Some believed she was the best singer in the history of American Idol.

But even that wasn't enough to save Melinda Doolittle last night. The humble, amazing vocalist received the least number of votes and was surprisingly sent home by Ryan Seacrest at the end of the hour.

But was it really so surprising? The core audience of the FOX show is more likely to vote for a cute, fun-loving male such as Blake Lewis; or a younger, more charismatic singer such as Jordin Sparks (who deserves to win it all next week).

In the end, it wasn't Melinda's fault. This show has always been about more than mere vocal range and talent.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.