Do over.

In case you missed Wednesday's Idol shocker, here's a brief timeline:

8:00 p.m. Host Ryan Seacrest flubs opening lines and asks for a do over.
8:30 p.m. Melinda is safe.
8:45 p.m. Blake is safe.
9:08 p.m. Phil is safe.
9:32 p.m. Lakisha is safe.
9:35 p.m. Elvis returns to the building to sing a duet with Celine Dion.
9:55 p.m. Chris is safe.
9:56 p.m. Jordin is safe.
9:57 p.m. Viewers realize they've been duped by Idol and Fox.

Do over. That's what at least one of the Final Six — Lakisha, Blake, or Phil — gets this week.

Do over. Viewers want the results show that many tuned in for.

But when Seacrest announced from the stage Tuesday night that Wednesday's show would feature "one of the biggest shocks we've ever had on American Idol," we should have guessed something was up.

Actually, EW.com's Michael Slezak did. He predicted that it would be hard to boot a contestant from the Idol Gives Back charity event and that all would be granted immunity.

And Seacrest did announce that this week's vote totals will be added to next week's and that TWO contestants' quest to become Idol would end.

Being charitable, we'll give Fox some credit. But why not stretch out the Idol finale for another day by staging the charitable event then? (May is Sweeps Month after all.) With Sanjaya gone, ratings are sure to dip. And last night's shocker has the potential to alienate longtime fans, too. I guess what I'm saying is that a little honesty goes a long way.

So judging Wednesday's show as a telethon (for a cause we can all get behind) here's a few highlights:
• Looking Good: The Final Six dressed all in white.
• Moving moment: Josh Groban performing his inspirational You Raise Me Up with an African children's chorus, featuring several smiling faces minus a few baby teeth.
• Wow: Elvis on stage. I'm not sure how they did it, but it was pretty amazing. (So much so, that I can't even tell you what he and Celine were singing.) Download and see for yourself at iTunes today.
• Wow, pt. II: Former Idol Carrie Underwood's performance of I'll Stand By You at an African village.

And a few misses:

• Inappropriate: On a night when Randy AND Simon wore jackets, Paula showed more cleavage than Haley showed leg three weeks ago.
• Speaking of the three judges, 60 Minutes correspondents they're not.
• Il Divo? I'm not sure I get these guys.
• 2007 is not 1985: Quincy Jones' Idol Gives Back African aid anthem Time to Care is no We Are the World.
• Huh? Ben Stiller's "I'll sing til you pay up" bit. He's funny. That wasn't.

Gary T. Mills/The Times-Union