First of all, apologies that this recap didn't come out sooner. I was at a screening for a certain highly-anticipated film about 300 Spartans (which you'll read about soon) and didn't get the chance to watch the recorded episode until just now.

This week's results show clearly demonstrated that the fan bases have now formed and solidified. Last week we already got a hint of it, but this week it was crystal clear that people are voting for their favorites, not for who they thought was the best singer. Some people who didn't deserve to go home (yet) were given the boot while others who should have been packing the night before remain safe for another week — and might perhaps even make it to the Top 12.

The show kicked off with the usual group song, this time Hoyt Axton's "Joy to the World", which sounded like a big mess especially since there was so much screaming coming from the ladies with big voices.

After the break, the guys were in the hot seat first, as Ryan addressed the top row of their bleachers. He asked each guy to stand, delivered the judges' comments, and told them the verdict. The guys in the top row were Phil Stacy, Chris Sligh, Sundance Head, Blake Lewis, and Jared Cotter. After telling the first four guys that they were safe, Ryan asked a nervous-looking Jared to join him on stage. In the usual Seacrest twist, Jared was safe and Nick Pedro (the first person in the bottom row) was out. Cue the sad looks and tears from the other contestants. Nick sang the song that had him kicked off, and they cut to commercials.

It was the girls' turn to feel the heat. Like the guys, Ryan had each girl in the top row stand up one by one as he addressed them. In order from left to right, they were Stephanie Edwards, Gina Glocksen, Sabrina Sloan, Melinda Doolittle, and Alaina Alexander. Ryan quickly dismissed the first three ladies as safe. Considering that Melinda was to her left and that LaKisha was the first person in the bottom row, surely Alaina knew that she was screwed, regardless of what twists Ryan may pull. Sure enough, Alaina was going home.