End of the Blog...

Yes, that's right. As you could probably tell from the overall lack of posts the past few months, I've over committed myself, and something has to go. Sadly, since this is the writing that I don't get paid for, it has to be this blog. It's a shame - I've really enjoyed writing it, and hearing from so many of you. I'll still be watching a healthy dose of reality tv - just because I'm not blogging about it doesn't mean I'm not still an addict! And hopefully as things in my schedule clear up (or when someone FINALLY starts paying me to blog about tv!) I can come back to it. Thanks so much for reading these past few years.

--Mara

Dancing Shocker

I don't even know what to say about the results on Dancing With the Stars. I'm flabbergasted. It should have been Mark or Wayne going home. But somehow, Mark escaped the bottom two, and Wayne moved on. And we had to say goodbye to Albert (a hottie and a good dancer). What an absolute bummer.

Another Blue Team Loss

Another interesting and a bit controversial episode of The Biggest Loser. And I'm really torn about all of it.

First up was the temptation challenge. I hated it. Ok, it wasn't the challenge itself I hated - I actually kind of liked the fact that it was the trainers who had to decide to eat cupcakes or not. What I hated was the message the trainers sent to their teams. First, we all know that it would not have had any impact on the weigh-in for the trainers to eat a cupcake. So why they couldn't take that calorie hit for their team is a little puzzling. I also didn't like the message the trainers sent by not eating, especially Bob (who apparently loves cupcakes). Sure, it's important to stick to your diet and not give in to temptation. But isn't it also important to show that you can have a little treat now and then and still be a healthy person? I wish that that was the message the trainers chose to send to their teams.

The challenge was also an interesting sort of situation. I really question the reward. First, does anyone really think that the immunity prize was determined before the challenge itself? It seemed like the producers left themselves open to do what they wanted by not revealing the prize until the weigh-in. Contestants weigh in before the weigh in we see on tv...the big scale, actually, is just a prop. They weigh in on a real scale, but aren't told the results (the results, however, are video-taped, and the producers know...that's how they decide what order to weigh them in at). So they knew just how much the red team lost the weigh in by before they revealed the immunity. I wonder that if the red team was closer if the prize would have been different. And, of course, there's the the challenge itself. Why on earth did Bob let his team not really participate? He's got to be frustrated with his team and himself.

So, with the immunity, the red team stayed and the blue team lost again. And no surprise, Patty was the next to go. I think she lasted an extra week because of the immunity anyways. Can't wait to see what the new twist is...

Dates Start on the Bachelor

Brad started the group dates on The Bachelor this week, and even though I still am enjoying it, the show seems to have jumped the shark. Enough of these girls have seen enough of the seasons that they are very savvy about how it works and how to get themselves enough roses to get past the group dates. Interesting.

After all the hype about someone getting hurt, it turned out to be not as big of a deal as we thought. Poor Michele fell down the stairs, and ended up being eliminated because of it. This, I think, is where Brad gets some points from me. Last season the bachelor kept the hurt girl on for weeks as she played the sympathy card over and over and over. Brad? Cut her immediately. Sure, they may not have clicked anyways (for all we know, she was the last one to get a rose initially, and he was planning on cutting her all along), but out she goes.

Some thoughts on the other girls...McCarten (and what kind of name is McCarten?) made the bold move to kiss Brad - she's got to be at home loving Brad saying to the camera about how it wasn't very good. Lovely. Solisa is a "Christian", but apparently the type of Christian that does body shots and streaks. Apparently she is also the type of Christian that Brad likes. And what is the deal with Jenni bringing her modeling portfolio? I have two theories, neither of which is that she's just using the show to get exposure - I mean, who would she be showing it to? First, she might be telling the truth that she just wanted to share it because it means a lot to her. But I think it's even more likely that it was something she had before the show started, and the producers encouraged her to bring it. Yes, I'm suggesting a Bachelor-conspiracy-theory. Those pesky producers - they knew exactly what would happen when the other girls found it. Well played.

No loss with the girls that went home...still too early to have favorites or to know if Brad is making good choices.

Second Week of Dancing

The second week of dancing on Dancing With the Stars was last night, and it was a good week again.

Sabrina was amazing again this week. She is pouring so much of herself into her dancing - she has to be considered a favorite to win. Also amazing was Helio - he looks like he's having so much fun when he dances, and it translated into his score. I also really liked Mel - her score should have been higher, especially after seeing some of the other dancers.

The middle of the pack all danced well. I like Albert, and even though he wasn't as good as last week, dedicating his performance to his grandfather was really touching. Jennie was good too, even with the fall at the end (and why didn't anyone run out there with an ice pack for her?). Cameron and Jane were also pretty good.

Then there's Marie. She was ok, but not nearly as good as her scores show. I don't know why everyone is so enamored with her. Floyd was also ok - better than last week, but still not great.

And then there's the bottom two. Wayne and Mark were just awful. At least Wayne has age as an excuse. His quick step was painful to watch - really more of a slow step. And Mark? I am such a Mark Cuban fan, but the man has no sense of rhythm whatsoever. Did you see him trying to clap along with the music in the opening introductions? Not good. His dance was another one that was painful to watch. The worst part was that even though it was horrible, he thought he was amazing. Got to love a healthy ego.

I'm fairly confident that Mark & Wayne will be the bottom two tonight, with Mark going home. I think that Wayne just has more fans than Mark. But they should both go home after that!

Wrestler is Down and Out

Another good episode of Survivor: China this week. Sorry for how disjointed this is, but some thoughts...

LOVED the reward challenge. Why have no other survivors ever thought to pull off clothing during a wrestling challenge? There have been other challenges where that strategy would have worked wonders. And how embarrassing is it to be a professional wrestler and not smoke your competition in a wrestling challenge? Sort of like river-guide Kelly losing the rowing challenge in season 1 to Gervase (who had never been on the water).

Not sure about the kidnapping twist. I did, though, love how Jaime played the idol clue. Very smart to seek out the weakest player to give it to (and the player that she probably figures would flip to her side, then, in a merge situation). And Leslie, Leslie, Leslie. Why would you share the clue with Todd? How dumb are you? Oh wait, you're the same person who is not religious even though you have a personal relationship with Jesus and are lost in China because you don't have your bible.

Loving both Todd and Amanda so far. They are smart players, and are playing a great game. And bringing Aaron into their alliance was great too. Considering how their tribe is steamrolling in the challenges, I think they have to be the favorites right now for the final three.

Glad to see Ashley go, though I agree with her that Dave will be next to join her in the losers lounge. Way to go.

Kid Nation...

...yes, I watched again. I don't know why. There's something intriguing about it. Very strange.

What is the deal with the weather where the kids are? I know it was filmed over the summer (so that the kids weren't missing school) and that it was filmed in New Mexico (where, apparently, they have the least stringent child labor laws in the United States). So why is it so cold that the water is freezing? And why did they give the kids a pump that would freeze? That just seems cruel.

So nobody left, nobody froze to death, and our beauty-queen Taylor continues to play the "I'm the littlest and I'm a beauty queen" card. Great television all around.

First Dancer Goes Home

First, let me apologize for the delay in posts. It's time for post-season baseball, and with the run-up to the playoffs (and the playoffs starting Wednesday), I'm watching nearly everything on tivo a few days late. But really, the best reality tv out there is watching the Red Sox. Really.

So on to Dancing With the Stars. I loved the results show. Not because of Dolly Parton; It's hard for me to say anything bad about her after I learned about the amazing foundation she set up to bring books to kids. But I loved Savion Glover's performance, and am excited that they seem to be setting us up to bring in a new professional dancer each week. So exciting. And while I was bummed that Mark Cuban was in the bottom two (vote for him people!!), no big surprise that Josie was the first to go. She wasn't very good, though I think that with some more time she could have gotten better. But who knows.

Blue Team Down One

It had to happen - for the first time I can remember, the numbers on the scale on The Biggest Loser were "normal." No 15 pound weeks...just lots of 2s and 3s...the type of weight-loss a normal person would have in a week. And for some reason, I'm happy. I've always really liked the show, partly because they are showing that you can (and should) lose weight through diet and exercise instead of gimmicks and surgery. But it was always a little disheartening that they expected so much in such a short period of time. Now, we may see huge numbers again next week. But I'm not sure. There has been talk that there was so much criticism last season about contestants taking extreme measures to win (namely dehydration and not eating) that they might be monitoring them closer this season. I have also read that there are several players with health conditions that are not being shared on-screen. But I am a fan of healthy numbers all around.

The episode itself was good. I loved the challenges. Any challenge like the reward challenge where it is more mental than physical rocks. And Patty messed up the strategy - such good tv to watch. I also found it interesting that she would have been the biggest loser on her team regardless of the 3-pound pass. Makes you think that having those extra calories (which sped up her metabolism) might have been a good thing after all. I also loved the second challenge, where they raced against kids. How funny was it to see a kindergartener dash by them? Classic.

Lots of people online are upset that Jerry was voted off. But not me. I think it was a good move. He clearly had the ability to lose the rest of the weight at home. He got hurt, and couldn't compete in the challenge (and would likely be unable to work out as hard for awhile). And he showed the ability to pull a huge number. Get rid of him while you have the chance. Yes, he seemed like a genuinely nice guy. But this guilt that he "chose" them? Come on...as it turned out, everyone got chosen. So he put a blue shirt on you...it's still a game, and it's a game you want to win.

Dancing With the Stars

It took two nights, but the premiere of Dancing With the Stars was well worth it. It's a good group this season - I'm even more excited now than I was while I was waiting for the show to start. And how fun is it that Drew is filling in for Samantha...every time Tom looks over at him, you definitely get the idea that he's wondering just how long he will be stuck without her.

The girls danced the first night, and, for the most part, the level of dancing was much better than in previous seasons. My early favorites are Sabrina (the Cheetah girl, whatever that is), Mel B (Scary Spice) and Jennie. All three delivered solid dances (I think that Jennie's scores were lower because she went first), and I think they'll be around for awhile. The middle of the pack for the girls were Marie and Jane. They were good, but I think they are getting a bit of a handicap because of their ages (I just didn't think they were nearly as good as their scores reflected). And, sadly, at the bottom was Josie. I loved how her partner said she was "deceptively unfit." How do you think the models are so thin? They don't eat and have no muscles! Dancing takes a lot of physical strength, and I like that people are starting to realize that. She's definitely at danger to go home this week.

The men had a big act to follow, and they were equally entertaining. I think that it's harder to separate the men, since so many of them were really fun to watch, even if they didn't have the best technique. I think that the top men would be Helio, Albert, and Cameron. I also love Mark, but that has a lot more to do with the fact that I'm a big fan of Mark Cuban than anything else (he runs the Mavs the way I would if I owned a sports team). He wasn't bad, and I think the longer he's in the competition, the better he will get. Floyd was also a mid-range dancer - very entertaining, but not so great with the dancing (he really needed to stand up straight!). And even though Wayne is a great entertainer, he's definitely not a great dancer. He has a legion of fans, so he might be sticking around just based on viewers votes.

Should be an interesting results show...

The Hottest Bachelor Ever!

Ok, does anyone but me think that when voice-over-guy says this at the beginning of each new season that there are former bachelors at home yelling at their tvs? I just picture Andrew Firestone saying "HEY!". Ok, maybe it's just me...

So, last night kicked off another season of The Bachelor, and it looks like it's going to be a good one. Any time the bachelor mentions the fact that he is going to find his wife more than once, you know you've got a live one. And Brad seems like he is nice enough as well (and certainly good to look at).

It's hard to tell with the girls so far. There were a few standouts, and thankfully Brad showed some semblance of smarts when he let go Juli (the human pretzel) and Morgan (who thought that showing off her webbed toes was perfect cocktail party conversation). Of course, he's also carrying on the proud tradition of so many Bachelors by giving Mallory (who decided that a bikini was the perfect choice) a rose as well. I was also glad that Jenni got the first rose, even though that hasn't worked out well for the girls in the past (has anyone who got the first impression rose ever lasted to the hometown dates?).

Trashy tv? Of course. And I love every minute of it.

Chicken Joins the "First Out" Club

Wow. I’m not so sure what to think about the premiere of Survivor: China, other than wow.

First, you should know that I am extremely biased about the location this season. My husband and I are adopting from China, and the China adoption community has been abuzz about this season since it was announced last spring. I love looking at the scenery, culture, and customs, and thinking that this is where my little girl is from. But I think that even without that bias, I would love the location. It’s just so different than the past few seasons.

I liked how the season started with the ritual at the temple. It was so unique, and a really moving start. Of course, the start also gave me my favorite moment of the episode – Leslie saying that she’s not religious, she just has a personal relationship with Jesus. Um, you’re a Christian radio show host who has a personal relationship with Jesus. If that isn’t religious, well, I don’t know what is. I also loved that Jaime announced that she couldn’t possibly start right away because she didn’t have on a bra. After this many seasons of Survivor, there simply is no excuse for going anywhere without appropriate clothing on. For those of you who don’t know, the contestants are sequestered for a week or two before the game starts, told that the game can start at any time, and the game does, in fact, start without warning. The first couple of times they marooned them with only the clothes on their backs, they were told that they were going for pictures/interviews. So you could see where they would be dressed to impressed. But after that? Well, you should really know better. I heard that some contestants the past two seasons would put on layers of clothes any time they were told to go anywhere, just in case. That’s a smart move, one that would have served them all well. But I guess if you’re dumb enough to be wearing a dress, heels, and no bra, then you get what you deserve.

I also noticed that they are giving them a lot more amenities this season. There is rice, and the losing tribe was given flint at tribal (which almost never happens). I think that it has more to do with the location than anything else. It’s been awhile since Survivor was at a location where food was not plentiful. But in locations like Guatemala and Africa, where they really couldn’t fend for themselves that well, they were given some basic rations to survive. I’ve also heard that this is a more “back-to-basics” season as well, which may explain the rations, no “exile island,” and starting with 16 castaways. It could also just be setting us up for something much much bigger.

My early favorites? I really like Todd, the flight attendant. I don’t know, but something about him is just so likeable. I also like James, the gravedigger. And, of course, I’m rooting for lunch lady Denise who hails from my mom’s hometown of Revere, Massachusetts. Most annoying? Chicken, Ashley, and Courtney. I’m curious about why they never subtitled Chicken (a lot of seasons where contestants mumbled or spoke with a thick accent they were subtitled)…my only thought is that CBS couldn’t understand a word he said either. And I can’t possibly be the only one who was distracted by the number of fake boobs this season. I guess that’s one way to boost their male viewership!

Overall, a good episode with a good result (I hated that Chicken wouldn’t voice an opinion…man up!). Can’t wait for next week!

Kid Nation

Ok, so after all the talk of Kid Nation, I had to watch it for myself. And while I haven't decided it once was enough (or if it will even make it long enough to show all the episodes on tv), I definitely have some thoughts on the show.

First, who are the producers at CBS that thought that this was a good idea? Can you imagine the pitch meeting on this one? "We're going to put 40 kids in a ghost town, then put them into a class system, then see what happens. Oh yeah, we're going to have some Survivor-type challenges, not let them talk to their parents, and give out big gold stars." Wow.

But even more disturbing than the pitch meeting are the parents who signed their kids up for this nonsense. At least with the producers, you know that their goal is to make a television show that will make money. (and I don't think they did that, considering how few commercials were on last night's show) But the parents? Shouldn't their goal be to protect their children? Even in the best situation (which this show clearly is not), they are sending their children off to be unsupervised for 40 days. But they are also sending their children off to live in unsanitary and potentially unsafe conditions (for example, for at least the first few days, there was one outhouse for 40 children). Most of the kids are clearly spoiled brats (just look at their reaction to the possibility of having a television), and are clearly unequipped for the challenges ahead. And little kids, like poor Jimmy, who are far too young for this are encouraged to "stick it out" rather than go home. These people should be ashamed of themselves.

That all being said, I can see where it is interesting television. I don't want to talk a lot about the kids themselves, mostly because I don't think it's right to criticize children. Of course, who knows what will come...

Survivor: China Starts Tonight!

That's right - just when I was bummed about Big Brother being over, Survivor: China begins. While I love nearly all of the reality shows, Survivor is far and away my favorite. And I'm really excited about this season being in China, as we are currently in the process to adopt our daughter from China.

Some thoughts before the season starts. First, we're starting out with 16 castaways this season. There haven't been 16 since before All Stars, which means that we're in for a twist somewhere along the way. The other possibility is that they have eliminated the double tribal council week and gone back to a final two. But I think that there is something coming.

I'm also not sure who to root for yet. I always like to make a prediction before the first episode airs. I will be rooting for Denise, as she's from the same city outside of Boston as my mom (even went to the same high school). I don't know how long she'll last though...my husband has all sorts of not-so-nice things to say about the accent from there - she may just drive her fellow tribemates crazy! :) I think that Frosti, James,Sherea, and Aaron will be strong players. I would watch out for John Robert as well - he's a professional poker player, and just might be able to play each and every one of his tribemates. The first one out? That's a toughie, since a lot depends on how the tribes break out, but I think that Courtney and Chicken should watch out.

Jillian is Back

Well, it's "finally" time for the black team and Jillian to return to the Biggest Loser campus. And while I still think that the black team twist was mean, I'm glad they're back. First, I'm not such a fan of Kim. Aside from the fact that she didn't seem to work her team very hard this week, she also wasn't such a great coach to Lezlye & Amy. You could also tell a lot about her relationship with Bob when Bob greeted Jillian. Anyways, no surprise that the red team lost again this week, and another one of the whiny girls got sent home. My prediction? They'll be absorbed by the blue & black teams in the next two weeks.

Dick Crowned Winner of BB8

In a much wider margin than I would ever have imagined, Dick was crowned the winner of Big Brother 8. I can't believe it. I don't even know what there is to say - there were no good choices, and I suppose that the jury recognized that even though Danielle was the brains of the operation, Dick did the grunt work. Go figure.

The finale itself was pretty good. I liked that Amber called out Danielle about cheating on her boyfriend with Nick, and it was clear that her relationship with him (her boyfriend) is over when she hugged Nick when she got out (with no boyfriend to be seen). And supposedly they are going on a trip to Europe together. I guess she knew it was over when her HoH letter was from Nick, not her boyfriend. And the reaction of the players to learning about the America's Player twist was good too.

So that's it for BB8. I already miss it...

A New Season of The Biggest Loser

Well, another season of The Biggest Loser is upon us. That's right, the original "fat people on scales" show is back. And even though I'm not so sure about the twists, I'm glad it's back.

It's still too early to rate the contestants this season, but there's no question that they're fatter than ever. It's strange to think that some of the female contestants this season have goal weights that are close to the starting weights of some of the female contestants from season 1. Really. They're also trying to find bigger sob stories as well, like the woman who lost everything to Katrina. And this is where I start to doubt the twist of the black team. These are clearly people who have already been though a lot, beyond their weight and health problems. So why add insult to injury? There were more than a few brief minutes where they thought they had been cast off again. So while I think that the black team twist might be good, the contestants on that team need to be treated like people.

I'm also not sure about the new host as well. I like Allison so far, and she seems to be much more suited for the role. I guess I just wish I knew why they got rid of Caroline.

So in a few hours we'll see the arrival of the black team on the BL campus (not the ranch this year...not sure why they got rid of the ranch...). Can't wait.

Summer of the Donatos

I know it's been awhile since I've blogged about Big Brother, and now that I have the time I'm just too annoyed to do it. Grrrr...

The "America's Player" twist this summer changed the entire game. I can't imagine that if Eric was acting on his own he would have let Dick & Danielle make it so far in the game. In fact, I don't even think that Dick would have made it to the jury house if Eric had had his way. It's such a bummer. I really liked Eric, Jessica, and Dustin, and they got screwed by the twist. I really hope that they let Eric come back next season to play again on his own. I also love that the love between Jessica and Eric seems to be real (and didn't you just love Dustin's comment about the thin walls in the jury house on Thursday?).

I'm also really dismayed at how some of the events of the summer were handled. The worst, to me, were the anti-semetic comments made by Amber. Those, though, I understand why they couldn't do anything about (other than not show it again on CBS). But Dick's constant attacks (especially against Jen) were absurd. The producer said that they didn't punish Dick for dumping iced tea on Jen because of Jen's reaction - so, apparently, because Jen put up a brave face each time she was attacked, Dick received no punishment. How ridiculous. I felt the same way about the fight between Jen & Dick that involved Dick's cigarettes and Jen eating. No question that Jen needed to receive a penalty for eating while she was on slop (though maybe it's a signal to the producers that they need to bring back PB&Js next summer...in fact, did they even have any more food competitions after that?). But destroying Dick's cigarettes? CBS directed Eric to destroy Jen's property earlier in the season. I also question the "enemy" twist, since Danielle & Dick have had an alliance all summer - CBS clearly thought that this would be a good story.

So, now we're left with Dick and Danielle in the final two. I don't know how the jury can even choose. Dick spent the summer being truly ugly to everyone on the jury. And Danielle was crafty beyond belief. She betrayed each and every one of her alliances, and cheated on her boyfriend on national television. And she did it while saying that she didn't lie to anyone. There's no question that she's a fierce competitor, but I have to wonder if she would have done as well if her dad hadn't been in the house to deflect the heat off of her. She'll likely win by default. All I know is that when Eric reveals the AP twist, it will be the highlight of the season.

Season Finale of Fat March

I cannot believe I wasted so much time watching fat people walk. Which is worse - that they made the show or that I watched it? It was so poorly done...it could have been interesting if it had been done better. It does seem like an interesting concept. But it was a good idea gone wrong. First, it was annoying to me that thy clearly weren't walking in a straight line, and I don't believe they even marched from place to place. (mostly because I have lived my whole life on the east coast, recognized some of the places they were at, then they started somewhere completely different). The worst was at the end of stage 5...they ended in Baltimore (at the World Trade Center...where, coincidentally, my sister got married), which is a 30 mile drive from DC. But instead, they started them on the other side of the state to get their miles in. Very annoying. I also have to question how safe the program was that so many people got injured. And finally, what was the story with Jamie Lyn - is she married? Anyways, I'm not sad to see it end...and if it comes back for another season I think I'll give it a miss.

Back from a Summer Hiatus

Yes, even though my favorite dancer won So You Think You Can Dance? and this is turning into a pretty good season after all of Big Brother, "confessions of a reality tv addict" took a summer hiatus. Oh well. But I'm back...for now... :)

Final Four on So You Think You Can Dance?

You know, last week the judges talked about how they were worried that the finale couldn't live up to last week's show. And after tonight, I can see why they were worried. Tonight's finale was good, but not nearly as good as last week. Yes, there were some high points. But it seemed like they didn't save the best for last.

First, the dancers choose their styles by random draw. So while I think that if Sabra loses, it's because of the styles she chose, it wasn't anyone's fault - it's random. But why producers chose the styles they did is beyond me. Yes, there should have been a hip hop and a ballroom routine. I would have thought that everyone would have the opportunity to dance in a style that they know well. I also didn't understand some of the choreography. A good example was the fox routine that Lacey & Sabra did. I liked it, but I couldn't agree more with Nigel's statement that the finale isn't the place to experiment. And why didn't a producer step in and say that early in the week, when something could have been changed? A lot of the problems that the judges had with the dancing were really problems with the choreography.

Last week there weren't really any problems with the dancing. But tonight just seemed to lack that same spark. Perhaps it's because of the dancers that were eliminated. But something was missing. It's clear that the judges/producers want Danny or Lacey to win. From their comments at the start of the show that they were looking for "America's favorite dancer, not America's best dancer," to the way they critiqued , they clearly have an agenda. There's no question that Sabra is a better dancer than Lacey, but Lacey has a much better chance of winning it all.

So who do I think will win? That's a tough call. Based on the entire season, Sabra SHOULD win. Week after week, she has been nothing but phenomenal. Based on tonight, well...I think it should be Danny. Danny really has been good all season as well. But who WILL win? I think it's a close vote, but Lacey will come out on top. She has a lot of fans, has the name recognition with her brother, and is riding the praise from tonight's show.

Fat March

I watched Fat March again this week, even though it's becoming more and more difficult. That's right, after only two episodes, I'm starting to lose interest. That just can't be good. Keep in mind I'm the same person who spent an entire summer watching Paradise Hotel (no, I'm not proud).

I think that the problem with the show is how little there is to it. When it comes down to it, we're really just watching fat people walking. Of course, this week we were also watching fat people bickering. But still - bickering and walking don't make for Emmy-winning television.

I also don't understand how the producers are portraying some of the contestants. First, there are the "labels" they give each player. Some are listed by their professions. But poor Loralie just gets the label of "trying to get pregnant." And they are doing a lot of "selective editing" to craft their storyline. Don't get me wrong, this happens on every reality show. (yes, EVERY reality show) But this one seems pretty bad.

The other concern I have is how the contestants are losing so much weight. The show is marketed as a simple way to lose weight - eat less and walk more. And this is really the heart of weight loss, and what everyone should be preaching. But when they started talking about having the contestants eat 2,000 calories a day? With all that walking, it's no wonder that they're hungry (and having the high number of contestants making a trip to the hospital). For a normal sized person, eating 2,000 calories a day and walking 10 miles would be a drastic diet. But for a 500 pound person? That's getting close to the un-healthy range. And when the trainer offered one contestant a banana, and the other told him no because it was his third banana of the day? It just made no sense. You don't get to be 500 pounds from eating too many bananas.

Anyways, I think I'll watch again next week, but we'll see beyond that. Of course, the option might not even be there - the ratings were abysmal.

Evel Dick

That's right, this week on Big Brother really has been all about Evel Dick. He is imploding before our eyes. There's no question that he is the most entertaining of all the houseguests. But I'm done with him. I understand that he was purposefully trying to be obnoxious, but he has crossed so many lines that I think he will have problems when he gets out of the house. That's what I never understand on all reality shows...do people really not believe that what they do on a reality show won't affect their "real life"? I take real offense to some of the things he
has said - game play or not, you should never attack someone's sexuality, mothering skills, or religion. (yes, I know that a lot of it is probably just to get a rise out of people, but still, some
things should just never be said)

I also found Danielle interesting last night. I think that her outburst about her dad in the HoH room was real, but I also think that she is one of the craftiest players ever. Under all that blonde there is a lot of game play going on. If they are smart they will boot her next week.

Speaking of voting, I am nervous about Dustin being up. I understand why they did it - it really is a slap in the face to Dick to be beaten so soundly by Dustin (and is a show of confidence to Jen). BUT, with that America's Player twist, there is the distinct possibility that
Dustin will go home. If Jen & Zach stay true to Danielle, they will vote to evict Dustin. So will Danielle. That's 3-3, with Jessica breaking the tie. But if "America" votes to have Eric keep Dick, the vote will be 4-3, and Dustin will be the first in the sequester house. I'm surprised that Eric didn't do the math on this in his head and realize that it could backfire for him personally.

I'm torn about who I think will actually go home tomorrow. I really don't know who I even want to go. If they think things through (and that's highly unlikely...), they will evict Dick. I think that a lot is in the editing, and the past few weeks, whoever we thought was going home
stayed. A lot can happen between now and the votes tomorrow night. To me, the key vote is Jen. She's playing dumb, but she's got a few brains up there. She reminds me a lot of Janelle in that way - that she plays the dumb girl, but she knows exactly what she's doing. I mean, we all thought she would be gone weeks ago. I think that however Jen votes, Zach will vote. And if it looks like the house will vote to evict Dick, it really is in her best interest to vote with the house.
Did you notice last night (or maybe it was Sunday) how careful Jen was to not promise Danielle anything? Very smart game play.

In any event, I think that they need to watch out for Jen & Danielle...they could easily be the final two.

Kail is Voted Out on Big Brother

What an episode! First, I am glad that Kail was evicted. I am watching her right now on the web show, and she said that she was so homesick, and that because sequester starts next week, she was hoping she would go home. She didn't want to be sequestered - she wants to go home. (I guess then, that they know when sequester starts...last season they started sequester early, so it was a bit of a surprise) That being said, I am shocked at some of what has happened. First, have you seen any of the articles about Amber? One of them is here at tvsquad.com. It's shocking. I'm clearly appalled, and am ready for her to go home.

I don't understand her tirade on last night's episode. Yes, it was wrong of Eric to use her secret against her. But what is she thinking sharing her deepest darkest secrets on a reality show? Doesn't she realize that even if it's never shared (which, of course it will be) it will be seen on tv? It's crazy. And I don't know how she is not walking around constantly dehydrated from all the crying.

I also don't understand Eric's reaction after Kail was voted out. After the vote, Dick was interrogating people again about the mystery vote. He should have right then and there stood up to Dick and said something about how clearly these mystery votes aren't coming from him since he didn't vote this week, and maybe he should take his witch hunt elsewhere.

I was glad to see Jessica win HoH, and figure that she'll likely put up both Dick & Danielle this week. And what was all the commotion after the HoH competition. I hope CBS shows us some of that on Sunday's show!

The Final Six Dance

The final six danced tonight on So You Think You Can Dance?, and I agree with Nigel - it's going to be tough to top this week's dancing on next week's finale! Tonight's show was amazing. Simply amazing.

It's hard to critique when there was such good dancing all around. Lacey & Pasha were amazing dancing together. Their hip hop routine was one of my favorites of the season. Pasha's solo wasn't great, but the other two were so good that hopefully no one will remember him dancing with an empty dress (and how strange was that?).

Lauren & Danny were also phenomenal. I loved the choreography for both of their routines tonight - I think they won the choreography lottery! Both of their solos were good as well.

Sabra & Neil were my favorites of the night. Their jazz routine, well, WOW. It was so different than anything we've seen on the show, and they danced it so well. I liked their paso & solos as well.

Before tonight, I would have picked Sabra to win. But I have no idea after tonight's dancing. Every way I look at it I can't choose. Sabra has been so good all season, and was phenomenal again tonight. But Lacey and Lauren were phenomenal as well. And the guys? Geez lousie, I have no idea. How can you choose?

I'm Back...Thoughts on the Last Week in Reality TV

After another short vacation (don't you just love summer?) I'm back. Of course, reality tv didn't take a break, and things were nuttier than ever. Some thoughts on the past few weeks...

Age of Love
Yes, I actually stuck with this until the end. What a horrible show, and it only got worse as it went on. And if you're shocked that he chose a 20-something instead of the 48 year old, please stop reading this blog now. Not to be rude, but come on - are you really that stupid? I mean, did JEN even think that she would be chosen over Amanda? And how creepy would it be to introduce your boyfriend to your son, and realize that they're closer in age than you are? Ugh.

Fat March
This one is a new one, and I loved it. I know, I love any show where fat people are on scales. And these aren't just fat people - these are 500 pound fat people. The premise of the show is so basic that it's interesting - fat people walking. And with the monetary twists (that they personally lose money when people drop out or are voted out, and they don't have to vote anyone out), it's a mind game as well. I'm looking forward to seeing how this one plays out.

Shaq's Big Challenge
I know, I haven't really written much about this yet, mostly because I sat and watched the entire season in two days. I don't know why - it was on my tivo, and, once again, I like watching fat people on scales (even fat kids, I suppose). Parts of it were really interesting to me, especially the parts in the school. As a teacher, I am appalled by what is served in most school cafeterias, especially considering that it is the one hot meal that many of our students get each day. Frozen foods that are just reheated are the easiest way to go, but certainly not the healthiest. And even in schools where fresh, healthy foods are a choice, so is ice cream and cookies, so can you guess what most students buy? I applaud Shaq, Tyler Florence, and the school for being so willing to make the changes. I also am shocked at the lack of physical education in most schools. It's not that hard to work PE into the schedule - it's just a matter of doing it. As for the show itself, well, it made me realize why I don't teach middle school anymore. Let's just leave it at that. :)

Big Brother
What a few weeks it has been on Big Brother. So much has been going on...I was bummed beyond belief to see Nick get voted off, especially in the way he was. He didn't deserve to be back-doored like that. I also really feel for Eric. He's playing a rough game by voting the way that America tells him to. I thought that he would always have the option to do what America said - that in the end, he could decide how to vote. That would have been a good choice with the Nick vote - if he had voted off Nick, then it would be very easy to pin the vote from the week before on Nick. Sigh...

I thought that the plane thing added a very interesting wrinkle. I saw an interview with Nick last week, and he said that the planes fly over all the time. Usually they lock them all inside until the plane is gone (Nick actually asked people to stop sending planes because it stinks to be on lockdown inside!). But with the HoH, I guess they just had to let them see it. It could completely alter the outcome of the game. Even if Eric pulls out the vote, it has changed his alliance and has cast a shadow of doubt over his game play. I do, though, wonder what CBS will do if he gets voted out. Here's hoping that he figures out a way to pull it off.

So You Think You Can Dance?
The dancing was SO good again last week. I was shocked the week before that Kameron went home, and totally bummed last week to lose Dominic and Sara. Sara lost the dance lottery. Her hip hop routine was good but completely overshadowed by the horrible costumes (and did you love how Adam Shankman asked if they had been Punk'd by wardrobe?). And Lacey's first routine wasn't very good, but she (by the luck of the draw) got to dance Mia's routine about her dad. There's no way anyone was going home after dancing that. So we had to say goodbye to Sara and Dominic. This week is the last episode before the finale, so they'll be dancing to get in the final four. And my pick for the final four (being written before tonight's episode airs...)...Lacey, Sabra, Pasha, and Danny.

Oh yeah - I don't normally comment on the "game show"-type reality shows. I like both of the singing shows, but only because I know all the lyrics (they're actually both pretty bad, but I like to play along). But last night I tried to watch Power of 10. I say tried, because I could only make it through 10 minutes. What a horrible show. I can't believe that Drew Carey got the Price is Right gig after that.

Top 10

We're down to the top ten on So You Think You Can Dance?, and everything changes. New partners every week, each dancer performs a solo and a partner dance, and the voting is all that counts. The solos certainly make the blogging difficult this week! But I LOVE the change this year that they all danced the same solo. It's the first time I've felt like I could really compare dancers side by side. And there was clearly a difference. Let's see...

Jaime kicked off the solos in a big way. She really is a phenomenal dancer, and you could see it in her solo. Her routine with Dominic was ok...I worry about her for tomorrow since all the judges could talk about was Dominic. Kind of a bummer for her again (since she was with Hok up until this week).

I love Dominic. But you could tell in his solo that he is not a trained dancer. And while I didn't think his routine with Jaime was as bad as the judges said, it wasn't great. I don't think it's totally his fault - what was he supposed to do when the choreographer gave him a Spanish Viennese Waltz?

Sara has to be one of the favorites to win the competition. Her solo was phenomenal, and when you realize that she is a b-girl, well...holy cow. I thought it was way better than Nigel gave her credit for - I'm glad that the other judges were so positive. Her disco routine was also excellent. If I was going to vote, I would vote for Sara tonight.

Pasha's solo was pretty good. But I really liked his hip hop routine with Lauren. Who knew that he had that in him? He should be safe for sure!

Ok, I can see why they kept her Lauren! Her hip hop routine with Pasha was really good. I didn't like her solo as much as the judges, but it was definitely well danced overall. (it just didn't show as much emotion or connection with the piece as Sara or Lacey).

Neil is supposedly a contemporary dancer. But I wasn't enthralled with his solo tonight. He did an excellent job with his disco routine though, so it will be close with him whether or not he will stay this week.

After Sabra's routine with Kameron, I would bet that she will be in the final four. Soaring through the air like that was amazing. Her solo was really well danced, but she clearly took a different spin on it than some of the other girls. For those of you who don't usually watch dance, it's impressive how much change you can make by changing the emotions in the very same piece of choreography.

During his routine with Sabra, I wasn't thrilled with Kameron. I agree with the judges...Lacey really had been carrying him and you could tell tonight. His solo was pretty good, but I can see him being in the bottom two (three?) tomorrow night.

Lacey's technique in her solo wasn't as good as some of the other girls', but she is quite the performer - maybe the best in the bunch. The emotions in her dance were amazing. Her performance with Danny was also really good. She was in her element with the style, and she carried both of them.

Danny's solo was good - he's got the contemporary technique down. His routine with Lacey was good too. He kept up with Lacey for the most part, and I think he'll be safe tomorrow night.

So I'm not really sure who will be going home tomorrow night. For the guys, I think it will be close...it will come down to who has more fans. On technique alone, it should be Dominic. But I think (and hope) that he has enough fans to keep him safe and send Neil home. The girls are really tough. They're all so good, so it's almost like finding the worst of the best (or, as my husband likes to say, the skinniest kid at fat camp). I think that we'll be saying goodbye to Jamie tomorrow as well.

Age of Love

I can't believe I'm still watching this. Of course, I do love to watch and yell at them. And I had plenty of opportunities for yelling tonight. Mostly when Jayanna was eliminated, and couldn't believe that her own words were being used against her. How old are you? Anyways, I think we're almost done with this nonsense show...thank goodness.

Evel Dick Gets Even

Last night's episode of BB8 was a good one. I liked the softer, gentler side of Dick. I also liked what one of them said about voting to evict Joe instead of Dick - if he's going to stab you, it'll be from the front. I also thought that the bit with Nick having a list of guys he would date if he was gay was hilarious. Who does that??? :)

I liked the food competition too. I was wondering when we would have a competition like that. It seems that Big Brother does one of those every few weeks to make sure that no one eats slop all summer. (and what's the deal with the slop anyways? I miss PB&Js...)

Oh yeah - I started to pay attention to whether or not the scenes are shown in order, and they DEFINITELY weren't last night. There was a scene with Jen in her normal clothes, then they were all sitting around the table and Jen was back in the darn unitard.

Anyways, no surprise with the nominations, but if neither girl wins PoV, it will be a close vote. Should be good! :)

Eviction #2

Eviction night in the Big Brother house, and another live show. I love the live shows...I am such a nerd! :)

I wasn't surprised at all the Joe went home. He realized it as soon as he got nominated. I thought he had a chance when Dick started shouting at Kail, but it was pretty clear at that point that unless
there was a clear majority voting to keep Joe, no one would. And even though I don't like him, I was glad Dick won HoH...Jen and Kail will be nominated for sure. Of course, if he's smart, he won't nominate Jen. He could nominate Kail and anyone else. Kail would go home. THEN...if Kail wins PoV, he can nominate Jen, and Jen will go home. Either way, Dick will get one of them out of there. I just don't know if Dick is that smart of a player. (or that kind of a strategist...it so often seems like these people haven't watched any of the other seasons!)

I also thought it was interesting Nick's reaction to Julie asking about him and Danielle. Guess that was a secret! Should be interesting to see how THAT plays out in the house, especially since Danielle has been so upfront with everyone (including Nick) that she has a boyfriend. I'm also interested to see the pictures in Dick's HoH room...will there be pictures of Danielle in there?

Not a Shocker on SYTYCD

Well, the top 10 is set on So You Think You Can Dance?, and I'm not that surprised. Don't get me wrong - I have no idea how Anya & Danny got into the bottom three. But once they did their solos, the judge's decisions seemed pretty clear. Hok had to go. He probably should have gone even earlier, especially considering there are other B-Boys that are just as good as him, but are far more versatile. And Anya? Well, you knew they wouldn't send home Jamie, not after all the praise they heaped onto her. And when it came down to it, they definitely have some love for Lauren. I don't know if it's favoritism (since she has connections to the show outside of being a contestant) or if they feel bad that she's been dancing with Neil all these weeks. I guess we'll see next week.

Were Those Dancing Welders?

It was a strange night of dancing on So You Think You Can Dance? tonight. Two couples really separated themselves from the pack, while others were good, but not great. And we had the constant reminder that whoever made it through this week would be in the top 10.

The two top couples were amazing - Sabra & Dominic and Anya & Danny were phenomenal. I don't think there's anything else to say - the four of them were simply amazing.

Rounding out the top three tomorrow night, I think, will be Sarah & Pasha or Lacey & Kameron. Sarah & Pasha were really good tonight. They were each so out of their element, and you would never have known. Lacey & Kameron were also good - better, I think, than the judges gave them credit for. I think that Sarah & Pasha were a bit better, but they have a lot of fans, so it could be close.

Destined for the bottom two are Jamie & Hok and Lauren & Neil. It's funny - before the show started, I said to my husband that everyone I was rooting against was out. But I could root against both of these couples. I loved Tyce's choreography for Jamie & Hok, but I agree completely with the judges - they just didn't play up the characters enough. And Lauren & Neil were good, but not great. The choreography was so strange (and I like strange), but they weren't dancing it together in a bunch of spots.

I don't know how the judges will choose someone to cut - I think that the solos tomorrow night will make all the difference.

Big Brother

I don't know about this season of Big Brother yet. I loved all stars, but DH and I love Chill Town. There's something about Dr. Will that is just genius. There are no real characters on this season, at least not yet.

That isn't to say, of course, that there aren't people that I hate. Because there are - and Jen is #1 on my list. I have never seen someone so self involved (though, I LOVED the Jen drinking game). Who makes shirts like that? And with her currently prancing around in the red unitard, they simply must make her put on underwear. Has anyone else noticed that they aren't showing her from the waist down from the front? Yikes. I feel bad for her family - they must be so "proud." I also wonder how this will affect the rest of her life. I can't imagine anyone hiring
her as a nanny after this. There have been lots of instances where being on a reality show has affected jobs for former contestants. Some it's been good - some people leave a reality show and are inundated with job offers. Others have been fired because they showed their "true side" on air, and have found it hard to find another job. (for example, there are lawyers that have gone on these shows who are now "no longer practicing law") I'm really just embarrassed for her.

I really like Eric, and I wish he wasn't "America's Player" - I would like to see how he would do playing on his own. If he doesn't win (which is still a possibility), I think that the producers should let him come back and play again next summer on his own. I also wonder if they have a plan for what happens when Eric gets nominated/evicted. Hmmm. I also think the producers are being a bit too strict with giving him credit for tasks completed. He should have gotten credit for the sleepwalking (which was hilarious). I think the producers realized how expensive this could get, and are making it harder for him to"complete" the missions - they announced last night that he only gets the money for completing the assignment if the person America has him
vote for actually gets evicted.

I didn't really care about Carol leaving last week, but I'm not such a fan of this week's nominations. I didn't like Danielle being put up against Dick. And now that she has the POV (and when do the others realize she's a threat in the competitions?) I'm not sure about Joe being nominated. I have no idea who would be better to go home, but whoever is left will be going after Jen hard. For a brief moment I thought Jen would nominate Nick. It would have
been for a dumb reason, but if she was smart, it would have been brilliant strategy. Everyone would vote to evict Dick, and therefore she would have the person off that she wanted. But now, I think the vote will be close.

Oh yeah, the strategy in the veto competition was ridiculous. Anyone who got out early should have picked one of the good gifts that had already been picked instead of trying to get the gift with the veto (since if a middle person got the veto, each person after them would have stolen it anyways). It just seemed stupid to me.

Some Thoughts Back from Vacation

Well, I'm back from vacation, and I think I'm almost all caught up with my tivo (though I still have two episodes of Shaq's Big Challenge...with any luck I'll get to those this week, or at least watch them while my husband takes his turn with Harry Potter this weekend (just because it's his birthday doesn't mean I'll let him read it all first!). I'll talk about Big Brother 8 in another post, but have a few thoughts on Age of Love and So You Think You Can Dance?.

A word about Age of Love - even though I set my tivo to record it, it didn't. It's one of the few times that my tivo has chosen to not record something - for all you who think that your tivo has a life of its own, this may back that thought up. Never fear, though - I watched the episodes I missed online. I think I may be the only one. It really is train wreck television. I am rooting for the 40s, and was rooting for crying Mary to be sent packing sooner than she was. She was crying so much that I was seriously worried for her that she was becoming dehydrated. Get that girl some Gatorade! The show is getting really low ratings (go figure), so I wouldn't be shocked to see the last few episodes condensed. I wouldn't be sad either - I've invested enough time in it that I care to see who wins, but it would be great to do it in less time.

So You Think You Can Dance? has me annoyed this summer. I love the dancers - in fact, I think that they're the most talented group ever on the show. And I love the choreography - holy cow, what I would give to work with some of them. So what's annoying me? The judges. I actually think that they're doing an excellent job of judging on performance night (and I LOVED the guest judge last week - he's an amazing choreographer, and did a great job pointing out the parts of the performances that look easy but are actually ridiculously difficult). But their choices to cut have been a bit suspect. They got a lot of heat for cutting Jessi (though I agree that it was the correct decision). And what was their fascination with Cedric? He should have gone home week 1 (or maybe not even have made the top 10). I'm looking forward to seeing what happens when the judges aren't involved with choosing who goes home.

Big Brother 8

I'm pretty excited that Big Brother is back. Of course, it's tempered with the fact that I'm leaving in a few days on a vacation to an island where I won't have tv. Really. (I know, I'm as shocked as anyone that I scheduled a vacation with no tv during a week with the start of Big Brother and, more importantly, the All Star Game...thank God for tivo...) So a few quick thoughts before I get back to figuring out what exactly you pack for a trip to an island with no tv...

It was a good first episode. It seems like an interesting cast, and I like that they're mixing it up with some new twists this season. The fact that three of them have a "rival" in the house is interesting, but I don't understand why only 3 of them have a rival. Two summers ago when they did the "secret relationship" twist, didn't they all have a secret partner, not just a few? Anyways, I'm a fan of the ex-boyfriend (Dustin), but the other two are already getting on my nerves. I'm also not sure of how CBS is handling the fact that Danielle is under 21. She shouldn't be allowed to drink on the show, yet I could have sworn she had champagne with the others. And her bio online has her favorite alcoholic drink listed as margaritas. Something doesn't add up. And did Joe admit on national tv that he had gonorhhea? Interesting choice...

I do like the "America's player" twist. I had already been thinking that I liked Eric, and I like him more now that I get to help him play. (insert evil laughter here) I can't wait to start to tell him how to vote...

More Amazing Dancing

Another great week of dancing on So You Think You Can Dance?. I wish it was on every night. Really.

Before I started watching the show, I had never even heard of krump. But now, it’s one of my favorite styles they do. Sara & Jesús were incredible. You kind of expected it from Sara, but Jesús was amazing too.

I feel so bad for Shauna. She went from being partnered with Jimmy (who was really good) to being partenerd with Cedric (who isn’t). Shauna danced really well. And I agreed with Mary that the choreography was clearly designed to highlight her and almost hide Cedric. She did nearly all of the dancing. They’ll probably be in the bottom three again, and hopefully it will just be Cedric that goes home.

Lacey & Kameron continue to be one of my favorite couples. The quick step is notoriously hard for dancers on this show (like the judges said, it’s often the kiss of death!), but they did a great job. Even if they somehow end up in the bottom three, there’s no way either of them is going home.

I really like Anya & Danny too. It wasn’t a great hip hop performance this week, but it still was pretty good. I agree with the judges that they are clearly the couple to beat.

As I watched Dominic & Sabra, all I could say was “wow.” They were just incredible. I also think about the difference between Dominic & Cedric – Cedric can really only do his style, while Dominic is a superstar regardless of what is thrown his way. I love them both.

I was really surprised last week when Lauren & Neil weren’t in the bottom three. And while they were better this week, I’ll be shocked again if they’re safe.

Whenever I watch the show, I always say that I want to do choreography by Mia Michaels. But tonight, my favorite choreography by far was the jazz routine by Wade Robson. Jaimie & Hok were fantastic; I rewound and watched it three times. Unbelievable dancing.

I’m not a fan of Jessie. But I certainly don’t want to see her leave the competition because of an injury. Pasha did a great job dancing without her, and he should be safe regardless. As my husband said, he just got the “middle-age women” vote. Yikes.

So there’s no question for me that the performance of the night was Jaimie & Hok. I also loved Dominic & Sabra. And my bottom three? Shauna & Cedric, Lauren & Neil, and Pasha & Jessie (sad to say).

Age and Science of Love

I watched the first two episodes of Age of Love this week, and I think it’s the first show in awhile that falls into the “so bad it’s good” category of reality shows. I don’t know why I care, but I do. I guess there’s something intriguing about watching someone date a woman whose son is his age. Ewww….

I also watched Science of Love. This is not “so bad it’s good;” it’s just bad. I wonder how much money they saved by using the same set and the same host as Age of Love? That, and the fact that it was essentially an hour-long infomercial for some online dating service, made the show nearly unwatchable. I’ll admit, though, that my husband and I enjoyed shouting “you’re a LONG SNAPPER!!” at the tv every time the guy started to talk about how he’s an NFL player.

Results Make Me Cranky

I've only been back to the blog for about a week, and already I'm cranky. I didn't like that Ricky went home the first week on SYTYCD?, and I HATED the results of the show this past week. I appreciate the fact that "America" doesn't always vote for the best dancers. And that's why I like the format of these rounds of the show - that the judges have a say as well. But given who was in the bottom three last week, I don't agree with the decision the judges made. No doubt it was a hard choice - the bottom three was shocking. But I just didn't understand it. Sending Faina home wasn't such a shock. Based on their solos it should have been Jessi, but she really didn't belong in the bottom three at all. And Faina did. It was the guys that made me so cranky. I don't understand why the judges are so enamored with Cedric. Yes, he's good at what he does. But he's not good at anything else. Think about all those specialty dancers that didn't make it through Vegas for that very reason. Yet somehow he keeps making it through. So we had to say goodbye to Jimmy, who was a really good dancer; the only reason he went home is because he was up against Cedric.

So You Think You Can Dance? is BACK!

My favorite show of last summer was So You Think You Can Dance?, and this season hasn’t disappointed. The dancers are even better than before, and the choreography has been amazing.

Lauren & Neil aren’t my favorite couple. They probably should have been in the bottom three last week, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see them there tonight. They’re good dancers individually, but aren’t great together.

I really like Pasha – he might be one of my favorite male dancers. It’s a shame that he’s been paired with Jessi. There’s something about her that just rubs me the wrong way. They were really good this week – I loved the choreography, and they were fantastic.

I agreed with Nigel & Mary about Jaimie & Hok. They were very entertaining, but not so great with the dancing. Jaimie is lucky to be paired with Hok – he seems to have a reasonably large fan base. Otherwise she would have gone home last week. They’re both great at what they do, but not much else; I don’t know how long they can get by in this competition.

Dominic & Sabra were phenomenal. So much of what was in the routine looked easy but was actually very difficult. And to think that Dominic was able to do it makes it even more impressive. I think they’re both favorites to go far in the competition.

Faina & Cedric are another couple who are phenomenal in their fields, but aren’t great outside of them. Their foxtrot just wasn’t very good. They don’t seem to partner well together, and should probably be in the bottom three. I don’t see the appeal of either of them; I wouldn’t be sad to see them go.

My favorite couple last week was Lacey & Kameron, and I loved them again this week. I thought the routine was a perfect mix of pizzazz & sexiness (even if Mia thought it needed more pizzazz). And I agree with the judges that their connection is superb. It reminds me of Benji’s relationship with Donyelle last season. Absolutely fabulous.

Danny & Anya were also phenomenal. They’re a great example of how a good dancer can dance in any style. The difference between them and some of the others who had to stretch beyond their own styles is night and day. They’ll be in the competition for awhile.

There’s something about Jimmy & Shauna that I just love. Their routine this week was so unique and danced so well. I loved them last week as well – they’re definitely a top couple this season.

Sara & Jesús are an interesting couple. They’re so good at their own styles, and there’s something about them dancing together that’s very captivating. During their dance I was thinking the same thing as Mia – the music was all wrong. I watched it back on mute and it was much better.

If “America” gets it right this week, it shouldn’t be hard to choose the bottom three – Faina & Cedric, Lauren & Neil, and Jaimie & Hok. Should be interesting to see if they do, especially since Mary was so adamant that they got it wrong last week.

I'm Back...

That’s right, I’m back. After a short break, I’m ready to settle into the summer shows.

I’m not really sure when tv execs decided that summer should be the time for new series, instead of the re-runs that were on every night in the summers growing up. But, for the most part, I like the trend. I wish I could say the same thing for the shows.

I’ve already given up on a couple of this summer’s big shows. On the Lot was good for the first episode (when they highlighted the creative process of the directors). Then it wasn’t. I quickly decided to cut my losses on that one. Same with Pirate Master. I SO wanted to like the show. But after about 15 minutes, the show was so unwatchable I had to turn it off. What a shame. And I didn’t even try with America’s Got Talent this season. It was so horrible last summer – I don’t see how Sharon Osbourne could make it better.

So what’s left? So You Think You Can Dance? is back, and I love it again. And Big Brother starts again in a few weeks. I also have Age of Love ready to watch on my tivo – I just wish the tv people wouldn’t put these things on opposite Red Sox games. :)

Winners All Around

So the last of the big shows wrapped up this week in a flurry of excitement. No big surprises, but a few good shows to end the season.

First was the final rose on The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman. Andy took both girls home to meet his parents in Pennsylvania. You just knew that Tessa would get the final rose after Bevin told his grandparents that she does research on the sexual dysfunction of menopausal women. She also let his conservative family that she was raised in the Bahai faith. At this point she was toast. And after Andy told both girls that he loved them (can you imagine how he explained this to Tessa Tuesday?) he dumped Bevin and proposed to Tessa. It might be the first time that the girl I wanted to get the final rose actually got it. Supposedly she's moving out to Hawaii to be with him; I give it six months.

Next was the finale of Dancing With the Stars. It was actually higher rated than Idol, which is pretty crazy, except for the fact that the finale was good. (more on why Idol's wasn't later) I'm pretty bummed that it's over, but ecstatic that Apolo won. He's such a good dancer, and completely deserved it.

Finally, there was the two hour love-fest that was the Idol finale. So much of it was actually un-watchable. If they want to be more relevant, having Bette Midler and Tony Bennett perform does little to achieve that goal. And while I enjoyed the Beatles medleys, I wonder how many of the teenagers watching actually recognized the songs. They dragged it out for two hours before they even started to get to the results. And this was where anyone who was watching on tivo (insert your name here) got screwed. The result was read exactly 2 hours and 4 minutes in to the show. The show was supposed to be two hours long. That's right - they kissed their own behinds for so long that they nearly didn't get to the actual point of the show, leaving many to not hear the anti-climatic finish where Jordin was crowned the winner. (and we saw Blake look rather relieved)

This is one of the many reasons the ratings were down this season. This, and the fact that compared to last year, the talent wasn't nearly as good. For this, I have to blame the judges. There were such talented performers that we saw in the early rounds who seemingly disappeared during the Hollywood round. I also think they need to look at the voting process, especially in the first round of voting. They went to the guys and girls format a few years ago, and I don't think it produces the best possible top 12. I think they would be better served by going back to how they did it the first few seasons, where the top 24 were divided into three groups. Each group sang once, and two or three were voted through to the next round. Then there was a final week where the judges brought a few back to sing again (including some who had been originally cut in Hollywood), and each judge put a singer through (plus a singer or two voted on by the fans). And I understand that they will never go to a voting system like So You Think You Can Dance? or Dancing With the Stars where the judges votes get combined with the viewers, but they need to do something (maybe limit how many votes each phone line gets?).

With that, I'm off for a few weeks. I'll be back once the summer replacement shows get going (or earlier if I have a lot to say!)...enjoy your Memorial Day weekend and GO RED SOX!

American Idol Finale (part 1)

It's time for the finale on American Idol...my, how time flies. Before we get started with the singing, there was a very interesting article in The Washington Post today about this season of Idol. The ratings are way down this season, mostly because of how this season was cast. There weren't a lot of people to get behind. This group of contestants was also very savy - they knew that they really just needed to make the top 10 so they could go on tour. I'm sure it's online somewhere - you should check it out if you get the chance.

So on to the singing. Blake won the coin toss, and elected to let Jordin choose to sing second. Poor choice, but lends credence to the fact that Blake knows he doesn't have to win to have a successful career. Smart kid. He started off the show with his favorite song from the season, his version of Bon Jovi's "Bad Name." It rocked the first time, and was completely the right song to choose, but not quite as good as the first time. I did love his second song, another by Maroon 5. He sounded great, but I do wish he had chosen an up-tempo song. He finished off with this season's Idol-ballad. I know they have to just sing it, and he did it pretty well. I hated the song, and I think Blake did too. Maybe that's why he doesn't care if he wins - the winner has to record this song as their first single. Yuck.

Jordin started off with a Christina Aguilera song. She is a much better singer than Blake, but I agree with Simon - she's not quite as good a performer. Her second song, her Martina McBride song from country week was a great choice. I loved it when she sang it then, and she sang it even better this time. Her last song, the Idol-ballad was good too. I think she did a better job with it than Blake (actually, a much better job than Blake), but I'm more and more convinced that he's ok with that. And she really does deserve to win.

So we'll find out the results tomorrow. And I have no idea who will win. Jordin is a much better singer, but I think Blake has a bigger fan base. It should be interesting.

Last Dances of the Season

Not too much to say about last night's final dances on Dancing With the Stars. They were good. REALLY good. I disagreed with the judges quite a bit...the scores should have been much higher all around. I don't see why we saw perfect 60s in earlier rounds, but not last night. Still, it was a great show. I know so much has to do with how the voting goes, but I think it's going to go to Apollo. He was brilliant last night in both dances. He's been consistent throughout the competition - he's my pick to win.

National Bingo Night

Yes, I watched. No, I'm not proud.

Shocker in the Final Two on Idol

Ok, so everyone but me was shocked at last night's results show on Idol. No one believed that Melinda could actually be voted out before the finale. But after nearly an hour of filler, that's exactly what happened. And I, for one, am not surprised. When it comes right down to it, there's no question that she is a better singer than the others. But there's also no question that she seems about 30 years older than the other two. That's great if you're looking to sell records to the parents of the pre-teens that watch Idol. She had to know that her fan base was older, since she consistently chose songs this season that were recorded 20+ years ago. And for every vote that a 40-something casts, a 13 year old sent 100 text-messages. So Melinda is out, and the much younger Blake is in.

A personal side note for those of you who have been following my Idol pool picks. With Melinda leaving last night, I am guaranteed at least second place. And if Blake wins, I win the whole thing. It looks like being a reality tv nerd has finally started to pay off...

I think I'm addicted to ballroom...

That's right. I've said it. I'm pretty sure of this, seeing as how I watched this week's episode of Dancing With the Stars twice. Really. It's just that it's gotten really good. All four couples danced remarkably well, and the show was good enough that I wanted to see it again.

I'm not surprised that Ian was the last dancer to not make the final. He wasn't as consistent as the other three, and certainly didn't connect as well with the audience. I've loved Apollo all along, so I'm really rooting for him in the finale. Of course, I'll be happy with any of them - they each derserve it.

Final Three Sing on Idol

It's going to be an interesting results show for Idol tomorrow night. Three very different performances - it's going to come down to which kind of people vote.

First there's Jordin. She's probably the most marketable of the three singers left. She's young and pretty, and she has an amazing voice. She sounded great again tonight, especially her last song. I understand where Simon's criticism of singing older songs is coming from, but she could record those older songs and sell them tomorrow.

Then there's Melinda. She has an amazing voice as well, and she's very similar in sound to Jordin. The biggest difference is that she has consistently sung "older" songs and both looked and sounded much older than the rest of the contestants. (that, and she just looked bizarre singing her second song tonight...at some point I just had to look away) This could be good, but if it's mostly teenagers that vote, we could have a shocker tomorrow night.

Totally different than the two girls is Blake. I really loved him tonight, especially with his second song (the Maroon 5 song). He sang songs that were so much more current - if it's younger viewers that call in to vote (which I think it usually is), he could be a surprise winner.

When it comes right down to it, I win my Idol pool if Blake wins, and finish second if Jordin wins, so, of course, I'm rooting for the upset tomorrow night. Idol pool aside, it's a tough choice. They really are very different singers, and appeal to very different groups of fans. Should be interesting...

Survivor: Fiji Finale

It's been two days since the finale of Survivor: Fiji, and I'm still flabbergasted. I truly can't believe I saw what I just saw. Wow.

First, the things I liked. I liked the challenges. Both were hard, and both could have been won by anybody (one of things I love about Survivor challenges). Loved them. I have no idea why Cassandra and Earl did such a bad job with the maze challenge, but the other three kicked some butt. (apparently when it looked like Cassandra wasn't trying in challenges sometimes, it's because she wasn't trying - she said that she didn't try hard on any challenge that would have involved swimming...it wasn't worth drowning to win immunity) And the final challenge looked brutal - way to go challenges team.

So on to the rest of the show. No shocker that Boo went home first. But the real drama came at the final four tribal council. After Dreamz won the final immunity challenge, he made the decision to not honor his deal with Yau Man, and kept immunity for himself. This was billed as "the most controversial decision ever made by a survivor." I don't agree with that at all - the Johnny Fairplay-dead grandma debacle on the Pearl Islands was way worse. That was motivated by greed. Dreamz saw an opportunity to give a better life to his kids. He knew if he gave Yau Man the immunity necklace, he was gone. Keeping it guaranteed him at least 3rd place, probably 2nd (who would really vote for Cassandra?). There's a big difference in the money awarded to 2nd place vs. 4th place - the kind of money that could change the lives of Dreamz's kids. I don't agree with the decision, but I certainly don't fault him for doing it. A couple other notes about it - Yau Man still wants to be friends with Dreamz, Yau Man says that if he had to do it over he would still give Dreamz the truck, and several jury members said that they were thinking of giving Dreamz their vote had he said different things at tribal.

Ahh, tribal council. I love when there's drama. But the final tribal council went beyond drama and crossed the line into cruelty. Not from all the jury members. Stacy, Michelle, Yau Man - all came off very well. Others seemed bitter, but reasonably so. But then there was Alex and Lisi. Both had been on the jury for awhile, and had plenty of time to calm down and be adults. But instead, they both came off as cruel. I don't know how they could watch that back and be proud of their actions. These are the same people who chastised Dreamz for his decision? People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. I hear that Alex is no longer practicing law - I hope that karma bites them both in the butt.

In the end, I'm glad that Earl won. He played a great game, and deserved to win in the first unanimous vote in Survivor history. And the new season looks amazing. I have a personal interest in China (since that is where we are adopting our daughter from), and the change of landscape will make for a great game. Just wish I didn't have to wait till September!

The Bachelor...really...

Yes, I'm still watching The Bachelor. In fact, I haven't missed a minute. And honestly, I haven't really written about it because someone else out there is doing it much better than me. I am a huge fan of Bill Simmons (the sports guy), a writer for ESPN.com. His wife (the sports gal) has been keeping a running blog of the season, and she does it far better than I could. Seriously. Check it out.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=bachelor/070508
I hope he chooses Danielle, but I'd be happy with Tessa too. If for no other reason than to watch Bevin's head explode when she doesn't get a rose. Ha!

Final Four Sing on Idol

After the amazing night of singing last week, this week's episode of Idol was quite the letdown. It's one of the most talented final fours in years, yet tonight's performances were just blah.

Melinda, the presumed winner, was good but not great. She has gone from the false modesty to over-confidence. Someone has clearly told her that she is the favorite to win, and she is showing it. Her second song was better than her first, and she's clearly going to move on to the final. I also appreciate that the stylists are doing everything they possibly can to make her look like she actually has a neck.

This was an off week for Blake. After his breakout performance last week (which reminds me, I need to download that...), his first song paled by comparison. I didn't like the falsetto, and the beat boxing, which I normally like, felt out of place. I actually really liked his second song; hopefully enough people will agree with me to keep him safe this week.

Lakisha had an off night as well. I hate when the guest coach gives a singer advice and they completely ignore it. It happened again tonight, when Barry Gibb told Lakisha to take it up an octave. Of course, she didn't, and it was a very flat performance. I was also totally distracted by her hideous outfit. Those stylists need to help her out as well. I agreed with Simon - her second song was better, but still not great. I think she'll be standing with Blake in the bottom two tomorrow night.

Jordin's first song certainly earned her a place in next week's show. She sounded great - much better than the others. Her second song wasn't as good, but it was better than Lakisha's. I think she'll be safe for sure.

So I'll be voting for Blake, mostly because I have him picked as my winner in my Idol pool. But I think that it should be Lakisha going home this week; hopefully I'm right.

TAR All Stars Finale

Last night's finale of The Amazing Race: All Stars was an appropriate end to the season. I was glad to see Eric & Danielle win, but the whole thing was just kind of blah.

The major criticism that I have had (and most who blog about this sort of thing) with the season is that it was not "all star" caliber. In fact, everything seemed easier. Remember back to when we were discussing which teams should be included, and what sort of amazing places they would go? And everyone was wondering what sort of fantastic tasks they would have to do? We didn't get any of that. Some of the best teams to run the race were excluded, the locations weren't overly exciting, and the tasks were dull. There were very few physical tasks, and most of the teams were eliminated because of transportation and bad luck. It's such a bummer for a show that has been consistently one of the best on television.

The last leg itself wasn't horrible. Being on Lanai was gorgeous, and I loved the task with them kayaking out to the shipwreck. But there were only two flights on the final leg (it was like that last season as well; in previous seasons there were a lot of flights which leave a lot up to the great airport equalizer). And the producers had to know that there were limited flights from Hawaii back to Oakland that day (and did the teams figure out that it was better to fly in to Oakland or were they told to do that?). I also liked the final task in the vault (though I don't understand why there wasn't a final roadblock), but I wish they had given them unlimited time to do it. I know, they needed the drama at the end of such a close finish. But it would have been fun to watch the timer on the girls at the end and see how long it would take them to match their partners.

In the end, it was Eric & Danielle to cross the finish line first. I was pulling for the Beauty Queens, but it was really impressive that Eric & Danielle won (they were yielded twice and marked for elimination once). And of course, I was glad to see Shmirna finish third. And I'm hoping both that TAR gets picked up for another season and they go back to the difficulty that the show is famous for.

One last note - I don't have any idea what happened to the last week and a half or so of blogs. I thought I uploaded some of them, but I guess not. And it seems silly at this point to try and recreate them. They're floating in cyberspace somewhere...here's hoping they show up somewhere sometime!

Idol Gives Back - Night 1

It’s an interesting dilemma with tonight’s episode of Idol. I love what they are doing for charity. Turning their hold on the viewing public (seriously, everyone watches their show…the other networks won’t even program against it) into something positive is highly commendable. That is, if it ended there. But let’s be real – they’re also using it to draw in even more viewers and advertising. I wish they would just give the money without all the hoopla. But that being said, thank you to the producers of Idol for bringing both funds and attention to where it is so desperately needed.

While the way that Chris wobbles his head back and forth is driving me nuts, he sounded great tonight. I wasn’t sure of the song choice at first, but it turned out to be perfect. It’s the best he’s sounded in weeks, and I’m glad the judges saw that too.

I think that tonight is the first week that Melinda has sung a current song, and she did it phenomenally well. I don’t see how she won’t win this thing.

Of course, she’ll have to contend with Blake. Right before he started signing I said to my husband “I hope he doesn’t mess this up.” “Imagine” is truly one of the most beautiful songs ever written, and I really liked his performance. I don’t know about the judges – it was a lot better than they gave him credit for. Hopefully he’ll be safe again this week.

I can’t believe that Lakisha made the same mistake two weeks in a row – singing a song from a former Idol. I agree with the judges. She has a very different sound than Fantasia, and her version paled by comparison to the original. She very well could be going home tomorrow night.

Phil sounded great again this week. He’s really found his niche, and he’s probably saved himself for another week on the show.

Jordin finished off the night giving Melinda a run for her money. She is simply amazing.

So I’m going to actually vote tonight since apparently some money will go to charity for my vote. Won’t say who I’ll be voting for, but you can bet that Blake (my pick to win it all) will get at least a few of them. And who will be going home? It’ll be a shocker, but I think it’s the end of the road for Lakisha.

Dancing With the Stars...

Still watching, loved the group number, and thinking that Billy Ray and John will be the bottom two.

Stefani is Hired!

I don't have a whole lot to say about the finale of The Apprentice: LA. It was a really good season, and the finale was just one big disappointment. Don't get me wrong - I really thought that Stefani deserved to win. But I hated the final task, and there was very little substance to the finale. I'm also disappointed that Stefani (or anyone else) never defended her lack of being PM by pointing out the structure of the show this year. In past seasons, everyone took their turn being PM. This season, the teams either won (and kept the same PM) or lost, and the person who was under fire in the boardroom felt like they had to "step up." Because Stefani was never in that "under fire" position, she never had the opportunity to be PM. I'm guessing that Trump watched how Stefani really did lead the team on each episode, which is why she was hired, but who knows.

There's also some rumblings on the web that there might be more to Stefani getting hired than we saw on the show. Something to do with Trump and James. I'm looking into it...I'll post when I figure out more.

Anothe Non-Elimination Leg Saves Cha Cha Chas

We're down to the final four on The Amazing Race: All Stars, and it's finally getting good. We're seeing some tougher tasks, and some truly all-star caliber game play. Finally.

The big story of the episode was the game play of the beauty queens. After Danny & Oswald offered to yield a team for them in exchange for some much needed cash, Dustin & Kandice paid $45 for Eric & Danielle to be yielded. Some may think this is a horrible move (for both teams); I loved it. It's not like they were backstabbing or cheating - they made a smart move in the game. The girls had saved a lot of money (a smart move), had already used their yield (also a smart move), and were presented with an opportunity to slow down a very fast team. Why is that wrong?

The girls also showed why they deserve to be a top team. They did each task very deliberately, taking the time to make sure they did it right. Remember, not paying attention cost them the race last season - they have clearly learned from their mistake, and are going to be tough to beat. I also liked the game play of Eric & Danielle. They made up HOURS of time on this leg, with minimal swearing (though Eric had plenty of choice words for Danny & Oswald, even after the beauty queens sort of came clean to them). They are going to be very tough to beat as well.

I continue to love Danny & Oswald and hate Charla & Mirna. I can't handle Mirna's constant yelling. And I was also glad to see Mirna's poor driving finally cost them some time on the race (both this leg and how much time they clearly lost on the last one). Hopefully Danny & Oswald can make up some time and knock Charla & Mirna right out of the race.

Best Reality Show of the Weekend

That's right, back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs to cap off a sweep of the Yankees. Between that (that's right, four home runs in a row) and Mariano Rivera blowing the save on Friday night I'm very very happy.

Best Survivor of the Season

That's right. Last night's episode of Survivor was by far the best of the season.

The reward challenge was one that is done on almost every season, and is almost always my favorite. The combination of finding out what others think of you and finding out where you fall in the order of the tribe is sometimes the beginning of the end for castaways. And, of course, there's the added layer of choosing people to come with you on the reward. Fantastic. Cassandra was really smart, taking the people who she knew that she needed to firm up an alliance with. It was a big move - maybe she's a better player than we thought she was.

The immunity challenge was great too. Endurance challenges are always good at this point of the show, and those pegs they were standing on looked horrible. I don't know how they stayed on as long as they did.

So after the challenge was when the fun began. The scrambling that took place on the beach made for incredible television. I couldn't tear my eyes away from it. This is the first season where the idols are playing out like this, and it's huge. Then there's Dreamz. I can't tell if he is just a young kid without much of a filter (whatever he thinks he says), an amazing Survivor strategy player, or a little of both. There's also the element of just plain dumb luck. How he has survived this long playing both sides is a mystery. And I'm starting to like him more and more. Rumor has it that something big happens with him - there's only four more episodes, so it sure needs to happen soon.

So after all the scrambling, tribal council was fantastic. Every single one of them was sitting there, looking smug in the knowledge that their alliance had pulled off an amazing vote. And the cameramen did a phenomenal job of capturing their faces as Probst read the first vote for Edgardo. Wow. I'm sad to see Edgardo go - he was one of my favorites. I'm also a little confused about the hidden idol - I'm surprised to hear that they're going to re-hide it. That's a huge twist that they probably never saw coming. I can't wait to see how it will play out.

Bye Bye Sanjaya

Oh thank goodness. Ding dong Sanjaya is gone.

I thought that the bigger story of the night, though, was how Simon dealt with the fall out from his apparent reaction to Chris wishing the families at Virginia Tech well. If you didn't see it, Chris and Simon were arguing about singing nasaly, when Chris threw out a wish to those at Tech. When they shot back to Simon he was rolling his eyes. Apparently, Simon was actually reacting to what Paula said, and the producers did an amazing job of showing both Simon and Chris at the same time, split screen. They turned up the mics on the judges, and there's no question that Simon was right. Wow. I'm amazed at how quickly Idol was able to fix this, and the revelation that the judges aren't always hearing everything that goes on on stage. Very interesting.

So during the ridiculously drawn-out results show, we saw what was probably the best group number of the season, and that they did the same thing they did last year when they were down to seven - split them into two groups of three and make the last person choose which group to go with. This year's victim was Melinda, who wisely sat down in the center of the stage. Turns out that the bottom three was Blake, Lakisha, and Sanjaya, with Blake being sent back to safety. Not surprising at all. And finally, after so many long weeks, Sanjaya's going home.

Country Week on Idol

When we were talking about the fact that this was country week on Idol today at work, everyone had the same reaction - "Oh." It's usually a train wreck, except for the lucky ew who actually want to be country singers. And with no Carrie Underwood or Kellie Pickler this year, it should be an interesting night.

Phil started the show off really strong - I think that was probably his best performance this season. It was a great song choice for his voice, and a great way to start the show. I loved, too, how he interacted with the crowd. (didn't you just love seeing producer Nigel rocking out?)

I wish I could change my pick to win in my Idol pool (yes, that's right, I picked Blake in an Idol pool). If I could, I would totally choose Jordin. Wow. She was amazing again tonight, showing how a really great singer can sing in any genre.

What else is there to say about Sanjaya? I'm glad that the judges are back to being honest about it. I wonder if they had some sort of meeting with the judges and producers about Sanjaya. Something about an agreement to go back to being brutally honest and letting the "vote for the worst" people continue to do their thing. I also have to wonder if at some point the producers won't somehow make him come in last (I don't know how...maybe pay people to vote thousands and thousands of times for the rest?).

For the first time in the competition, I really didn't like Lakisha's performance. She made a really poor song choice for her voice (in addition to making the mistake of choosing a song from a former-Idol - a real no-no). She is an amazing singer, but her voice isn't suited at all to a song like that. I know she has a big fan base, but she might actually be in trouble this week.

Chris wasn't great this week. And I don't understand his banter with Simon about him singing "nasaly" on purpose. It doesn't make any sense. My only thought is that he was more affected by the VA Tech shootings than he let on to. Chris is from Virginia, where a huge chunk of kids go to Tech and we are all rather shaken up.

My favorite part of Melinda's performance was her taped piece before she sang where she made a comment about singing a "current" song. I looked it up (since I hadn't heard it before either); it came out in 1999. I suppose by Melinda standards that makes it current. I was also glad that Simon finally asked her to lose the "gee whiz you really like me?" act. Thank goodness. It really was a good performance - another example of how good singers can sing any genre.

I didn't love Blake tonight. I don't know why - he's been my favorite this season. It was ok - hopefully it was enough to keep him around another week.

Overall, it was a much better night than I expected. And other than the fact that I can kiss my money in the Idol pool goodbye, I have no clue who will go tomorrow night. I'm hoping we'll finally see Sanjaya in the bottom three, though it's not likely. What's more likely is that this will be one of those shocker weeks when a favorite gets elminated and we'll sadly say goodbye to Lakisha.