Canadian Idol Update: The Top 10 Are Revealed

Wednesday night's stunning elimination show gave new meaning to the word safe.

"There are some performers among these people that are the most unpredictable we have ever seen," said judge Sass Jordan at the beginning of the show.

Who could have predicted that most of the unpredictable ones would be gone in less than half an hour?

After a quick recap, there was an epic product placement that saw the return of dreamy Dave Kerr and showed the ladies of Idol enjoying a luxurious spa cruise over the crystal clear virginal waters of Lake Ontario. Then the eliminations began.

A relieved-looking Martha Joy was the first to make it into the top 10. Matt Rapley was next. And then... Dwight D'Eon was named the third member, making Montana Martin Iles the first to be cut. As it turns out, "Ironic" was her undoing. How ironic. (But not real ironic. Just Alanis Morissette ironic.)

I held my breath and waited for a twist, some backpedalling or a punchline. But they never came. Irreverent, refreshing Martin Iles was gone and run-of-the-mill D'Eon is sticking around for yet another tiresome week. The joke is officially on you, Canadian viewing public.

Greg Neufeld was the next hopeful to make it to the top 10.

"Brian, you've had a good run," teased host Ben Mulroney, before letting Brian Melo know that he was safe for another week. Tyler Mullendore was the one to be sent home.

That was the worst elimination ever. What does Canada have against rock 'n' roll, I wonder?

Let's regroup during the commercial break, shall we? As it stands, we have Joy, Rapley, D'Eon, Melo and Neufeld as the first five members of the top 10. The two weakest singers (D'Eon and Melo) of the top 14 are safe, as are three technically great singers who aren't particularly memorable. Why is it that the Jenny Gears, Nancy Silvermans and Steffi Ds of Canadian Idol never survive as long as they should? Why do viewers vote in droves for people who bring nothing new or different to the table, contestants the viewers probably won't even remember the names of six months later? Why are all of the safe ones so unbelievably safe?

Back to the show.

Carly Rae Jepsen made it into the top 10. Tara Oram followed. Thousands of teenaged boys breathed sighs of relief and then promptly excused themselves to "brush their teeth."

Tension ran high when Mulroney announced that either Liam Styles Chang or Jaydee Bixby would be going home that night. Bixby was declared safe. Yippee-kai-yay!

"Just being able to perform in front of the entire country has been enough for me," said a gracious Chang, who will hopefully try again next year.

Khalila Glanville looked absolutely ready to cry at this point, as did Mila Miller and Annika Odegard. You could have cut the tension with a hefty power tool of some variety when Mulroney threw to the final commercial break. The simultaneous looks of pure outrage on the faces of the last three girls were unintentionally hilarious.

After that cruelly placed break, Mulroney announced that Miller would join the top 10. (Canada, my faith in you was shaken, but now it's somewhat restored.) Glanville rounded out the finalists, making the ousted four Mullendore, Martin Iles, Styles Chang and Odegard.

Next week: Idol hopefuls sing #1 hits and Miss "Pon De Replay" (Rihanna) drops by for a visit.