The ladies of the American Idol top twenty-four were flu-stricken, or so claimed Ryan Seacrest at the top of last night’s show. Illness couldn’t explain away all the boring ballads, or the fact that four blond contestants are fusing into one anonymous blob called KristyAlainaBrookeKady. Tonight we’ll find out which four hopefuls will be sent packing (the cast-offs will probably not include Asia’h Epperson or Ramiele Malubay), but first, here are the girls’ essential moments in five quick clips:

5. Amanda Overmyer proves she is ready to “solidify the presence of rock & roll” by covering Van Morrison and admitting she hates that stupid dancing montage.

4. Alexandréa Lushington needs to adjust her sassy meter to somewhere between Danny Noriega and Clay Aiken.

3. Kady Malloy’s Britney impression is eerily good, down the pissy pout she gets when Simon compares her to a pencil.

2. Who framed this shot of Syesha Mercado and Seacrest? And who let Paula recycle her own bad joke? Idol, please.

1. Between revealing she had a major-label recording career and wagging her finger at her ill fellow singers, Carly Smithson is likely eating lunch alone today.

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