You think I’d be used to it by now but the Thursday night scheduling caught me out AGAIN this week, starting as it did about 20 minutes earlier than last week and causing me to miss the first two acts. Ironically when I fired up the PVR (sorry, slight Gene Hunt influence creeping in there) the first guy I saw was Luke Menard and he really wasn’t very good this week. Sure enough, at the end of the evening, he was in the bottom three, stood up next to Ryan and awaiting his fate. He wasn’t the one leaving though.

Yes, tonight was the night that 20 became 16, which admittedly isn’t as snappy a song title as two becoming one, but at least it took us one step closer to the top 12 for 2008.

After last week’s 60s night theme, this week featured the music of the 70s (will next week be the 80s I wonder? Seems logical) and for the most part the song choices were very strange. OK Chikezie had an excuse – he chose his favourite song of all time – but some of the other selections just didn’t sit right with the artist and the judges picked up on this time after time.

So did the audience. 31 million votes later and the first to leave was this guy: Jason Yeager. Another example of an artist with a good voice but very little stage presence or charisma, and whose song choice didn’t really suit him. The decision to let the artists accompany themselves this year if they have the ability is backfiring a bit too. Fact is, none of them really DO have the ability – much beyond strumming away in the privacy of their own homes anyway – and the instruments are getting in the way and showing them in a poorer light.

It was an unusual decision of Ryan’s (not to say downright cruel) to have Amanda Overmyer standing up with this girl again, forcing her to worry for the second week (of two!) whether she was going home. In the end, obviously, she was safe and it was Alexandrea Lushington bowing out. In any other year she would have been almost a shoo-in for the top 12 with her great looks and amazing vocals, but once again a poor song choice did her no favours at all.

The same is true of the third leaver. Alaina Whitaker didn’t take the news anywhere near as well as Alexandrea though and only just managed to compose herself in time for her final performance. This is the first time I’ve seen anyone so distraught that Ryan has offered them the choice of whether or not to sing. In the end, she gave a brave and measured repeat performance and as is often the case, if she’d been able to pull off a performance like that the first time around may not even have been going home!

Finally it was back to the lads to say goodbye to faux rocker Robbie Carrico. When asked why he thought Robbie had bitten the dust this week, Simon Cowell declared it was simply because he’d never looked or sounded believable with his rocker persona. Not sure I agree 100% with that, but it’s true he never really let go with much emotion or power. A pale imitation of Chris Daughtry, Idol’s most famous nearly-man, who even though he was thrown out long before his time has nevertheless enjoyed spectacular success ever since.

Without doubt, with so many great singers this year, the ones who stick around longest will be those who get to grips soonest with the stage, the audience and the occasion, and look as if they’re enjoying themselves. This is never more true than with David Archuleta. If I had to stick my neck out this early in the proceedings, I’d say that I’ve already seen the winner and it’s David. His performance of Imagine was stunning, especially when you consider that he’s only 17. There’s a long way to go yet and there are certainly other artists in the contest who, with the experiences and coaching they will receive in the coming weeks, have the capacity to catch and maybe even overtake him, but for today it’s clear that he’s the one to beat.