American Idol - Welcome to Hollywood - 2/8/06

These Hollywood episodes are my favorite part of the Idol season. By this point I've grown tired of the lame auditions and can no longer laugh at the cluelessly off-key. I'm ready for things to get more intense. Bring on the tears, the hysteria, the ripping of sequined camisoles! Tonight's episode narrowed the field from 175 to 109. Since I missed their audition episode and had heard all the hype, I was eager to see the harmonizing twins, Derrell and Terrell Britennum. While they definitely can sing, their personalities make them unwatchable. Their egos are bigger than Simon's. I was glad to read they'd been kicked off the show due to being wanted criminals. I am starting to root for a few contestants. I like Taylor Hicks, the subtle, gray-haired soul man. I also like Kellie Pickler, who wins the prize for most heart-wrenching story, with her daddy in jail and all. But my absolute favorite is Garet Johnson, the hyperactive naive country boy. Idol is at its best when showcasing underdogs like Garet. He may not have the training to go all the way, but at least he's enjoying the journey, even to the point of jumping into the ocean (which he'd never seen before) in his jeans.