'The Voice' recap: America and the coaches set the top 12

‘The Voice’ recap: America and the coaches set the top 12

By Amy Reiter

Nov. 9, 2012 12 AM PT

After countless weeks of blinds, battles, knockouts and playoffs, it’s finally down to 12 contestants on “The Voice,” three each from Teams Blake, Christina, CeeLo and Adam.

On Thursday’s results show, during which coach Adam Levine’s Maroon 5 and last season’s “Voice” winner, Jermaine Paul, performed, the audience made its preferences known for the first time all season. The two contestants with the most votes on each team would automatically move into the top 12, to perform next week. Then each coach would pick one more member from his or her remaining three team members, sending the other two home.

The coaches had expressed concern about choosing between singers they’d gotten to know and care about, but, though reluctant, they seemed resigned to do their jobs and move the competition along. And let’s face it, the “Voice” voters had made it easier on them by picking precisely the right two candidates on each team – or at least exactly the two you might expect – to move ahead. With that important work done, the coaches could relax and pick a third contestant based solely on their own personal preferences, knowing that, no matter what, they’d be moving ahead with a strong team.

(Do I get credit for shouting out the correct name every single time Carson Daly said “The first name is …” and “The second name is …,” as well as correctly guessing each coach’s pick the moment before they said his or her name? Yeah, probably not, though I did manage to impress the people with whom I was watching.)

Here’s how the selections broke down:

Team Adam
Audience picks: Amanda Brown and Bryan Keith
Coach pick: Melanie Martinez
Going home: Loren Allred and Joselyn Rivera

Team Blake
Audience picks: Terry McDermott and Cassadee Pope
Coach pick: Michaela Paige
Going home: Julio Cesar Castillo and Liz Davis

Team Christina
Audience picks: Dez Duron and Sylvia Yacoub
Coach pick: Adriana Louise
Going home: De’Borah and Devyn DeLoera

Team CeeLo
Audience picks: Trevin Hunte and Nicholas David
Coach pick: Cody Belew
Going home: Mackenzie Bourg and Diego Val

As sad as it was to see contestants like De’Borah and Castillo head home, it really does seem like an unusually strong -- perhaps perfect -- top 12.

Pat yourselves on the back, America. CeeLo was right. You do have good taste.

Do you think the voters and the coaches made the right choices?

ALSO:

‘The Voice’ recap: Teams Christina and Cee Lo sing out

‘The Voice’ recap: The knockout rounds conclude

‘The Voice’ recap: Teams Adam and Blake take it live