And then there were 11 ...

American Idol axed its first finalist of the season last night, and after some of the mediocre Top 12 performances the night before, the results were not altogether shocking.

Lacey Brown was definitely in our bottom tier after Tuesday evening's Rolling Stones covers and she was in America's doghouse too, along with Tim Urban and Paige Miles.

Ultimately, it was Brown who got the boot. Urban also would have been deserving of a pink slip, but it's hard to fault voters for this one. Brown seemed in over her head.

Her rendition of "Ruby Tuesday" showed how mediocre some of the stars are after the 4-6 contenders this season. Expect more predictable eliminations in the coming weeks.

For now, Michael Lynche, Casey James, Siobhan Magnus and Crystal Bowersox appear to be the cream of this year's crop. Can anyone stop them from reaching the final four?

Lacey Brown had a good run, but will settle for a 12th place finish.

Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.