The American Idol stage is set for another exciting finale, with only six remaining contenders in the hunt for the title. We’ve suffered shocking results, shockingly bad (and good) performances and more scandals than you can shake a mouse at. But what does ever-surly judge Simon Cowell have to say about this season’s fresh crop of competitors?

This year’s Idol offers it all. You’ve got the foreign-born diva (Carly Smithson), the troubled-home-life rocker (David Cook), the oh-so-adorable kid (David Archuleta), the mellow maiden (Brooke White), the laid-back ladies’ man (Jason Castro) and the powerful pipes (Syesha Mercado). But what do this year’s Idols lack?

“Personality,” declared Simon Cowell in a recent Variety interview. “They are giving very safe answers to questions, making safe song selections,” he expanded. “We are not getting a sense of who they are. We have to try to pull it out of them more.” Cowell even said the elimination of Michael John’s shouldn’t have been such a shocker. “You cannot deliver an uninspired performance at the top of the show,” he lectured, “And you can’t be up there imitating another singer.”