry and the priest was a nice touch, bringing up the theory that perhaps Henry was given immortality on earth for a special reason, giving Henry the chance for a more positive outlook. The priest certainly felt he had served a divine purpose by helping Henry to release himself from prison and escape to find his own purpose. Loved that Henry couldn't keep silent for more than a few seconds. He is so cute sometimes. Even cuter -- Lucas. He had it all figured out about the red berries, only not. Ha! His banter with Henry is good comedy. I love Henry's interactions with every secondary character. Each relationship is unique and endearing or interesting in its own way. This is what make this show a cut above the usual television whodunnit fare.