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. :)