I have often wondered if Melinda was as popular off-line as she is online. But this is also coming from someone who just doesn't "get" Melinda, even tho I will say she looks TONS better now than she used to.

My kids were convinced she'd win. They were shocked, and they're never online. I was shocked, even though I don't actually watch it. I catch parts of it, because they watch it and talk about it. I thought Melinda had to win, just from the quality of her performances I've caught.

I thought Melinda had to win, just from the quality of her performances I've caught.

Except that in so many seasons, the singer people were sure would/should be in the final has been voted off before the final two--Tamyra, Kimberley Locke, La Toya.

Oh yeah, there are humans involved.

I still think it is straight out bullshit that Melinda was dropped. I'm not watching the finale.

My kids were convinced she'd win.

But did they want her to win? Or did they just figure that, after a season full of praise from the judges, that she was pretty much the lock?

That's the kind of thing I mean -- I didn't like her, but I understand that she performed well. I figured she'd be in the finals. But was there really a fanbase off-line rooting for her as big as the noise has been online?

Does anyone know what the story is on the Maverick's absence from this episode? There's a quick shot of it leaving Dutch Harbor but it isn't in the totals and there is no footage. I'm really bummed if we don't have the non-Blake Maverick!

According to the TWOP thread for DC, the Discovery Channel website does mention that the opilio crab part of the show will have Rick and Donna on the Maverick. Here's the Maverick website, which I haven't checked out but got from the TWOP thread.

I didn't like her, but I understand that she performed well. I figured she'd be in the finals. But was there really a fanbase off-line rooting for her as big as the noise has been online?

I didn't like her either, Monique. she sounds like every other (contemporary) singer i hear on the radio when i bother to turn it on and that's boring to me.

pretty much every news report and such that i've seen about her suggested to me that she had quite a large fanbase(and i don't mean online). of course, i also live in Nashville and they heavily focused on her because she was from here. so i suppose i'm not the best judge.

I was definitely shocked that she was the one sent home last night. i thought for sure that when they announced Jordin was going to the finals that Blake was a goner. i probably scared the neighbors with my screaming of "OH MY GOD!!!!".

But was there really a fanbase off-line rooting for her as big as the noise has been online?

I don't think Melinda was ever in the bottom three, and if they listed the top people she was always in it. She was getting the votes.

But when it came down to her and Jordin, Jordin is just more sympathetic. Also that last song she did on Tuesday was total vote-bait.

Jordin had a lot of talent but as a singer there's just no way she stacked up to someone with years of professional singing experience-- Melinda's breath control, her pacing, her phrasing-- especially her phrasing-- were all top-notch. I wished she had done a blow-the-doors off performance like Proud Mary or a Nina Simone song or something.

her phrasing-- especially her phrasing-- were all top-notch.

YES

I wished she had done a blow-the-doors off performance like Proud Mary or a Nina Simone song or something

she would have rocked Nina Simone.

According to the TWOP thread for DC, the Discovery Channel website does mention that the opilio crab part of the show will have Rick and Donna on the Maverick. Here's the Maverick website, which I haven't checked out but got from the TWOP thread.

Yeah, that's the same info I read, and Wikipedia lists them as coming back for the opilio season. It just seems really odd then that the Maverick wasn't even listed in the crab count at the end of the episode.