The Top 7 results show of American Idol opened with a movie trailer-like collection of clips, set to rousing music while an announcer narrated.

“I think America’s going to have a tough call…but I think I know who’s going to leave,” Quentin Tarantino, the week’s mentor, told the camera.

Ryan Seacrest announced an “all-star” line-up for the night’s performances, which included pre-recorded performances from Disney’s golden child Miley Cyrus and Oscar-winning Idol alum Jennifer Hudson.

The Ford video featured the song “Freeze Frame” and showed Idols on faux magazine covers, a concept I’m pretty positive we saw back in Season 6. These videos are becoming almost unbearable. The Top 7 then sang “Maniac,” each making a big entrance from various places in the theater. This was one of the better group performances of the whole season. For once, the number seemed polished and practiced - at least, more so than it has seemed in weeks past.

Ryan Seacrest spent a few moments talking to the Idols before any elimination news was revealed. Adam Lambert waxed poetic on Quentin Tarantino’s mentoring before Allison Iraheta talked about going to a recent movie premiere.

This was the perfect way to introduce the clip - the Top 7 at the premiere of 17 Again. It was basically a long promotion for the movie. Zac Efron was also present in the audience - wearing a knit cap over very scraggly locks. I have no idea what that’s about. The movie’s out this Friday - FOX wants to be sure you’re aware of that.

Finally, the lights were dimmed. Allison Iraheta, who got the worst position in the performance round, came to her feet first. She was pronounced safe after a moment of tense hesitation; the audience applauded gleefully. Adam Lambert was called to stand next. He also was pronounced safe - no surprise there.

Anoop Desai, who stood next, was an altogether different matter. He’s made it to the Bottom 3 group of vote-getters before and his future on the show remains uncertain. He also chose the very worn-out tune “Everything I Do.” Ryan waved Desai over to the stools. “One more time, we gotta take the walk across the stage,” the host led the singer to his lonely chair.

Jennifer Hudson’s clip played next. She was eliminated in seventh place during her season of Idol, but didn’t shoot to stardom until her breakout role in Dreamgirls. She swept award season that year and was soon signing movie and endorsement contracts right and left. Hudson has now added a Grammy to her impressive trophy case.

Her performance clip followed. Hudson looked beautiful for her triumphant (though not broadcast live) Idol return. I have to admit that I didn’t much care for the song, however. The lyrics included the spelling of the word love. Frankly, that’s bad writing. Jennifer Hudson’s amazing vocals can make anything sound good, a saving grace that made the performance something spectacular for Idol watchers. She was very charming during her interview with Ryan, but remained mum on the top-secret date for her upcoming wedding.

Ryan Seacrest spoke to Anoop Desai, one of the evening’s Bottom 3, after the break. The host asked judge Paula Abdul if she was surprised to see Desai in this low-vote group. “I am a little surprised,” she admitted. “Yes,” Simon Cowell answered, when the host asked if Desai deserved to be in the bottom group.

It was time to focus on the remaining, unsorted, Idols. Kris Allen and Lil Rounds came to their feet at the bleachers. Simon Cowell took the time to tell Allen “you were brilliant,” during the Tuesday performance round. “I thought that I did good last night,” Lil said of her own performance. Kris got to sit in safety - Rounds was sent to join Anoop Desai.

Danny Gokey and Matt Giraud stood up to hear their results together. “You worked it out,” Randy Jackson inserted the opinion he didn’t give Gokey the night before. Jackson was right - it was Matt Giraud who rounded out the Bottom 3 for the week.

Ryan asked Kara DioGuardi if it was the right group. “I have to say yes,” she answered. Paula Abdul pointed to “flaws” in the performances of the three who stood before her.

Anoop Desai was sent back to safety, leaving Lil Rounds and Matt Giraud onstage to await their fate. Giraud looked close to tears; Rounds looked mad as hell. They would both have to wait - stew - a little longer.

A clip of Miley Cyrus performing “The Climb” on the Idol stage while a smoke machine filled the air with fog then played for viewers. She seemed, as usual, a little too mature. The song even sounded old-fashioned, stuffed with inspirational lyrics as it was. Finally, her segment was over and it was time for the evening’s long-awaited results.

“There is one, I think, that I would consider saving,” Simon Cowell answered, when asked about the judges’ save…pretty much the same line he’s been giving from the get-go.

The lights on stage dimmed as attention turned to Lil Rounds and Matt Giraud. Rounds was let off the hook, which left Giraud in the cold light of elimination. He accepted the mic - no piano was quickly produced - and began to croon his song.

Not that well, either. He sounded nervous, and even though Kara DioGuardi and Paula Abdul put on a show of support for his performance it seemed fairly obvious that Giraud wasn’t getting saved - at least to me. Have we all forgotten so soon that Giraud was a Wild Card insertion, someone America never actually wanted in the very first place? As the audience chanted “save, save, save, save, save,” Ryan Seacrest turned to the judges’ table.

“Matt, how many times have you been in the Bottom 3?” Simon Cowell demanded.

“Twice,” was the quiet answer.

“I don’t see that you have, really, any chance of winning this competition,” Cowell admitted. But then, “Matt, it’s good news.”

Somehow, the very precious judges’ save got used on a Wild Card contestant whom I’ve never liked from the very beginning. I guess there are still some surprises left in this show, after all.

Amid the celebratory atmosphere that followed, Simon Cowell turned grim. He reminded everyone that Giraurd’s save means two contestants will leave next week - which, by the way, is Disco Week.

Yikes.

(You can find all the American Idol 8 posts here.)