AMERICAN IDOL: Hollywood: Over 300 contestants made it to Hollywood and only 70 will survive. The Hollywood round begins Wednesday, Feb. 8 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/ PT) and Thursday, Feb. 9 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Pictured: A contestant is helped off the stage after fainting during her performance. CR: Michael Becker / FOX.

The first night of “American Idol” was decidedly underwhelming with the talent and ended with a major fall – literally.

Symone Baker fainted and fell off the stage. It looked bad. We have to wait until tomorrow to find out how she is.

We who have followed “Idol” for years know and feel how tired the first seven episodes have become. The audition rounds now feel rote, with that pungent stale smell you might get in your home after being out of town for a week.  Hollywood rounds did not start all that promisingly.

I don’t think anybody we heard broke the mold or gave us real star power in my mind, with the possible exception of Johnny Keyser.  David Leathers Jr. has some skills too. None of the women blew me away but I enjoyed Symone probably more than anybody else, fall or not.

What makes things worse is “Idol’ is now airing at the same time as “The Voice” and its audition rounds, which started Sunday. Bottom line: “The Voice” has stronger  talent (pre-picked), fizzier judges and a fresher feel overall.

But back to “Idol.” In the end, 308 people made it to Hollywood.  A necessary slaughter is forthcoming because they have to get rid of 86% of the people until we get down to 42 and the Green Mile. (Nigel Lythgoe said the judges couldn’t get it down to 40.)

There will be a session in Las Vegas at a certain point, where they will sing 50s songs.  At least five people faint. Many more get sick. It’s supposed to be tough, even if the judges aren’t.

Tonight, the first 154 singers come up. They arrive in groups of 10, singing a capella. Sixty-eight were gone by day one.

Without being specific for you spoiler haters, at least half of the final 24 are featured in some way tonight.

First up: Johnny Keyser singing Amos Lee. Jazzy, pretty and confident, he breezes through. The Asian-American dude Heejun Han , who “shook it out” during the auditions, has confidence issues. “Everyone is so tall, so pretty,” he said. He sings (again) “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You.” He’s not as good as I remember him from the original audition. But he makes it through, too.

Then three more good ones: Elise Testone, another jazzy musician from Charleston, S.C. Pretty previous contestant Baylie Brown, from Texas works the country. Hallie Day from Baltimore.

Californian Jen Hirsh from the Houston auditions arrives after the break. She feeds us tons of heart channeling Patti Griffin. Lauren Gray, who finished out the St. Louis auditions, sang her heart out, too, to the point that she didn’t notice when Randy wanted her to stop (I recall liking her more during her original audition.). Heather Youmans, Sascha Julian and Candice Russell all miss notes. Others are seen screwing up. One gal begged for one more note and didn’t impress the judges.

Phillip Phillips has never flown before or landed (because he has done sky diving). He had a deep bluesy feel in Savannah. He sings Augusta’s James Brown and is strong. Reed Grimm, a blues singer, delightfully goofs through “I Got a Golden Ticket” from “Wonka.” (He is like the love child of Casey Abrams and Taylor Hicks.)

A returnee Travis Orlando from Orlando is a straight-forward R&B singer with a wee bit of Bruno Mars in him. He may have been a wee bit too ordinary and got cut. Three who got featured previously got cut with only a quick mention from Ryan: Ramiro Garcia (the man who was born without ear lobes), mechanic Wolf Hamlin (who finished up Houston/Galveston auditions with a great “Folsom Prison Blues”) and cheeseball Jennie Schick (from the Denver/Aspen auditions).

On day two, the other 154 singers pop up.

We have more jazzy/bluesy singers upcoming: there’s Adam Brock, who works ‘Walking in Memphis” without the subtlety. Jane Carrey (Jim’s daughter) is back with a little CCR and sounds better than she did during her initial audition despite a bum last note. But she is out.

Shannon Magrane is oversinging. Confident David Leathers, who beat Scotty McCreery a couple years back in a much smaller talent competition, has serious pipes and proves it by attacking a Celine Dion song.

Third one up is Jessica Phillips, whose husband had a major stroke and is not 100% well. She’s got a pretty R&B voice. “Beautiful,” Steven Tyler said.  All three make it through to the next round.

Annoying Aspen singer Angie Ziederman and hottie Internet sensation and pro cheerleader Brittany Kerr make the cut but we don’t hear them sing.

Erica Van Pelt, the karaoke owner, isn’t a bad singer but doesn’t have a great amount of charisma. Creighton Fraker from New York has a bit of a nasally voice. He’s okay. Atlanta’s Aaron Marcellus (who made it to the top 50 as Aaron Sanders season 7) hits some serious high notes as an R&B singer. All three sail into the next round.

Lauren Mink is just okay. OCD man Jeremy Rosado from Florida has a passable R&B singer. Symone Black, the teen who Nigel referenced yesterday as the “fainter,” is up next. She does a lovely version of “Sittin on a the Dock of the Bay.”

After they ask her about the song and she said she was trying to reach an older audience, Randy jokes, “Are we the older audience?” She said “Noooo,” wobbles, stumbles forward then falls off the stage.

“Medic please!” Nigel Lythgoe yells.

And “Idol” creates a cliffhanger by asking us to wait until tomorrow to see how Symone is.

Trailer: it’s group night!

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By Rodney Ho, Radio & TV Talk