Finally, the finale. Ryan is wearing a medium width black tie over a French cuff white shirt and under a charcoal stripe suit with wide lapel. The tie knot is a bit sloppy, but I like that because mine always tends to look like that. Paula is wearing low-cut, semi-dress and some pretty jewelry, probably from her line. Some shopper on QVC will have to go without.

We get a review of the two finalists Idol time and see that Simon says that Taylor would never make it to the finals and then see Simon apologize and say he was wrong. Katharine is portrayed as the California girl cum laude. It's a Boy versus Girl Idol finale. Girls have historically won in this showdown, but this hasn't been a consistent season in any manner. A few great performances bundled among dozens of forgettable ones.

All the Idols are in attendance, Katharine's parents are dressed to the nines and in the front row as well as Taylor's. Katharine is doing “Black Horse and A Cherry Tree”. This time she starts off standing and dancing a bit. She interacts with the percussionists more than her first performance of this song. She does a much more relaxed rendition this time and moves more freely. She's more in the moment and that comes from rehearsal and experience. Randy gives her props and Paula cheers her on. Simon gives her a good with a small g, but he is wearing a mismatched gray t-shirt and blazer and looks like he just came from shopping Goodwill. I'm trusting my instinct that it was good, but not great. Typical of the season as a whole.

Taylor is doing “Living for the City”. Perhaps success has gone to Taylor's head or maybe it's the reflection from the bright mauve velvet blazer he is wearing. I liked the more humble, harp playing Taylor than this Hollywood version, but hopefully he will get over it. He gives it all he's got, and it's good. He still can't dance and no one seems to want to tell him, but he'll find out soon enough. It pleased the audience for sure. It's going to be the strangest marketed Idol we've ever had. A 30 year old gray-haired Idol. Let's hope the production staff works quickly and the people voting put their money where their voting fingers have taken them. Perhaps as the median age and the Baby Boomers grow older, someone Taylor's age could be considered nearly a teen. If “Fifty is the new Thirty” then "Thirty is the new Teens" isn't far behind. It's all in how you market it.

As Ryan says, it's not all over after tomorrow. There is the Tour, The CD, the downloads. It sounds like a threat. Katharine is repeating her performance of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. She did a great job, but I wish she would have picked another song. All that's left is the horrid thing they are making her sing later. She picked her two most recent performances, so it's not exactly going back and picking the best of the best so much as what she remembers best. Maybe she figured Taylor has it wrapped up, so why bother reworking anything or relearning it again. I don't know, it seems more like a recap than a performance. She did make her Daddy cry, but somehow I wasn't affected. I can be a big blubberpuss too, given the opportunity. Randy says she rocked it. Paula said she moved all the Daddies. Simon said once again, it was the best performance of the competition. Is there an echo in here? Is there an echo in here?

Taylor's second song is “Levon”. I like that he did go back and pick some things we don't remember so well. Is it me or has Taylor put on a little weight. That second chin is the one that is chewing up all that good food. In Australian Idol they have a nutritionist cook and they have to work out every day. Maybe not, but it's not a bad idea. Paula is transfixed. Something has kicked. She did the full seal clap. Randy is babying and checking and keeping it real. It was a little pitchy for him and he gets booed. Paula makes her usual excuses and mumbles. Simon tells her she makes no sense. Simon says Taylor won the first round and Katharine won the second. The tension is nearly non-existent. It's the lowest key finale I've ever watched and I'm not sipping Paula's recipe. Maybe I should. I want to feel the magic, but it's my theory that Tinkerbell left the show with Mandisa. She was the only one that touched my button with any frequency and hope for the future, with Paris occasionally shooting a few sparks my way. Overall, it's been a mediocre Idol or maybe with five American series and numerous international competitions, I'm becoming jaded. I'm thinking the fault is not my own. I can still singalong at the top of my voice when a good song comes on the radio. I rocked "Miss You" this morning. The boredom is not from within.

Katharine's maybe first single is “My Destiny”. It's off to a cliched beginning, middle, and end. It is one of those “dream come true” songs full of fake emotions and numerous bad cliches. I know a few computer programs that can write better. I hate these dreadful wannabe end of the Disney movie songs. I did notice that she reverted to her yelling thing in a couple of places and the key shift caused a few flats and sharps. I'm just glad it's nearly over. Her acting wasn't that great either. She knew it was a hokey song and it showed. Randy actually dissed the song and I give you props dawg. The singer was better than the stilted, icky song. Good luck Katharine.

Taylor has a different single. Have they ever done this before? It's nearly as hokey. There are so many cliches I don't know which one they've chosen for the title. “Do I Make You Proud?” maybe. The same computer was given the same phrases and mixed them up. Taylor's stage experience makes this one a little more believable. He knows how to mix it up like a Sunday morning fire and brimstone preacher. He could always switch careers and have them storming down the aisles for salvation. I have a feeling he'll be too busy being the next American Idol. Good luck Taylor.

It's all over but the voting and the shouting. It's been a slow ride up a long hill and we've just crested. Those among them that have ambition and talent will find their way into show business, or not. Maybe they'll find something they like better, but at least they all gave it a shot. That's probably better than sitting home and complaining about the free entertainment. For what it's worth, my cat that is in heat came into the room and yowled during Katharine's review and then left the room during Taylor's. I have no idea what that means, but good luck voters. Hope your Idol wins.