I agree with you. Chris really raised the bar. He looked like the only pro in a sea of amateurs. He made a lot of the other contestants looks like they are just skating through or phoning it in, in other words, not really trying.
Seriously, how can someone like Katherine who has a great voice, but who has the stage presence of a pile of cat fur compete with him? Not only is she not in the same league- she's not even playing the same sport.
And it's maddening because McPhee has the looks and the voice to be a contender ... if she wants to be. I don't know what's going on with her.