American Idol will come under scrutiny in the weeks to come, as one former, batty contestant—that sweet crazy-candy that gets viewers hooked from the start—tragically took her own life outside Paula's home during Hollywood Week.

As encouraging as those odds sounded to former EP Nigel Lythgoe, some care was taken this season to focus more on the talent. The operative word being some, as the judges were subjected to a wide array of song n' dance cringery, with only a flimsy contestant-sheet to shield their uncontainable laughter from the performers. Seriously, though—have we not been through this seven times now? Is there still a sizable pool of supernaturally untalented youths with no self-awareness or prospects, ready and willing to be thrown like Simon-chum into the karoakeus maximus?

Of course there are, and we've assembled some of the best for you here. The Vietfro'd King of Pop-alike, the damp-eyed cubicle-rocker (the greatest reality show weeper since Big Brother's Amber), and our personal favorite—17-year-old contestant Michael Gurr, whose singing style occupies the nebulous areas where Aaron Neville, Arnie Grape, and a whirring soft-ice-cream dispenser intersect.

Enjoy.