American Idol

As soon as all the contestants are done singing on day two in Hollywood, they set out finding groups right away. One group to form right away is The Dreamers, consisting of Mary Powers, Alex Lambert, and Margo May. Once they started choosing songs, that got the attention of Hope Johnson and Erin Hundley. Alex feels like the other two forced their way into the group.

The Mighty Rangers all auditioned in Denver, and noticed they were just drawn to each other. Phoenix includes Jermaine Sellers, Kat Nestel, and Moorea Masa. Moorea was in a group with Danny Gokey and Jamal Rodgers last year in Hollywood, so she's got a little experience. She thinks if they rehearse in the same spot as last year, in the closet, it will bring them luck. Or maybe it wasn't luck, and just that she had Danny Gokey on her side.

Tori Kelly, Maddie Penrose, Mark Labriola, Kimberly Kerbow, and Danny Jones are the singers in The Mighty Rangers. They may know they all auditioned in Denver, but they don't know much else. Margo has lost the rest of the The Dreamers. She finally finds Mary and Alex, and they discuss concerns about the other two. Margo refers to them as really sweet, but doesn't get that "captivating vibe" about them. Mary wants to just fire them since they aren't there.

Once Hope and Erin finally show up, the Dreamers still want them out, and Hope and Erin offer to leave. Mary takes control and asks for a clearer set of rules on how many people need to be in the group. Paige Miles and Thaddeus Johnson just want to find a place for their group to rehearse. The others in the group are Jessica Cunningham and Liz Rooney, with the group being called Neapolitan. They find a spot to rehearse and decide to do Lady Gaga's Bad Romance.

Destiny's Wild is also doing a little Lady Gaga. They're not holding back and are just belting it out, seeming to stop everyone else in their tracks. Their group, Siobhan Magnus, Jareb Liewer, Theri, and Todrick Hall, are uprooted to another spot, because of their loudness. They're right next to Neapolitan, though. This just makes both groups get really loud and really frustrated. Todrick thinks the others are going down.

The members of Phoenix are letting Moorea run the group, but the others don't like her arrangement. They don't think they'll get the harmonies, and she thinks that's a copout. Erin and Hope aren't happy with the way Mary is running the group, but they get it all worked out and decide to work as a whole again. Yet, they have a lot of work ahead.

Michael "Big Mike" Lynche's group Team Awesome, finished ahead of everyone else. It looks like Michael Castro is in his group. Big Mike's wife is about the deliver their first child, so he has all sorts of things going on in his head right now. The Mighty Rangers are finding that auditioning in the same place does not a good group make. It's 3:00 AM and the dance moves aren't even down yet. Many groups are in bed, but The Dreamers are still working. Mary says it's not about them carrying her to final 24. They aren't the only ones having trouble with Mary, as she also battles it out with Michael Orland, the vocal coach.

Destiny's Wild works it out with Debra Byrd, with Neapolitan waiting for their chance. They finally get it really well, and sang it celebration style off to bed. Neapolitan gets their shot finally with Byrd and are really tired.

The next morning, everyone is picking up their practicing again and seem much chipper. Destiny's Wild feels it's a good collaboration. However, many people are struggling with lyrics, especially Phoenix. See, it turns out it wasn't the closet they need, but some hard work. Mary is now bitching at Alex, calling him the weakest link. Big Mike gets an update from his wife that she's dilated to 8 cm. Destiny's Wild is impressing everyone, including Mary. She cries, wishing they had that.

As everyone is getting called up to the stage to begin, Big Mike gets the phone call he's been waiting for. He can't believe he's not there for this, saying it's too big to miss. He's keeping tabs on the whole thing thanks to video on his phone, or maybe it's pictures, and his baby girl is born, while this big dude is reduced to tears. Now he's back in, though, as he knows he has work to do.

Faith is the first group up, Michelle Delamor, Miami FL, 22 a clothing store associate, Miami; Charity Vance, 16, Little Rock; and Ashley Rodriguez, 21, a college student, Boston; singing Irreplaceable. They sound good. Charity is asked to step forward, but they're all through.

Team Awesome is up next, singing Get Ready. The group consists of Michael Lynche, 26, a personal trainer, Astoria, NY; Seth Rollins, 28, an insurance adjuster, Lakeland, FL; and Tim Urban, 20, a college student/musician, Duncanville, TX. Disappointingly, we never get a solo in that from Michael Castro. Regardless, Big Mike and Seth sounded ground, but Tim was a little weak. Seth is the dad of the son with autism. Oddly Big Mike and Tim make it through, but Seth and Michael reach the end of the line. The two dads who auditioned in Orlando have been split up.

Neapolitan takes the stage singing Bad Romance. The group consists of Liz Rooney, 25, 911 dispatcher, Worcester, MA; Thaddeus Johnson, 16, Oklahoma City, OK; Jessica Cunningham, 24, Makeup Artist/Hairstylist, Portland. and Paige Miles. Everyone looks happy, but Destiny's Wild. This is because they had decided first to go a cappella, and after they did, then Neapolitan came up with the idea of doing it. Liz seems very weak. Simon tells them in its own way, it was very good. He likes effort at this point. They say they just wanted to take it and have with it, and Destiny's Wild is not happy that they're laying claim to that. All four of Neapolitan make it through,

Of course, Destiny's Wild is up next. Just from the first few notes, they're blowing Neapolitan out of the water. In their group are Todrick Hall, 24, an actor/playwright, Arlington, TX; Theri, 20, hairstylist, Atlanta; Jareb Liewer, 28, Acrobat (that explains the good flips), San Diego; and Siobhan Magnus, 19, glassblowing apprentice, Cape Cod. Siobhan has some major pipes. Ellen tells them it was weird, as they were dressed like Cirque de Soleil, yet they're all sticking around. But they're still not happy with the other group.

The Mighty Rangers get their turn, with Tori Kelly, 16, Canyon Lake, CA; Maddie Penrose, 18, Murray, UT; Mark Labriola, 28, a computer consultant, Aurora, CO; Kimberly Kerbow, 24, a college student, Marina Del Rey, CA; and Danny Jones, singing the vocals of Closer. Both Mark and Kim forge their lyrics, with Kim not knowing anything but the melody. Danny, Kimberly, and Mark are sent home, and Tori and Maddie get through, although Maddie may have known her lyrics, but sounded terrible. Mark begs for another shot, saying it's it for him this year. He doesn't get to come back. He cries outside after, with Ryan Seacrest giving him a hug.

Phoenix is still struggling, and even Byrd laid into them before. It's their time onstage, and Kat Nestel decides to quit. Right here. She explains she knew she would mess up and didn't want to humiliate herself. Michael Orland tries to call them down, saying it may change their choreography, but shouldn't hurt them vocally at all

Remaining in Phoenix are Ben Honeycutt, 23, a worship leader, Fort Oglethorpe, GA; Jeff Goldlord, 28, consultant/singer/songwriter, Chicago; Moorea Masa, 17, Portland; and Jermaine Sellers, 26, Joliet, IL; do a terrible rendition of Carry On My Wayward Son. Many of them don't know the lyrics. Yet, Kara calls them survivors. Moorea thinks they went through a lot together, but Simon points out they had 12 hours to learn a song. Ellen reminds him they lost a person in the last few minutes before taking the stage. Ben and Moorea go home, and Jeff and Jermaine make it through. Moorea doesn't think she'll come back again.

Many of the groups are struggling with Sweet Escape. It's showed that no one should sing that song, except for Gwen Stefani. Ellen points out it's the same way she sings the song. She gets to "refrigerator," then stops, because she doesn't know anymore. One person gets all the words rights. One. Out of all those groups.

Big Dreams is also trying Sweet Escape. Matt Lawrence, 25, manager of a trucking company (former teenage bank robber), Starke, FL; Amanda Shechtman, 19, theater student, Roslyn, NY; and others, but Simon waves them off before they get too far into the song, as it's that bad. Amanda totally missed all her lyrics. He asks what's the point of asking people to step forward or step back, as it's as bad as they've ever heard. All four are sent home. For Matt it's a big disappointment, and Amanda is sad she didn't get to share all she has in her. Well, to be fair, she did have a chance.

We also say goodbye to Leah Laurenti, Carmen Turner, Kimberly Carver, and Dave Pittman. Everyone cries on the way out. It's the end of their dreams.

The group Middle C consists of Janell Wheeler, 24, a sales representative, of Tampa; Jermaine Purifoy, 24, telecommunications student, Cleveland, TN; and Casey James, 27, a musician, Forth Worth. They did well. Three Men and a Baby do well, too. Their group has the vocals of Andrew Garcia, 23, a musician, Moreno Valley, CA; Katie Stevens, 16, Middlebury, CT; and J.B. Ahfua, 18, Taylorsville, UT. All make it through to the next round, all doing really well, making you wonder what's going on with the groups that can't cut it.

The Dreamers are still struggling, and are the last group of the day. They argue about choreography, and Mary is getting frustrated, and the others with her, as they think she doesn't want to hear anyone else's opinions. They're also tired of her throwing in her showoffy vocals.

Singing Fleetwood Mac, The Dreamers consists of Mary Powers, 28, a singer, Burbank, CA; Hope Johnson, 19, a waitress/bartender, Arlington, TX; Margo May, 23, server, Kansas City, MO; and Alex Lambert, 18, singer, North Richard Hills, TX. Simon stops them, mercifully. This was painfully bad. It honestly made you wonder how they made it this far. Kara thinks the dreams died on the stage. Mary, Hope, and Alex step forward. They make it through. Mary says she will never work with them again, and I'm pretty sure it's mutual. I'm not sure at all how the three that made it through did. Mary, I'm sure, made it on the strength of her other performances.

We still have 71 left as they prepare for their last performance in Hollywood. Among them, John Park, 20, a college student, Northbrook, IL; Haeley Vaughn, 16, Fort Collins, CO; Angela Martin, 28, a singer, Chicago; Tasha Layton, 26, Granada Hills, CA; Tyler Grady, 19, a college student, Nazareth, PA; Katelyn Epperly, 19, a student, West Des Moines, IA; Lloyd Thomas, 29, a dock worker, Dallas; Keia Johnson, 26, a marketing representative, Memphis; and Christian Spear, 16, Houston, TX.