[S10.E14: The Live Playoffs, Night 1]

Who did Christina give up Joe for? I remember expecting she was going to make that choice and not wanting her to because I knew he could do a true performance like he did. He came out not like an aspiring artist but like a professional successful performer in his prime. Love. Hope he can sustain that and win.

Kata.

[S10.E14: The Live Playoffs, Night 1]

There's a part of me that would rather see "I Feel the Earth Move" if we're going to see a contestant rock a Carole King song. At this point the next contestant may actually have to be on uppers to keep the "Let's make Natural Woman a belted rock out!" trend going. I've always preferred I Feel the Earth Move (yeah, I'm weird) and I don't think I've ever seen it done on a singing show (not that I watch very many), so at least if it gets slaughtered, I'll be happy someone tried it. Alisan would be good for it. It's got lovely dynamics...

[S22.E04: Week 4]

I just struggle to enjoy the football players no matter how good they are because the show pimps them and props them way too hard. I get that having a big, strong football player do ballroom is way more a novelty than having, say, an actress or a singer, but enough is enough. Three of them this season and one in particular has already stayed past his sell-by date.

I don't know that labeling someone as "a football player" and sticking them all in the same box is entirely fair. Flutie was never the premier player Antonio and Von were. He's primarily known for his college career (he was a Heisman winner) and is famous to Canadian football fans for his 8 fantastic years in the CFL, but he spent most of his time in the NFL as a back up QB because he is 5'9". Buffalo Bills fans love him for getting them to the playoffs in the late 90s, but once to the playoffs he was pulled for the inept-but-larger Rob Johnson. (Yeah. I'm a Bills fan. I think my brother still has an unopened box of Flutie Flakes.) That storyline about being judged for his size is true. It's all you heard about when he played football... "Can he do it? He's so small!"

As to how much effort Antonio is putting in, my brother lives in Pittsburgh currently. Apparently Steelers fans (and thus the sports media) went nuts when they heard Antonio was doing DWTS. They do NOT want him injured. I lived there when Hines Ward was on DWTS and they handled it ok, so the reaction might have been a surprise to him. So it wouldn't surprise me if he's taking it easy on dancing and focusing on football because he doesn't want this to turn into some sort of media circus. That's just a guess, of course. He also could just not care. :)

Mostly I just try to judge people by their dancing (and a little bit their personalities) rather than what they do. Like others, I'm impressed at the overall talent in this crop of celebs. I'm also ok with everyone who has gone home so far. Geraldo and Mischa had no rhythm. Marla felt lifeless to me, and I kept forgetting about her. (Beautiful but lifeless.) Doug is probably up next.

[S10.E14: The Live Playoffs, Night 1]

For now:

33 Alisan Porter Cry Baby (The Voice Performance)

46 Adam Wakefield Seven Spanish Angels (The Voice Performance)

54 Nick Hagelin Stay (The Voice Performance)

Seriously? That was the worst performance of Stay I've ever heard. It was a really different melody from the original, which might not have bothered me as much if Nick hadn't also done his Way Too Much Falsetto Thing. I can't imagine listening to that and thinking, "I must buy this version of Stay on iTunes!" (I know, I know. Music is a very personal thing.)

I feel kind of bad posting this, but I was underwhelmed by many of the performances tonight. Alisan bored me. Tamar was pitchy. Mary Sarah apparently only sings songs older than I am (but if you've seen enough Lawrence Welk show in your life, you know them). Paxton's song choice was hideously repetitive. Kata still strikes me as a great karaoke singer who seriously needs to drink less Mt Dew. Justin competently did my favorite Travis Tritt song, but didn't blow me away. I pretty much forgot Katie as soon as she finished singing. Ryan connected better than other times and pulled the boring white guy going for the music nerd heartthrob look, so I fully expect him to get voted through.

My favorite performance was by Bryan. I thought he was interesting without oversinging or using too many gimmicks (or too much falsetto). I was also really pleasantly surprised by Joe's performance. I liked Adam, but as others have said, his enunciation needs work.

I hate sounding so negative as they could all clearly outsing me, but I was simply expecting performances that resonated more with me. Hopefully Tuesday night will be better.

[S10.E12: The Knockouts, Part 3]

I'm half tempted to start an online petition requesting that Katherine perform live at some point. If I have to sit through three (soon to be four) of Kata's performances, I should at least get to hear Katherine's voice once, even if she isn't my taste.

[S22.E03: Week 3]

I don't know. I'm a bit tired of people overreacting to judge's critiques that are fair. A few seasons ago, CAI got crap for her comment about NeeNee needing to dance larger because she is a big woman, and people went apeshit. NeeNee IS a big woman. She is tall and carries some weight (in some very good places), and baby, she works it. I don't think CAI should have had to search for namby pamby words to state a fact, and neither did NeeNee.

I think it's the same thing here. The feel or overall tone of Nyle's movements last week didn't quite match the feel of the music. By all means she should mention that as something for Peta to work on conveying. Is it a lot to expect by week 2? Yes. But it was a critique she would give anyone, and I think most of us believe if the concept is conveyed to Nyle, he can dance it. (After all, don't models get told to give off certain emotions during shoots? I'm sure it's not a foreign concept.) Deep breaths and untwist the panties, folks.

EDIT: I should specify that people have been pretty reasonable on this site. A few other places I've seen some "get the torches and pitchforks!" kind of thing, which is what prompted the above.

While I find Ginger slightly annoying, I have to give her props for dancing three months after a C section while working. Most women I know are just trying not to kill the kid or husband at that point and possibly snag a nap occasionally.

Kim looks much better with her dark hair. Simplymom and I snorted in synchro when Marla claimed Donald Trump wasn't yet a household name when she knew him. He really was, Marla.

And I, too, continue to be underwhelmed by Witney's choreo.

I should add that despite all my criticisms, I'm fairly certain everyone except Mischa and Geraldo can outdance me. So good for them.

[S22.E03: Week 3]

I don't think she was shortchanging him as she was pointing out that it's difficult for any non dancer to learn musicality in week two. I don't think it's insulting to note that it's even more difficult for Nyle because he is deaf. To me, it sounded like she was saying he could learn that musicality, but it's going to take time since it had been only week two. Carrie Ann should just be more careful in how she phrases things. Don't use words that don't adequately convey what you're trying to say.

What I recall CAI saying was that he didn't match the TONE of the dance. I didn't think her comments were that unclear or inappropriate for week 2. I thought she was saying the overall feel of the way Nyle danced last week didn't quite match the song, and honestly I think bringing up something like that should happen. (I also agreed with her. He was great, but it just wasn't quite the right emotion conveyed.) He's good enough that that CAN be addressed, and letting it go on without mentioning it is doing him a disservice. If I were Peta, I'd have a number of people I trusted listen to the music and write down adjectives or impressions that it gives them, then show him/tell him the ones she agrees with to help get across what the song feels like. I can see why CAI would have trouble succinctly explaining it, because I'm still not sure I've managed to do so clearly. :P

I almost flipped to The Voice when I saw this week's theme, but I stuck it out. I'm glad I did. It seemed less full of death and sobbing than usual. I give Doug a pass for the parental love story (and because losing both your parents the same day has to be really, really tough.)

[S10.E12: The Knockouts, Part 3]

Based on what The Voice has bothered to show of her, poor Katherine might as well be named Katherine (W)Ho?

Edited to make bad joke more apparent.

[S10.E11: The Knockouts Premiere, Part 2]

I had never heard the song Moushumi did before and really liked it, and I certainly got why she would identify with it. It's about knowing yourself and your generation, being different than a past generation... I think the line that really stood out to me was "raised on Biggie and Nirvana." Granted, just last year I finally got simplymom to admit that Kurt Cobain could sing, so it might also be that the song resonated much more for me than others.

I think this simply highlights how personal music can be. Different people watch the same performance and come away with completely different responses.

(That's my only explanation for Barrett Baber last season too, though I admit I tend to dislike Bro Country in favor of just about any other type of country.)

I agree, but the judges shouldn't talk about wanting to get into country and complain about never getting country artists when they refuse to steal one despite having multiple opportunities.

I'll give you that. There have been a number who went home early that I really wanted to see more of (not necessarily this season). Dusty one season and, um... Krista?? What was her name? Blake often seems to go with the person he thinks is most marketable to The Establishment in the current climate. Honestly? There's a reason I don't buy a lot of current country music. I don't think The Establishment makes good choices a lot of the time. :P

I'll also agree that the marijuana lyric was going to upset the show's audience, but how boring would the world be if no one ever sang a song that offended someone? That's why I hate when they do Martina McBride's Independence Day on the Voice because they remove all lyrics that make it meaningful. What's the point? (Same with Demi Lovato's Warrior). So I was happy Moushumi actually sang the song the way it was intended instead of bowdlerizing it.

[S10.E10: The Knockouts Premiere]

I don't particularly care for Miley, and my septuagenarian mother despises her and her antics, but we both felt she did an excellent job as a mentor. My mother may now even be open to the possibility of her as a coach. You could have knocked me over with a feather when my mom said that. %uD83D%uDE32

[S10.E11: The Knockouts Premiere, Part 2]

Adam vs Peyton- On a side note, this is another reason why country people don't pick anybody other then Blake. The judges have plenty of opportunities to steal country artists in the battle rounds and knockouts. Yet, they never do, thereby showing that they weren't serious about actually wanting a country artist. Adam was great. If Peyton was up against anybody else but Adam or Mary Sara, I'd say she should go to the Lives, but she wasn't so she goes home instead.

I will respectfully disagree with this. I love the song Travelling Soldier. It has a tendency to make me cry. Peyton's rendition left me unmoved. She felt completely emotionally detached from the song. I think there are enough other talented people in the competition that picking up a country artist solely because they are country would be a mistake. And please, Xtina, get rid of Kata.

Moushumi vs Nick-  Thank god Pharell got rid of that falsetto fool.

Amen. I'll add that I loved Moushumi's song choice. She could have performed it a bit better, but there's a ton of potential there. (OMG! Legal mj! That's shocking. Quick! Go back to the songs about sex and cheating and drinking!)

I can appreciate a good falsetto, but it can get really old for me really fast. Nick was ancient halfway through his blinds for me.