After the cast of American Idol’s season 6 were whittled down dramatically from six to four, the stage looked a little emptier. And last night’s performances, at least in the judges’ eyes, didn’t do much to fill the empty space. Though Idol finalists Blake Lewis, Melinda Doolittle, LaKisha Jones, and Jordin Sparks sang two songs apiece, they got harsh reviews from that famous panel of three. Even Paula wasn’t waxing poetic and oozing positive ego-boosters at random, and Randy Jackson kept it real – hard core style. Though Blake changed up his disco tunes and added a modern flair, the judges had little that was good to say about his BeeGees renditions. Barry Gibb, the evening’s mentor, was extremely open to the ways the Idols changed his songs, which is more than can be said for most mentors of the season. All four competitors sat through at least one round of less-than-rave reviews from the critical judges, three people who obviously expected to be blown away at last night’s live show and ended up feeling a little let down. But what do you really want from BeeGees night? Today, the performances are old news. What everyone’s wondering is who will be left out of the final three, and who won’t.

After last night’s mixed reviews and 70s-inspired fashion mistakes, speculation is hot and heavy on who will be sent home. Vote For the Worst, that popular anti-Idol site that backed Sanjaya Malakar for so long, is currently behind LaKisha Jones. A current poll of About.com browsers shows a majority of votes going toward beat-boxing Blake Lewis, but many say he can’t stand up against three strong running mates.

It’s possible that none of the competing Idols will enjoy a huge number of votes, however. Surprisingly, FOX’s
American Idol is not currently ruling the roost as the number one show in the U.S. In fact, it’s not even number two. In a dismal turn of luck for FOX, American Idol came in at only third place in the Nielsen ratings, a position the reality hit isn’t so used to sitting in. Is the bloom off the Idol rose, or are fans just waiting to tune in to this evening’s results show? Or…did Barry Gibb scare viewers away? After I got done answering everyone who asked me “who’s Barry Gibb?” I barely had time to catch the show, myself.

(You can find all the American Idol 6 posts here.)