Canadian Idol: Canadian Idol Or Teeny Bop Idol

Episode 22 Recap By Nickie S.
August 9, 2006

So here we are for another elimination episode of Canadian Idol. Will Rob be killed by performing in the horrendous number one position? Will Chad and Steffi get fried? Who knows? We have to wait for another half hour to find out.

The excitement for me tonight is hearing both Dennis De Young and Roger Hodgson perform some classic music, maybe with Idols in tow. Two amazing song writers and singers performing their hits, now that's a show to wait for.


Wonderfully the show opens with a bang. Dennis first, performing the classic hit "Babe" followed by Roger singing "Give a Little Bit". Oh the memories. Sad but true, both songs bring back incredible memories for this writer. Youth. Really, I did have it once.

Let's contain Ben's excitement (and mine) and hit the recaps first. To be honest, what more can I say beyond what was said last night?

Rob's is a wonderful first performance. I loved it. The judges loved it, but Zack points out that he is not memorable. And for the first performance…….?

Tyler did okay; he did step out of his box and from a pure hearing point of view it was great but visually, well all I can say man is you need some work. Still.

Eva sang beautifully. In fact it was one of her better performances, if you like that sort of thing. Do more people than the judges like that sort of thing?


Craig had the judges on his side again. But does he really have the audience? I'm not sure.

Ashley, with the long, blonde hair, and more sotto voice really wowed the set. Did she wow the people though? Do they actually know who she is any more?

Chad did what Chad does. People will either like it or not. I didn't. But that doesn't count for much.

Steffi did what Steffi does. Apparently anyway. I don't know how much into Rock Opera I am to be honest. And I still wonder about Canada.

Ben is beyond excited and we can't hold that against him. He can't control his words or his facial expressions. In the meantime, after the break we're treated to Roger singing a Supertramp classics, "Dreamer", "The Logical Song" and "Breakfast in America". Now Roger can't quite sing like he used to and we'll give him that but he was amazing all the same, moving from keyboard to piano during the performance.

Dennis is next with his hits that include "Lady", "Mr Roboto" and "Come Sail Away". Can you say amazing? Because I surely feel that way. Great performances by both gentlemen demonstrating why they are stars, and why their music has sustained such incredible longevity. Bring it on Canadian Idol; this is what we want from the show. Icons. Mentors. Teachers. Performers. Apart from the kids themselves, this is what a results show should be all about.

Seventeen minutes of great music later and we are at the point of what the show is actually all about. Who stays and who goes. I'm thinking we're getting down to the bottom two but I'm not sure and I'm hoping that Chad and Steffi break it, although I'm very concerned about Rob tonight. He was in that killer number one position.

The dreaded music is going, Ben is droning and we're on. Tyler is safe. Eva is safe. Ashley, minus the long locks, is not a bottom two this week. Steffi, complete with long locks, is the first member of the bottom two. Craig , Rob and Chad….who of you is in the bottom two? Oh no, it's Rob.


Judges? What say you? You must have something to offer here right now.

Sass says that the fact they're standing there right now is a testament of their staying power.

Farley says he's fifty percent surprised and fifty percent not.

Zack, with love for Rob, is gunning for Steffi.

And Jake reminds them that when you're unplugged it's all about the words and how you emote them.

So in essence the judges will refuse to be surprised about anything, anymore. Are we surprised that Rob and Steffi are bottom two? Not at all. Steffi will always be on the cusp and Rob has always been in that danger zone, no matter how wonderful I think he is. It's a simple matter as to who has the most votes of the two, and even though I've willed Rob along the way I don't think he has them now. Steffi is going to be bottom on a regular basis, simply because she's going to split votes due to what she does and who she is. But I can't say anything until Ben tells us. And we're still waiting for the break to end.

Boring commercials are now over and Rob didn't receive enough votes to go through to the next round of the competition. I am bitterly disappointed but not surprised at all. Ben, of course, does his schtick pumping up the poor boy but it doesn't cut for much. Let's go to the boring vignette.

Rob talks about what he's done, where he wants to go, and how much he's enjoyed the experience. And of all the sing outs, I have to say it's the one I've enjoyed the most. And watched the longest.

It's another show and someone has left. My own feelings aside I know that there are lots of people who agree with me that perhaps Canadian Idol is turning into teeny bop idol where the older, more mature contestants just can't cut it.

Can't cut it how? And therein lies the question. Sarah didn't cut it because she didn't connect with audience. Rob faced the stigma of having a past musical career that many of the viewers just couldn't agree with. Both couldn't cut it because, as talented as they are, they just weren't memorable enough.

I said Rob had that dangerous number one position. I loved what he did last night. Deadbeat Dad here also loved what he did. And that's unheard of. Unfortunately by the end of the show we had both forgotten what he'd done last night. Others were stuck in our minds, for better and for worse. And that's part of the danger of this competition.

Next week we have Chantal with the unwriteable last name (at this time of night). Kreviazick I believe. It will be a very interesting show. I look forward to it.

Until then.