IDOL WATCH: And the Season 10 Finalists Are…

In just one week America will have crowned its next Idol. Months of Ford music videos, cheesy group mash-ups, slow country ballads, and Steven Tyler high notes have all lead to this moment, and though the final three contestants wowed me in last night's semi-finals, I'm not sure that Scotty, Lauren, and Haley are the finalists I would have predicted a few months ago- maybe not even a few weeks ago...

Truth be told, my top three dream team for season 10 probably would have been made up of Pia Toscano, James Durbin, and Casey Abrams, all of whom suffered untimely fates on the show in my opinion. Thoughts? Who would you have liked to see in the finale?

Last night we revisited the Season Ten Twitter Followers Hypothesis (Scotty: 139,206, Lauren: 112,969, Haley: 93,655), but did these numbers actually give any insight into tonight's big reveal? Read on to find out!

The opening montage revealed that 95 million votes came in for tonight's finalists- 15 million more than last year's semi-finals! Lauren, Scotty, and Haley then took the stage for their last results show opening as a trio... and cut to a totally random feature with the Top 4 (yes, James was there too) hangin with JJ Abrams in his private theatre.

Kicking off the hometown visits was Haley's trip to Chicago, where May 13 was dubbed ‘Haley Reinhart Day' (big surprise there). I wonder how many little towns out there are still celebrating the talents of forgotten Idol contestants of years past. After a parade down what looked like a typical Main Street, a trip to Wheeling High School, and an appearance at a racetrack, she gave a live concert to her Midwest fans and then returned to LA.

Three tiny Italians then took the stage (sorry, I totally missed who they are or how they are at all relevant to this show). They were great, especially the one in the trendy Urkel glasses, but I just didn't pick up on the connection.

We then got to experience Scotty's trip home to Garner, North Carolina, which included as I'm sure you might have predicted, thousands and thousands of little girls probably willing to brand his name on their foreheads. Control it ladies- he's not Justin Bieber. The baseball star then threw a few pitches at his home field, and took a trip to a packed grocery store that he used to work at. Also thrown into his hometown package was a teensy clip of the country crooner having a teary outburst of emotion in his limo that had even me rooting for him. Well played, sir. I'm sure that won Mr. McCreery some extra votes.

Lauren then traveled back to Georgia where she chatted a bit with local radio personalities and then met a football field full of fans her high school. We then got to tag along as she toured the neighborhood damage that resulted from a series of tornados that recently devastated the area. She then pulled a Scotty and threw the first pitch for a Georgia baseball team, and then gave a concert in a crowd-filled park.

Ryan then told us that Scotty and Lauren would be the lucky two to go on and sing in the finale, leaving Haley just two steps short of taking home the big prize. (The Twitter Hypothesis has proven valid!) She sang ‘Benny and the Jets' as her Swan song- which was definitely one of her best performances and probably her big turning point in the competition. And yet another one bites the dust.

Don't forget to check in with BroadwayWorld's IDOL WATCH next TUESDAY night for a recap on the highly anticipated Season Finale! That's right, next week's big festivities will take place during Idol's old time slots on Tuesday and Wednesday night. Vote for your favorite contestants at Americanidol.com!

Miss the Top 3 sing last night? Click here for a full recap!

Emmy Award-winning AMERICAN IDOL is created and executive produced by Simon Fuller, Founder, 19 Entertainment, a division of CKX, Inc.; and executive-produced by Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO, FremantleMedia North America, Inc.; Ken Warwick, Executive Producer, FremantleMedia North America, Inc.; and Nigel Lythgoe, President, Big Red 2 Entertainment.

Among the many American Idol finalists and winners to appear on the Broadway stage are Fantasia, Justin Guarini ,Jordin Sparks,Diana DeGarmo, Ace Young, Tamyra Gray, Constantine Maroulis, Frenchie Davis, Clay Aiken and Taylor Hicks.

Visit americanidol.com for exclusive videos, interviews and photos, as well as special behind-the-scenes information and all of your AMERICAN IDOL news.

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

More Articles by This Author...