Taylor: Easily the best performance of the night by far.
Yes indeed. When I said to someone else that Pickler hasn't yet had a standout performance, this is what I was talking about. That was a standout performance!
(Pickler) everyone else -- yes, including Ace -- is more talented than she is.
Oh now you've done it--she's pouting again!
She also has a very limited range and not much power to her vocals. She's been able to disguise her weaknesses by choosing fun, mostly novelty songs that don't require serious vocal chops to pull off.
True. And that reminds me ... As nutty and incoherent as Paula is, she sometimes blurts out something very clear and honest. 
"I can't wait for your acting career to take off!"
OUCH! That's like saying, "You can't possibly make it as a singer."
Taylor changed up on his song, making a simple song much more complex. In contrast to Katharine's changes, Taylor brought a whole new sense of drive and urgency and feeling to his song: Girl, I REALLY, REALLY want to marry you and take you home, like right now, honey. Versus Katharine's hear me do a run because I can. Hear me change the melody because I can. Aren't I great.
I copied that entire paragraph because you said it all perfectly. Taylor truly felt his song, but McPhee's performance was more academic.