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American Idol: With no more saves, viewers send another contestant home

American Idol recap: On Thursday night, a performer had the journey of a lifetime cut short. Was it one of your favorites?

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Mario Anzuoni / REUTERS
Contestant Jessica Meuse poses at the party for the finalists of American Idol XIII in West Hollywood, California on February 20, 2014.

Before we get to the results, let's explore two aspects of American Idol that haven't been discussed but deserve to be. How many others are delighted to watch Jennifer Lopez walk from the stage to her seat week after week, without wobbling about and hanging on the arm of a male judge to help escort her to her seat. Last season, Mariah Carey and Nikki Minaj were so ridiculously dressed that it rendered them incapable of walking. So, while Jennifer's skirts have practically been MIA more than once, let's applaud the fact that she can walk all by herself. Who says young girls have no empowering female role models? Look, girls - no hands!

The other thing worth mentioning is not quite as refreshing. Can someone point out the exact point when Ryan went from being a host who stayed primarily on the stage, to one who is at the judges table more often than not? Although not an issue on its own, Ryan has recently begun this annoying habit in which he stands at the judges table after they are introduced and unfailingly makes some comment about the way Jennifer Lopez looks that is always laced with creepy, sexist innuendo as he snickers with the other male judges, like an inexperienced teenage boy who resorts to misogynistic behavior in some desperate attempt to gain approval of the cool guys on the school ground.

Okay, that's enough social commentary. 

The first person sent to the bottom three was C.J. Harris, followed by Malaya Watson, and then Ryan threw me a curveball by only announcing a bottom two and of those two, only one made my bottom three predictions (I was ready to justify my 50/50 results by pointing out that C.J. was on the original list before second guessing myself and taking his name off, but then I realized I replaced his name with Malaya's so I'm not really doing myself any favors there).

And finally, with little fanfare and not even a musical guest, Ryan brought an abrupt end to the evening by revealing that Malaya Watson had the fewest votes and would be departing. No doubt the judges are kicking themselves for using the save since they always seemed very impressed by Malaya's vocals and would have definitely used it this week had they not given it up for Sam last week.

What do you think? Do you wish the judges had held onto their save for Malaya or was using it on Sam the right move? Sound off in the comments below!

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