Recap: 'American Idol' cuts to 16

I've done this for a long time, but I don't remember many results shows more wide open than Thursday (Feb. 28) night's American Idol. As the episode begins, I can't begin to guess who's going home. Let's follow the action, minute-by-minute.

8:00 p.m. ET Ryan Seacrest kicks off Thursday's show by warning that, "The eliminations are inevitable, the drama is real." Let the inevitability (and/or drama) ensue.

8:01 p.m. Almost 31 million votes came in this week, which is a lot of votes following two episodes that most observers reckon ranged from so-so to subpar.

8:01 p.m. Seacrest begins by asking the judges to justify the decision to do theme works this early in the season, a decision that the judges have nothing to do with. Paula says that it's harder for Simon than for her to give up control to the American people. And meanwhile, Ryan's mother -- a little slow, it seems -- has noticed that Simon sometimes holds his hand to his head in what the host aptly describes as a "half-moose." Mmmmm... Filler.

8:03 p.m. If you thought they were off-pitch as individuals this week, wait until you see the Top 20 mangle the '70s as a group. Here's something I've never seen before: Usually at this point in the competition, five or six singers can be expected to receive special whooping and notice from the crowd in these Group Sings. With this group, the only singer who draws audible audience celebration is David Archuleta. Is that the sort of thing that the other 19 notice? Are they half-singing and half-wondering, "What's David's dirty little secret and will TMZ dig it up soon enough to save us?"

8:11 p.m. Tonight's results start with the Guys, but only after we recap Tuesday's performance. I feel like I already did that. On Tuesday. Everybody really loved David. I got taken to task for accusing him of missing a note or two. It was fun.

8:14 p.m. Ryan asks Jason Yeager, Danny Noriega, Chikezie, Jason Castro and Michael Johns to stand from the back row. Michael and Jason the Muppet weren't very good on Tuesday, but based on past affections they're safe anyway. Chikezie wasn't very good last week, but he was one of Tuesday's standouts and he's safe. That leaves Jason Yeager and Danny facing elimination. For reasons having everything to do with talent -- but also somewhat with difficulties connecting to younger viewers -- Jason's going home. This was not a surprise. I'd figured Yeager for elimination after he napped through "Moon River" last week. "Based on the criticism and everything," Jason says he saw this coming. He says that song choice is everything. Simon tells Jason that his problem is failure to stand out from the crowd.

8:19 p.m. Jason's exit performance of "Long Train Running" is better than what he did on Tuesday night, looser and more confident. Even raising his game to this level wouldn't have made a difference, though.

But who else was eliminated?

Check out the full recap over at our It Happened Last Night blog...

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