American Idol on Fox

By Adam Shuler

On March 11, American Idol featured a new opening sequence and a new set. But the cosmetic changes weren’t the most memorable part of that episode. In keeping with the trend of change, songs written by the duo of John Lennon & Paul McCartney made their debut on the popular talent contest. Throughout the 1960s, Lennon & McCartney penned many bona-fide classics, including “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” and “Hey Jude.” These songs have not only been hailed as some of the best from the decade, but have also been appreciated and enjoyed by several generations. This Beatle-infused night of singing is our choice for Best of the Week.

The competition was revved up in this episode, as the contestants sang their first songs since being selected for the illustrious “Top 12.” Many capitalized on their opportunity and gave stellar performances. Chikezie infused his rendition of “She’s a Woman” with an R&B flavor that caused him to roam the stage in excitement (and even had host Ryan Seacrest pumped up). Carly Smithson energized the crowd with her soulful performance of “Come Together.” Brooke White took a soft touch to “Let it Be,” which Simon Cowell praised as one of the best performances of the evening.

Not everyone performed ideally on this special night. Ramiele Malubay’s performance of “In My Life” bored the judges. Eventual loser David Hernandez was judged to have “oversang” his performance of “I Saw Her Standing There.” Kristy Lee Cook took a chance and sang a fast country version of “Eight Days a Week,” which failed to find favor with the judges. Even presumptive favorite David Archuleta encountered problems, forgetting some of the words to “We Can Work It Out.” But despite these struggles, the debut of the Lennon/McCartney catalogue on American Idol provided wonderful, clean entertainment ideal for family viewing.

Best TV Show of the Week

The Parents Television Council - www.parentstv.org