Things are getting tense on American Idol, with only one more week to go and two contestants, both much adored, battling for the big prize. The suspense is higher this time, more than on other seasons, as both David Archuleta and David Cook have a large number of supporters, although from different categories.

A recent event that might influence the voters is the producers’ decision to ban Archuleta’s dad from the show’s rehearsals, on the count that he being too pushy. Could little David be only a puppet led by his father? That could be an influential factor in the voting…

Several sites have set up polls to see which of the Davids currently is the public’s favorite. If we are to trust the oddsmakers at BetCRIS.com, Archuleta’s tween fan club will pretty much let him down. According to the betting site, Archuleta only has 32 percent chances of winning, compared to David Cook, who has a 74 percent chance.

E! Online has also set up a poll, and it seems the voters here agree to the oddmakers on BetCRIS. Or could it be that David Cook’s fans are accessing the internet more? However, the results of the E! Online poll give Archuleta even less chances to win than the BetCRIS poll: about 24 percent. While the other David is believed to have about 75 percent chances of winning.

According to the Dial Idol Web site, which traces voting patterns, David Archuleta was leading the race after the first shows, but he was later surpassed by David Cook, who was the No.1 Idol in the rounds of 10, 7, 6, 4 and also this week’s round 3.

Archuleta’s decline was probably due to his lack of originality. Ok, he sang the songs in an appropriate manner, never missed a note, and seemed to be a perfect boy-band member worshipped by lots of teenage girls, but who can stand listening for the same dull song over an over again? All the songs little David picked were ever so similar, and his manner of singing them was always the same. He had a few good song choices, but succeeding in ruining them, like he did, for example, with Elvis Presley’s “Love Me Tender.” The song is sweet, but Archuleta made it sickening sweet. And I dare say I was not the only one to have this opinion.

David Cook might have missed some notes here and there, but he certainly tried to be original. And I guess the public prefers a singer with charm and personality to one with just a good voice.