No doubt about it, this was a great results show lineup. We start off with Slash accompanying the Idols with a kind of rock performance never before seen on this stage. Where else have we seen tattoos grace "American Idol" in a place other than the lower back? Oh yeah, Megan Joy and Carly Smithson, but I digress. Even though it was a bit cheesy, and kind of a lame song, it was still incredible to see Slash bringing a level of rock beyond the session musicians of the norm. It was like the show exploded for a moment.

Who should win AI?

Adam Lambert

Kris Allen

Danny Gokey

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But "Idol" was just getting warmed up. Because next, Paula Abdul took the stage.

First of all, there was no way she was singing this song live. Second of all, the pre-recorded vocal had more Autotune than a Lindsay Lohan record. Third of all, it's creepy seeing a 78-year-old woman (age a rough estimate) singing about freaking anything, especially suit-clad young men wearing red sneakers. Finally, her outfit made her look like a ballerina in a seniors-only bordello. Why oh why couldn't Simon have graded this one?

It may have been a train wreck, but one more gloriously entertaining than any to ever come before it. Truly compelling stuff.

And then, with startlingly little fanfare, I mean less fanfare than introducing the closing credits, we see Gwen Stefani prancing onto the stage like it's 1998 all over again, with her old band in tow. Really? No Doubt gets sandwiched in as an afterthought to Paula Abdul and a prelude to a guy who didn't even with the competition? For shame. This was a great performance filled with more energy than a 14-year-old who just discovered Red Bull. It was like the show didn't know what hit it.

And Gwen Stefani? Still a total hottie in her late 30s.

If crazy old women pretending to sing and a nostalgic trip to when MTV actually played music weren't enough, we got the best former "Idol" competitor (non-Kelly Clarkson division) to rock the stage.

It's true, his music isn't that great - kind of like a watered-down version of early Live, but there's no denying that this guy is a true rock star. People like to think Adam is, but he's just a theater performer playing a rocker. The easy charisma and hard-charging vocals of Daughtry are what make a real rock star. Even if his music is substandard rock 'n' roll.

After all that, a lineup worthy of an old-school television showcase, it's hard to expect to be able to stand anything else. Of course, this is the results show so there still were, ya know, results.

Once again (this is becoming an embarrassing trend) I was wrong about the castoff. Not only did Kris not get sent home, he was the first one to be offered the solace of the couch. Perhaps I was not too presumptuous when I called him the favorite to win it all last week.

After the incredibly non-dramatic assurance that Adam would live to fight another week, we lost Allison, the only remaining girl. A surprising result because she had so much going for her with regards to a diverse voting contingent, but one of the fantastic four had to go at this point. With the talent left, and after Allison's scintillating swan song, it might have been nice to see three straight weeks of a quartet with a cumulative vote, but that's not the way this show works.

Sadly, we have to live with screaming Danny for another week.

And with that, here are this week's power rankings:

1 (Last week's Rank: 2) Adam Lambert
Kris showed too much vulnerability last week, it's clear he has to be perfect to topple Adam. There doesn't seem to be much of a chance that Lambert loses at this point. He's just much got more ability than the other two guys.

2 (1) Kris Allen
If he makes nothing but top-notch song choices the rest of the way through and fails to hit a false note, he's got a puncher's chance against Adam. This week, we may have seen his worst, he'll need his best to win it.

3 (3) Danny Gokey
Danny's hard to figure. He shouldn't win, but he just might. He's never been in the bottom three (the only person to claim that honor), and he seems to have Middle America under his thumb with regards to their voting habits. Plus, he picked up the support of that splinter in the voting public's side, Vote For The Worst, this week. There's a lot going for him with regards to who casts their vote, but nothing going for him with regards to giving people a reason to cast their vote for him based on his performances.

What did you think of last night's episode? Leave a comment below!

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Story by Andrew Payne

Starpulse contributing writer