No tv here!

I just want to point out that I am at Silver Bay for the Mock Trial Summer Institute.  There are no televisions and limited internet (besides the fact that I'm working!)  so I won't be able to watch this week's shows until I return home on Saturday.  I'll be back with opinions and snark ASAP.  No spoilers!

Shocking Results Show!

I can't believe what happened tonight.  I was shocked that Ryan and Ricky were in the bottom as opposed to Sasha and Alexander, however, I knew that both of them would be safe.  I had no problem with Chris going home.  But sending Ashley home instead of Jordan was just insane.  Jordan has nothing left to offer.  I am appalled at the judges decision and I am very, very sorry for poor Ashley, whom I think is excellent.  She got screwed by routines and by her assigned partner.  She deserved better.

Top 14 Performance Show

I was frankly underwhelmed by last night's show.  It seemed to be an episode of "So You Think You Can Choreograph" and most of the new choreographers didn't impress me.  The only thing that was really great was Travis Walls on the judging panel.  His comments and critiques were excellent and really helpful.  What's the point of the judge’s commentary if they don't offer real notes?  He did, and was charming to boot!  I absolutely adore him.  Carmen Electra, on the other hand, is about as useful as a poopy-flavored lollipop.  What a waste of airtime she was!

Cat
Cat was dressed in a darling Asian-inspired number.  As usual, she got the shoes wrong.  This was the dress that called for those strappy silver sandals, not the nude pumps she was wearing!  Her hair was swept up into a messy pony-tail and I didn't get that at all.

Bottom 3
As I said, I wasn't a big fan of most of the routines, however, Sasha and Alexander's was downright bad.  For once Nigel and I were on the same wavelength.  We both thought it looked amateurish.  I think he called it "Hip Hop 101" and I quite agree.  It was lame.  They are definitely in the bottom 3 tonight, and I think Alexander is in real danger of going home.  I think Sasha is very strong and I think they'll keep her.

I also believe that Chris and Ashley are in danger.  Their salsa was not great.  Why in the world did they put him in white?  It just accented all of his weaknesses.  Overall, in such a strong season, he's not long for this competition.  Chris is Jim's pick to go home tonight.  Ashley was lovely in that blue dress but the routine was not a success.

The third couple I believe will be in danger is Jordan and Tadd.  They got weak praise, but I think this was not a good routine for her.  She was too choppy and sharp as opposed to flowing and elegant.  I think Jordan is going home.

The Ryan Situation Revealed
Last night revealed why Ryan is the producer's darling.  Oh, she's Mia Michael’s protégé?  Oh, that will have nothing to do with her being judged fairly, I'm sure.  And on a night of mediocre routines, again, she gets the one that's spectacular.  Last week it was the emotional vote, last night it was a fun and quirky Mandy Moore routine (on a night of weak and boring choreography.)  Yes, she's strong, but she's not better than Melanie and I hate the way the show it clearly being manipulated to favor her.  She's back to being my enemy.

Top 16 Results Show

Look Ma, no chain!

 Hm.  Well, I predicted the bottom couples correctly, swapping Jess and Clarice for Miranda and Robert.  As soon as the two of them walked on stage, I said, "Oh, I totally forgot about them!" and immediately changed my opinion as to who would go home.  If you had threatened my life, I don't think I would have remembered that routine they did last week.  Apparently, to use a Cat-ism, neither did America.   I liked Miranda better than Caitlin, but I don't disagree with the decision to send them home.

 

In other news, Jim took one look at Cat and said, "Is that a vagazzled necklace?" Did anyone else notice her pastel butterfly "necklace" was actually stuck onto her?  Awkward AND ugly, I thought.  Isn't that supposed to be located above a pair of Apple Bottom Jeans?

The guest routines were gorgeous.
Axis Dance Company


And Eric Luna and Georgia Ambarian. This guy is a super-fidge and she apparently has a titanium lady piece with a convenient handle.

I'm back

Yeah, I didn't blog about last week's shows.  There were several reasons for that

1. It was the last week of school and I was busy and tired.
2. We had to travel to Florida for the weekend for a family thing.
3. I was really angry that they eliminated Iveta.
4. I know no one is reading this.

So, given #4 above, why I am continuing?  Beats the heck outta me.  Anyhow, I'm moving on. If there's anybody coming with me, even better.   Yes, I was angry they eliminated Iveta.  I thought she was far better in both the performance show and her solo than Ryan. 

Ryan had an irritating and inappropriate smile on her face the entire time,

and her solo was a desparate mess.

  I suspected that they chose Iveta over her because of a desire to make Ryan the "story" of season 8.  So I went into last night's performance show resenting Ryan and expecting to dislike her performance. 
However, she really grew as a result of that close-call.  Nigel had mentioned the smile to her and she didn't have a stupid face on last night.  She took the notes and improved.  Also, I thought about her performance in the contemporary piece, and I realized that Iveta probably couldn't have pulled it off.  So I guess they made the right decision, and Ryan is no longer my enemy.


Another person who seems to have taken his notes is Robert.  There was nary a woo across the entire show last night.  He is far less irritating now.

I think it's obvious that the producers manipulate who gets what style of dance, and I think that they put hits on on people by giving them unpopular dances.  Iveta was torpedoed by that lame bollywood number, and I think last night's victims were Jess and Clarice.  They danced that foxtrot brilliantly and it was gorgeous, but I don't think a number like that is a natural "vote getter".


Finally, a few shout out to my favorite routines of the last 2 weeks
Melanie and Marko can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned.

I was really impressed by Miranda's hip hop performance last week.

And Ashley and Chris's "Jailhouse Jazz" was so fantastic!

Guest judges:
Debbie Reynolds in particular was a hoot. Love, love, love her. 

Kristen Chenoweth, whom I usually love, was rather annoying with all that "shut the door" nonsense. She's getting a little terrifying-looking too. She could have starred in that zombie routine with a little less spray tan.

And finally, OMG did I love Cat's look last night. Perfection.  She's really hit or miss.  That yellow number last week was particularly bad. This, however, was faaaaaaaaabulous.

So who should go home?  Well, I think the bottom 3 are going to be Ashley and Chris for that unfortunate Sonya zombie number, Clarice and Jess as producer victims, and (even though they got praised) Mitchell and Caitlin for that Samba.  Her costume was ridiculous in my opinion.

I think it will be Caitlin and Mitchell who go home.  But if I have learned one thing from watching this show all these years, it's that I don't have any idea who is going to be eliminated.  I'll have to sit tight and see. 



Episode 7: The Bottom 3

So many questions, first and foremost among them being: Why is Robert dressed in a Hulk Hogan costume?

Robert and Miranda, Clarice and Jess, Jordan and Tadd and Mitchell (because he couldn't perform Weds) were all in the bottom.

I didn't find any of the bottom couples particularly shocking.  Jim and I are both over Robert and his WOOing and we pretty much thought he'd be the first to go (and Miranda with him) since they generally don't like to break up couples this early on.

And then the solos happened.

Robert: I didn't think he was that strong.  Actually, it would have been stronger if he had ripped his shirt like the Hulk.

Jess: He's awesome. I adore him.

Miranda: I wasn't that impressed, but Nigel loves her.

Clarice: I thought this was pretty lame.

Tadd: This is good fun.

Jordan: To paraphrase Tyce, "You dirty, naughty girl!" Hate the one pompom tit.

Mitchell: He is so talented. I hate John Mayer, but this was a great solo.


And then the BIG SHOCKER: Nigel asked Mitchell and Robert to dance again. The judges put their heads together and decided not to decide. No one goes home! The show goes on for ever and ever!
Look, here's the thing. It was totally unfair to let all sorts of people dance in their own styles. They need to dance outside their styles and then we can see what they can do. So next week, everybody had better be outside their comfort zone. That's my opinion, anyway.

Episode 7:Results Show

The Results show opened with a fantastic S&M cabaret group number by Sonya to XR2 by M.I.A. It was really hot. I was particularly impressed with Jess, showing he could break out of the Broadway style and be hardsz67y,7,.

Cat was in a demure bright pink frock with her hair gorgeously smooth.  She looked lovely.