After four months, there are four left on season 11 of American Idol. Who will emerge victorious? It’s a toss-up if ever there was one, especially after Wednesday’s two-theme episode, during which all of the last contestants standing -- Phillip Phillips, Joshua Ledet, Jessica Sanchez and Hollie Cavanagh --  brought their A-game. Viewers saw that on TV, what didn’t they catch? Read on for a view from inside the Idol-dome.

It was an extra rowdy crowd at the American Idol studio on Wednesday night, as viewers may have noticed, what with those deafening cheers during Ryan Seacrest’s opening remarks. As for the performances? They too had their share of screams with the final 5 bringing out the big guns -- which is to say their big voices. Each hopeful had his or her moment, as you saw on TV. Here’s some of what didn’t make it on the air…

Wednesday night’s American Idol brought the drama alright, but much of it came before the show even started. That’s when rumors began flying (thanks to the insatiable TMZ) that host Ryan Seacrest was “MIA” with only minutes left to show’s start. In truth, he did miss dress rehearsal, and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe had to step in for the contestant banter.

Ryan Seacrest is staying put at American Idol.

As he hinted during an interview on NBC's Today show this month, Seacrest will remain with the singing competition show he's hosted since its launch in 2002. He has inked a two-year pact, which will pay him $15 million annually.

Music lost two major icons in 2012 -- American Bandstand’s Dick Clark and Soul Train’s Don Cornelius.

Wednesday night, American Idol paid tribute to both, with the top 7 performing the theme of "Now and Then," Billboard hits from 2000-2012, and “soul” songs of the past.

It was a lot to squeeze into two hours-a grand total of 14 songs were performed, so there was no time for antics or Tommy Hilfiger-just the music, with a healthy dose of drama.

American Idol host Ryan Seacrest opened up the live show on Wednesday, April 18 with a heartfelt acknowledgment of his personal idol, Dick Clark, who died of a masssive heart attack at the age of 82. Minutes after the credits rolled on Wednesday's show, he expressed his thoughts to press gathered at Idol, giving Clark much of the credit for setting Seacrest on his own career path.

Wednesday night’s performance show of American Idol opened on a somber note, as Ryan Seacrest paid tribute to his own idol.

Seacrest, who has hosted Dick Clark’s New Years Rockin’ Eve alongside Clark since 2006, gave a touching eulogy to his mentor, while providing a gentle reminder that the show must go on.

There were several moments during Wednesday’s American Idol where, if you closed your eyes for a minute, you might think you were at a dentists office -- what with all the 80s soft rock pumping through your veins. Fortunately, season 11’s top 8 didn’t have to dress the part. And as hokey as many of the decade’s pop hits sound on the radio, it must be said: these finalists gave the tunes a fresh, unexpected spin. What inspired their song choices and how did they handle the judges’ critique?