American Idol

Week 11

Jason Castro

Jason Castro
Frank Micelotta / FOX
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Forever in Blue Jeans

The first Neil Diamond song of the evening must have been in a difficult key for Jason, because he keeps moving up and down an octave from the original. Then again, the fact that I know the original = I am old = I am not an Idol voter anyway. A little dull, but fits well enough with Jason's campus-crooner strategy. (Weirdly, Paula critiques both Jason's first *and second* performance, either because she read from her notes from the rehearsal or because she is traveling in time. Am I watching Lost? Find your constant, Paula!)

— by James Poniewozik

Castro's second song: September Morn

Next: David Cook >>

Top Three Tuesday

The last three contestants get three tunes each to show their stuff as the contest heats up

The Final Four

One of the remaining four contestants flubs their lyrics during songs from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

5 To Go

Paula Abdul gets confused after Idol changes the format and makes the judges give their verdict at the end of each round

6 To Go

Andrew Lloyd Webber offers his compositions and direction to the singers this week. Who turns out to be the Broadway star?

7 to Go

It's Mariah Carey week. With advice from the diva songstress herself, do the contestants manage to impress the judges?

8 to Go

Tonight's theme brings a selection of "inspirational" songs—but what exactly does that mean to the contestants?

9 To Go

Idol contestants duke it out singing Dolly Parton's hits. Which of the remaining nine put a convincing spin on the country diva's famous tunes?

The Top 10

It's songs from the year contestants were born — basically, the '80s. Will a third stab at the decade be the charm?

The Top 11

This evening brings back more selections from the Beatles. With a second chance, do the contestants make better song choices this week?

The Top 12

The competition is on with the opening of the Lennon/McCartney songbook. Which contestant takes the risks with these classic songs?

8 Women Left

Phil Collins. Journey. American Idol returns to the decade it should have been born in—the 80s—and sees several strong female performances

8 Men Left

It's 80s night, which means—yikes—Wham!, as well as a surprisingly good Lionel Richie cover. So who survives?

The Final 10 Women

Some rocked out and others had their diva moments, but few of the female singers stood out enough to make a big impression during '70s week

The Final 10 Men

We're down to just 10 men, all competing for the chance to lose to whichever woman ends up winning American Idol. Can anyone pull out a strong performance, let alone win this thing?

The 12 Female Finalists

A dozen female finalists try to separate themselves from the pack in the first week of American Idol season 7. Can any of them break out?

The 12 Male Finalists

Season 7 begins in earnest with 12 male finalists that run the gamut from "forgettable" to "karaoke." Still, at least one early favorite has emerged