Elimination nights are always a tough, but necessary evil: they help thin the herd, keep things interesting, and eventually crown the winner. Still, it can't be easy to be the coach or host responsible for sending people packing, especially when the people in question are as talented as Tamar Davis, as promising as Moushumi, or even as exasperating as Kata Hay (she was a mess, but she was a fun mess and she was improving!). So it's understandable that maybe the coaches need a little something to take the edge off. And it totally makes sense that maybe that a certain coach (Pharrell) would share with a certain host (Carson). But while that would explain why their eyes looked so glassy, I'm at a loss to explain the rest of the night; the group performances never really build, and while Team Christina at least made an effort with their matching outfits, Team Adam couldn't even be bothered with a mic check prior to going live.
And after sitting through all that, we come to find out we're stuck with Nick Hagelin?! If the rest of the season is going to be like this, Pharrell is going to need to share more.
Here's the first complete Power Rankling of the season, accompanied by videos from the Blinds:
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Emily Keener
Pro: Emily's got a unique style, and a strong sense of both self and musical history.
Con: Her style is an acquired taste, and she already needed Pharrell's last save.Saved By: Pharrell
Team: Pharrell -
Paxton Ingram
Pro: He's young and fun.
Con: He might not have the musicality to back up his enthusiasm.Saved By: Blake
Team: Blake -
Bryan Bautista
Pro: He's a comeback kid, triumphantly returning this season after previously being rejected.
Con: His fifteen minutes are probably up now.Saved By: Christina
Team: Christina -
Owen Danoff
Pro: Owen's a real-deal musician.
Con: He's not exactly Mr. Personality on stage, and his close-eyes singing style could be a major turnoff.Saved By: Adam
Team: Adam -
Daniel Passino
Pro: He's sort of dreamy, if you're into pretty boys.
Con: He's not supposed to be here, and his votes for him could have to do more with voting against Alisan.Saved By: America
Team: Pharrell -
Nick Hagelin
Pro: His son is a great accessory.
Con: He's insufferable (but people vote against their best interests anyway).Saved By: America
Team: Christina -
Hannah Huston
Pro: Her voice is incredible -- and she hasn't even tapped into her full potential yet.
Con: At some point, the stress of the live shows is going to catch up with her.Saved By: America
Team: Pharrell -
Laith Al-Saadi
Pro: He's literally a professional, supporting himself through gigs for his entire adult life. Plus, those guitar skills are baller.
Con: He's not the typical finalist, and he's probably already won over all the fans he's going to.Saved By: America
Team: Adam -
Mary Sarah
Pro: She's cute and she sings country music.
Con: Her performances haven't been consistent; she'll need to step it up to stay competitive.Saved By: America
Team: Blake -
Adam Wakefield
Pro: He's a white guy and he sings country music.
Con: He's been under the radar and it might be too late for a comeback.Saved By: America
Team: Blake -
Shalyah Fearing
Pro: Um, have you heard her?
Con: n/aSaved By: America
Team: Adam -
Alisan Porter
Pro: She's Curly Sue-cum-reformed addict-cum-Broadway star-cum the best singer on the show this season.
Con: People love to hate a frontrunner.Saved By: America
Team: Christina
Here's how the teams now stand:
Team Pharrell: Hannah Huston, Daniel Passino, Emily Keener
Team Blake: Adam Wakefield, Mary Sarah, Paxton Ingram
Team Christina: Alisan Porter, Nick Hagelin, Bryan Bautista
Team Adam: Shalyah Fearing, Laith Al-Saadi, Owen Danoff
Were you surprised by the results? Adam seemed shocked to see Laith go through based on America's votes, but were you? I'm not sure I was, but then again, I don't expect him to last much longer either. Rank your own order in the comments!