Lizzo's Watch Out For The Big Grrrls - General Discussion

[zenithwit]

Streaming on Amazon Prime:

Quote

Multi-platinum Music Icon Lizzo is in search of her next BIG GRRRL dancers as she heads into her 2022 tour. 13 hopefuls arrive in Hollywood, CA, to leave it all on the floor for a chance to be chosen to take center stage at the Bonnaroo music festival. The stakes are high for the hopefuls and Icon herself as this will be her first time performing in front of a stadium crowd in two years.

Trailer:

 

Anyone watching this show?  I'm three episodes in and think it's an interesting concept so far.

[VengefulScorpio]

I ended up bingeing it last week.  It was entertaining.  Loved all the girls except for Jasmine.  I won’t spoil who gets picked but I can’t wait to talk about it 😯

[emma675]

I've already binged it and I loved it, but I also didn't understand one part of it. Can we discuss all of it now or should we put things in spoilers?

[zenithwit]

2 hours ago, emma675 said:

I've already binged it and I loved it, but I also didn't understand one part of it. Can we discuss all of it now or should we put things in spoilers?

Please don't hold back on my account.  I believe the policy here is that if all of the episodes are available, you can discuss freely (no spoiler tags needed).  I'll catch up soon 🙂  

[zenithwit]

Ok, so I'm five episodes in and Lizzo needs to fire whoever is responsible for safety with her performance stage.  Two girls have fallen off of it!  And it looked like Jayla was really hurt.  Though she was still wearing her heels afterwards so maybe it wasn't that bad?

[bilgistic]

I finished this within two days of its release. It was a revelation! I can't wait to see Lizzo on SNL this Saturday. I hope to see some of the new dancers with her.

[zenithwit]

A few girls from the show are backup dancers in Lizzo's newest music video.  Also, there is a beautiful close up of Asia in it.

 

[emma675]

I was confused by one thing, didn't they say at the beginning that there were 10 spots open? But they cut Isabel, Kiana, Kimberly, Jasmine, Charity, and Moesha (am I forgetting anyone?) by the end. I thought they should have only cut 3 girls? 

I was really disappointed when Isabel and Moesha were cut, they were two of my faves.

[zenithwit]

On 4/24/2022 at 5:44 PM, emma675 said:

I was confused by one thing, didn't they say at the beginning that there were 10 spots open? But they cut Isabel, Kiana, Kimberly, Jasmine, Charity, and Moesha (am I forgetting anyone?) by the end. I thought they should have only cut 3 girls? 

I was really disappointed when Isabel and Moesha were cut, they were two of my faves.

100% agree about Isabel and Moesha.  Hopefully we'll see them in future projects with Lizzo or other artists.

For your first question, I think Lizzo said she had 10 spots total and 6-7 existing dancers (I don't remember the exact number).  So there were 3-4 spots for new dancers (i.e. the contestants).  But by the end, it seemed like that was kinda thrown out the window and they did whatever Lizzo wanted.  I mean it is her show so of course she can do whatever she wants but it was confusing from a viewer POV.

That being said, I do think this show would have benefited from a more structured format.  Having a more predictable flow and outcome to the season could help Lizzo turn this show into her own regular dance competition series with multiple seasons and not something dependent on her needing to cast dancers for a tour.

[marybennet]

I think what they said in the beginning was that there were ten spots in the house, and they originally had 13 dancers and so would have to lose three at the end of episode 1.  But memory tells me they were always a big vague, on purpose?, about how many could be chosen in the end.  I think some of that was to reduce competitiveness--in line with the show's aims to be a bit untraditional.  If potentially everyone could be chosen, there'd be no need for anyone to be particularly competitive with anyone else.  I liked the ways it was unusual, the ways it didn't have a "voted off the island" quality.  I'm curious, though, about what it really means to be chosen.  Will everybody chosen for the tour really go on the tour?  Will they be hired by her again?  Competitive reality shows don't have a good history (with the exception of Top Chef, I think) in setting people up for good careers, though I think that's what this show--to its credit--seems to want to do.

Edited June 23, 2022 by marybennet

[zenithwit]

Spotted a couple of our Big Grrrls in Lizzo's latest music video.  Moesha looks beautiful.

[zenithwit]

A little late but congrats to Lizzo and the rest of crew for winning the Emmy for best competition series!  Ru must be pissed lol.

https://variety.com/2022/tv/awards/lizzo-emmy-speech-big-grrrls-competition-series-1235370287/

[AnimeMania]

Lizzo Sued For Assault, Sexual Harassment & Discrimination By ‘Watch Out for the Big Grrrls’ Contestants

[zenithwit]

On 8/1/2023 at 11:36 AM, AnimeMania said:

Lizzo Sued For Assault, Sexual Harassment & Discrimination By ‘Watch Out for the Big Grrrls’ Contestants

Damn.  It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.  Also reading the allegations puts this post I wrote back in April 2022 into a new perspective:

On 4/12/2022 at 12:02 AM, zenithwit said:

Ok, so I'm five episodes in and Lizzo needs to fire whoever is responsible for safety with her performance stage.  Two girls have fallen off of it!  And it looked like Jayla was really hurt.  Though she was still wearing her heels afterwards so maybe it wasn't that bad?

 

Side note: Vox had a good article detailing all of the allegations: https://www.vox.com/culture/2023/8/3/23819049/lizzo-sexual-harassment-lawsuit-dancers-hostile-work-environment