S18: Meryl Davis: Ice Princess

[tarotx]

Well Danica was doing math related things and thenthe week she was hurt she traveled to a big conference. I don't think the song focused enough on her math and writing. Or her dance background :p

 

Via watching the show I don't know what everybody else was doing either. Very little of what everybody was doing outside the theme of the episodes and the star/partner season arc were mentioned. 

[Dots And Stripes]

Danica didn't travel all that much. I think NeNe traveled more. Personally I see a huge difference between being committed to a tour and picking up a few sporadic appearance. I think it's worth mentioning if someone is pretty much working another full-time job and not so much if they're making an appearance here or there.

 

I think it's unrealistic to expect the pre-performance packages to accurately reflect a week's worth of training in about 2 minutes. It's even more difficult without the results show because there's less time for everything.

 

Meryl had a great set of packages, even if they ignored all that she was doing. If anything, I just wanted more, but there are time constraints. I didn't mind the Meryl changed Maks narrative, because while I think it was exaggerated, she does bring out the best in him. It's not so much that she changed him, but she did let people see his best side. If you read the Conrad Green interview with the Hollywood Reporter (I posted it in General Gabbery), narratives are important. Maybe Meryl could have had a better or more accurate narrative, but the one the show constructed worked really well. For me, the packages complemented what Meryl and Maks were doing in their dances and reinforced what a great team they were.

[Bitsy]

For me, the packages complemented what Meryl and Maks were doing in their dances and reinforced what a great team they were.

Yeah, I agree.  Focusing on their chemistry and their partnership was more relevant to what they were putting on the dance floor than discussing a recurring toe problem.  Just because something can be categorized as drama doesn't necessarily make it interesting.

[tarotx]

Oh Narratives are important. That was my point even if I didn't get it across. They influence even the most cynical watcher. The thing is that all these people are doing things that isn't just learning the dances and very little of anything got into the packages. It's all about the theme and what shows off not just the week's dances but the season arcs that are developing from the day the star and dancer are picked for the season. Meryl had awesome packages even if they were her influence on Maks centric. 

[Dots And Stripes]

Oh Narratives are important. That was my point even if I didn't get it across. They influence even the most cynical watcher. The thing is that all these people are doing things that isn't just learning the dances and very little of anything got into the packages. It's all about the theme and what shows off not just the week's dances but the season arcs that are developing from the day the star and dancer are picked for the season. Meryl had awesome packages even if they were her influence on Maks centric. 

I don't think it's *quite* that controlled. Maybe the show would love to have stories from moment 1, but that's a tall order.  While I think packages are important, but they're just one part of the show. A lot of the packages are interchangeable fluff and won't change many votes.

 

With Meryl and Maks, there were a lot of things about their dynamic that worked well. I don't think what we saw was the plan from day 1. I totally expected the show to play up Meryl vs. Charlie more. I was shocked that Meryl and Charlie had different dance styles and weren't performing back to back on premiere night. Luckily for Meryl, she was able to generate interest outside of her friendly competition with Charlie, because it sounds like the show wasn't interested in a Meryl vs. Charlie rivalry if they were going to stay sweet and supportive.

[Barbara Manatee]

 

While I think packages are important, but they're just one part of the show. A lot of the packages are interchangeable fluff and won't change many votes.

 

I see it the opposite way - because so many packages are fluff, the few that aren't become that much more powerful, which has a huge influence on the voting. From what I read around the web, tons of people got invested in Meryl and Maks more for their storyline than their dancing. The emotional connection is what drives a lot of voting.

[TeeM]

The thing is that all these people are doing things that isn't just learning the dances and very little of anything got into the packages. It's all about the theme and what shows off not just the week's dances but the season arcs that are developing from the day the star and dancer are picked for the season. Meryl had awesome packages even if they were her influence on Maks centric. 

Oh, I totally agree and I actually have no complaints any of the packages. I think I was just more surprised that the narrative didn't become "Look how amazing Meryl and Charlie are...doing all this and dancing too" just as a previous poster said she was surprised they didn't play up the Charlie vs Meryl angle more. Having watched this show for so long, it seemed like that both of those are the types of storyline the producers would eat right up and beat us over the head with. I'd just be curious to know if they did plan to show more of it and if something derailed that or if they just made a conscious decision to ignore it all together. I think it would be super interesting to be in some of the production meetings in those few weeks leading up to the first episode as they start seeing the stars and their pros working together just to hear where they think the narratives are going and how they begin to frame things. 

[gigi1701]

That being said, I'm not sure what to make of Meryl's appearance on the Wendy William's show. I know Maks has been on her show before and would know what to expect, but that was not a good opportunity for Meryl, not just because of the over-the-top question about whether she was having sex with Maks but WW's statement that Meryl shouldn't have even been on DWTS to begin with.

Oh dear, Wendy Williams is one I put in the same category as the Abby dancing moms horror show. Why do they even get air time? I have never watched her show and never will, Meryl just had an amazing win and DWTS season and WW taints by asking such questions?? Shame on Wendy!!

[cali1981]

I have watched Meryl and Maks brilliant contemporary freestyle more times than I can count. On some repeat viewings, there are new little things that are discovered.  For instance, at the end, when they almost kiss and then hug Meryl is gently stroking the back of Maks' neck. That can't be planned or rehearsed.   It's these very tiny moments that make a lot of us wish that the two of them would give it a shot after the show.  If not and they go their separate ways, so be it but they will always be remembered as having the best "romantic" chemistry that DWTS has ever seen. 

 

I never really thought of Meryl as particularly pretty and in some of the packages her eyes are very narrow but, when the makeup artists on the show got it right (which was almost always), especially with eye makeup, that girl looked downright amazing.  Of course the same can be said of Cheryl and some of the other pro women.  DWTSs makeup team is as good as it gets.

[cali1981]

To say that person is unwell would be an understatement. I don't think they know much about anything and are just blinded by their hatred of Meryl and Charlie -- Meryl in particular, as they seem to have a special brand of deep seething hatred

Because I don't follow Olympic sports in the off years I wasn't aware of that blogger. Geez, her vitriol towards Meryl is scarily pathological. I did, with great amusement, notice that that there were no screeds for May 19th and 20th. She must have been in mourning after Meryl's win! Edited June 2, 2014 by cali1981

[PBGamer89]

Meryl was such a deserving winner. Her dances are still watchable for me.

 

Also, I'm from TWoP, some of you maybe recognize me from there! Hello all!

[Dots And Stripes]

I see it the opposite way - because so many packages are fluff, the few that aren't become that much more powerful, which has a huge influence on the voting. From what I read around the web, tons of people got invested in Meryl and Maks more for their storyline than their dancing. The emotional connection is what drives a lot of voting.

I think Meryl and Maks had entertaining packages, but I think the entertainment came mostly from fluff. The week of the tango and jive there was more of a dramatic story, but most weeks it was fluff. I think their chemistry and rapport was evident in the rehearsal space, which made them stand out in those packages. I still characterize it as fluff because it doesn't strike me as the sort of think that was planned out or contrived.

[Bitsy]

Thinking back about Maks and Meryl's packages, I'm struck by how all of the footage seemed to come from Day 1 of their rehearsals (you could tell because when they were traveling, most of the footage would still be from when they were in DWTS's LA studio on Tuesday).  It wasn't usually dramatic stuff, it was just the two of them interacting, Maks being a character, and Maks saying little soundbites. 

 

Compare that to Charlie and Sharna, who didn't produce enough entertainment in a whole week of rehearsals to come up with a good package.  I think Sharna maybe was too solicitous of Charlie.  She was more entertaining when she was with Cody ("pull your damn pants up") and on the rare occasion when she'd tease Charlie ("how could he be so uncoordinated, he was a hockey player!")

[tarotx]

All these packages are Fluff since these packages are what we who watch figure skating call fluff pieces ;) They are made to push want ever fits what the producers what to tell. Usually a positive piece on the growth of a skater since the last big Competition. Sometimes they are about regression or injury since the last big competition. On DWTS, it's the agenda of getting the audience interested enough to watch the performance that they are about to show and to want to watch more. Plus there are some other agenda's as well. Pushing whatever reason for the weeks theme. Also to help sell a popular star who's getting the votes even when their dancing isn't the best. And some believe to show support for long term pros and pros that have shown loyalty and/or are known to have a big following. 

 

Maks creates his dances on his star so chemistry is often something that is a big deal with his choreography. And since chemistry plays well to the audience, tptb played that up with Meryl. And that is what they should do-play up what will best sell the star and dance. 

 

I just wish that when a story isn't a given, tptb would just show rehearsal footage and allow the dance to sell itself. I guess that belongs in a more general thread though Meryl's dances would have sold themselves without all the chemistry talk&show in the packages.

[TeeM]

I have to say that I have never, ever been a person who goes back and watches past dances over and over again until this season. I've definitely gone back maybe once or twice to see something that one of the judges mentioned that I missed or something like that but I've never gone back after the season is over and all is said and done. Since the finale, I have rewatched several of Maks and Meryl's dances because they captivated me so much. I do hope that they work together on something again in the future because I'd love to see them dance together again. 

[COESpiral]

Apparently Meryl and Charlie are going to be doing a HuffPost interview live tomorrow around 10:30 EST.  Questions for the interview have already been submitted but I'm hoping someone asks about the future TV projects they allegedly have lined up with ABC.  Previous shows they've been a part of combined figure skating and gymnastics, so I'm hoping that maybe there will be something combining figure skating and dancing.  I just really want to see Meryl/Maks and Charlie/Sharna dance together again!

[tarotx]

Meryl and Charlie were on HuffpostLive and it has a nice range of conversations from skating, dwts, sponsors, relationships and life <3
http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/meryl-davis-charlie-white-dancing-with-the-stars-/537f698afe3444d20b0001b6

 

And Maks posted a nice picture of him and Meryl

http://Instagram.com/p/oxWTpiSQMc/

 

And they found a new way to get around the Maks and Meryl question. Charlie shoots down the Charlie and Maks Ship :P

http://cw23.com/2014/06/03/check-in-with-meryl-davis-charlie-white/

Edited June 3, 2014 by tarotx

[Barbara Manatee]

Meryl's been having Charlie run interference for her on their satellite interviews this morning. When the reporters ask her about the chemistry with Maks, Charlie jumps in to say that while he and Maks did have a special relationship on the show, it was all acting. He hates to break any hearts, but he's staying with his girlfriend. Very cute.

 

I'm impressed that they seem to be having so much fun answering the same questions over and over again. This bit with WGN is also adorable. No wonder Puffs sent them to New York to do the media rounds - they're so good at it.

[cali1981]

 

And Maks posted a nice picture of him and Meryl

http://Instagram.com/p/oxWTpiSQMc/

It pretty funny when you see all of the efforts to "skate around" the relationship questions and then you see this picture and the questions and speculation begin all over again.  You have to admit though that they have the look of a couple in this shot. 

Meryl and Charlie's deflecting the question to Maks and Charlie is pretty inventive.

[Toonces464]

If not and they go their separate ways, so be it but they will always be remembered as having the best "romantic" chemistry that DWTS has ever seen.

 

 

Remembered that way by some. Remembered by others as the biggest showmance in the history of DWTS so the pro could win his mirrorball.

[MarySNJ]

 

Remembered that way by some. Remembered by others as the biggest showmance in the history of DWTS so the pro could win his mirrorball.

Do you believe the entire relationship was faked for the cameras, that there were no genuine feelings between Meryl and Maks?

 

As an aside, I went looking for Puffs Soft Pack when I was in CVS today because Meryl and Charlie spoke so highly of them - LOL. Alas, they were not available.

Edited June 3, 2014 by MarySNJ

[Toonces464]

Do you believe the entire relationship was faked for the cameras, that there were no genuine feelings between Meryl and Maks?

 

 

Yes. They're friends, just like he's friends with a lot of his former partners. They developed a bond dancing together, just like he developed a bond with a lot of his former partners dancing together. Everything else is typical Maks/Lizzie PR 101 from the Kate Upton pic to last night's dinner pic to today's interrupted interview.

[TeeM]

 

 

I'm impressed that they seem to be having so much fun answering the same questions over and over again. This bit with WGN is also adorable. No wonder Puffs sent them to New York to do the media rounds - they're so good at it.

Here's hoping that Maks takes a page out of their book and maybe event hires their media/PR people for himself. While they were being charming and adorable skating around these questions (haha), Maks was on a radio interview with his awful publicist busting in mid-question to say that he wouldn't answer any questions about Meryl. It was ridiculous and awkward and unnecessary.The DJ actually threatened to end the interview and not promote Ballroom with A Twist which is why Maks was calling in.  Maks has been successfully skating around the question himself for the past 2 weeks in a perfectly acceptable way so I am not sure why his publicist felt the need to intervene other than because she is just plain terrible at her job. Which she is. Ugh. 

[Toonces464]

Maks has been successfully skating around the question himself for the past 2 weeks in a perfectly acceptable way so I am not sure why his publicist felt the need to intervene other than because she is just plain terrible at her job. Which she is. Ugh.

 

 

Maks has been skating around questions about dating his partners for years. He's handled himself just fine without her intervention. All part of the great PR plan.

 

Meryl has no idea what she's gotten herself into.

[Miss Slay]

I'm confused by these two. I watched all the Mery interviews that were posted. She and Charlie are so great! But why not just say that they aren't dating?I know they said it once but why not keep saying it? That's what she and Charlie did until finally people stopped asking.

[Toonces464]

I'm confused by these two. I watched all the Mery interviews that were posted. She and Charlie are so great! But why not just say that they aren't dating?I know they said it once but why not keep saying it? That's what she and Charlie did until finally people stopped asking.

 

 

What's the difference? She said they weren't dating and people still kept loading down her Twitter and Instagram asking when she and Maks are getting married. And with Maks playing his usual "it's between me and Meryl and no one will ever hear it from me" game, she can stand on her head and shout it off a rooftop and it's not going to change anything.

 

If you're as private as she says she is, you don't play coy (either way) or retweet pictures you know will continue to fuel the fire. Personally I think Meryl is starting to enjoy all the all the media and fan attention on her personal life.

[Barbara Manatee]

I don't know if there's anything going on with Maks and Meryl, but refusing to talk about her private life isn't a new thing for her. I don't think I've ever heard Meryl say anything more specific than admitting a few times that she and Charlie both had significant others. I'm not seeing this as a sudden love of the spotlight. Maybe Maks asked her to not to say anything, or maybe she genuinely feels it simply isn't anyone's business.

Edited June 4, 2014 by Barbara Manatee

[Aunt Dahlia]

Honestly, people have never stopped asking about Meryl and Charlie even with all the attention on her and Maks. I think other than losing her temper a little on Wendy Williams,she will continue to skate around the question because they seem to really be friends.

I have been following Meryl and Charlie for years and I don't think she would talk about their great relationship unless she really was fond of Maks. Of course she has been living in the bubble that most Olympic athletes need to be in. She probably really doesn't know all the baggage the man seems to have.

[WhitneyWhit]

Considering who her ex boyfriend is, I think she knows all about men with baggage and how to handle them.

 

The last thing I would ever call an ice dancer is naïve. The shenanigans in that sport put everyone else to shame.

[mehtotheworld]

Gah, Meryl and Charlie really are adorable together! Nothing too new, but the interviews were a lot of fun. I especially enjoyed the Huffington Post Live interview. Least awkward probing for an answer to Maks/Meryl yet, I think, especially with the slick segue into why there's such a fascination with the possibility (as there was for a short time with the possibility of Meryl/Charlie being together--which certainly surprised this long-time fan).

 

I keep coming back to the question of what kind of opportunities popped up that will keep them too busy to do more than online classes at the University of Michigan, which wasn't part of their original plan. I'm hoping it's more than just the Disson skating shows, which are sometimes so cheesy and nonsensical, the secondhand embarrassment kills me (anyone here that can make sense of a Figure Skating + Gymnastics show?).

[Aunt Dahlia]

Yeah when it comes to skating specials I have seen some really bad ones. I used to love the old Ice Wars ones though so I am hoping that they can make something great for the sport.

Meanwhile in support of Maks and Meryl being real friends they were somewhere together last night with a bunch of his friends while he gave his friend Teddy a shave. One of their other friends was tweeting pictures of Meryl being there laughing along with the others.

Not at all a couple thing in my opinion but a friend type of thing.

[tarotx]

Meryl seems to have really bonded with the dancers. They spent a lot of time together. Not just Maks and Meryl though them the most with travel and training. Jenna Johnson said that her and Meryl instantly connected. 

[Barbara Manatee]

I was glad to hear in one of yesterday's interviews that Meryl and Charlie feel as though they've had a chance to get used to the positive and negative attention that comes with fame since it didn't happen all out once. It must be unnerving to have thousands of strangers telling you that you're in love and have to get married. Apparently some of the more dedicated fans have somehow gotten ahold of their flight schedules today. That's creepy. 

[Bitsy]

I'm hoping it's more than just the Disson skating shows, which are sometimes so cheesy and nonsensical, the secondhand embarrassment kills me (anyone here that can make sense of a Figure Skating + Gymnastics show?).

Yeah, I generally keep my mouth shut on the skating forums because I don't want to be negative, but I HATE the Disson shows.  They are a complete mess and have always been a waste of time.  There's always some incredibly cheesy concept like Smokey Robinson singing on a dais in the middle of the ice while skaters half-heartedly skate around him.  The skaters always look like they spent all of 5 minutes working on their programs, and they can barely move anyway because they give them so little ice space.  I'm hoping that Meryl & Charlie have more going on than the Disson shows and/or some better producers get involved in the Disson shows so they aren't so horrible.

[katha]

Considering who her ex boyfriend is, I think she knows all about men with baggage and how to handle them.

 

The last thing I would ever call an ice dancer is naïve. The shenanigans in that sport put everyone else to shame.

LOL, yeah, FS is a viper's nest and has always been. Ice dancing in particular. The Sasha/Pasha/Maya/Evgeny saga will never not be hilarious. Zhulin's antics in the romance department in general. Dubova coaching drama. Linichuck coaching drama. Morozov's creepy ways. Whatever nonsense is always going on with the French federation and the poor skaters having to deal with it. Fusar-Poli's death stare, heh. The Elena/Nikita/Ruslan/Viktoria switcheroo going on currently in Russian ice dancing. Russian ice dancing in general. Shpilband/Zueva coaching split drama and whatever role both V/M and D/W played in it. Andreev's shenanigans. B/A leaving Canton because they were being sidelined in favour of V/M. V/M not leaving Zueva even though they probably saw that D/W were taking over and then IMO being all passive-aggressive about it this last season. V/M's hilarious reality show. Meryl and Charlie have seen it all and have probably participated in some of it, there's no way to survive in this sport otherwise. The figure skating world is like the dancing world in that regard, USFS is just really into projecting this IMO rather old-fashioned, 1950ies style image of the sport and that's not being questioned by the general media since interest in the sport is rather tepid anyway. I'm sure Meryl felt right at home on DWTS in this regard. (-;

 

Perhaps there could be a death match between all the crazy shippers? V/M shippers vs. D/W shippers vs.M/M shippers? If they're focused on each other, they might stay away from being hateful and creepily invasive about people they don't know... And count me in among those who hope that the Disson shows aren't the usual tacky mess. It's always some middle of the road generic ballad stuff with uninspired, slapped together "choreography" and terrible camera work.

Edited June 5, 2014 by katha

[Aunt Dahlia]

Do you know for sure it is Disson? I just heard four ABC specials but you might be right.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Aunt Dahlia

[WhitneyWhit]

Yeah, it's Disson. There were a few press releases right around the start of DWTS that ABC had snagged the Disson shows away from NBC, and that Meryl and Charlie had signed on to headline.

 

I'm hoping that the buzz around D/W will carry over into some good ratings and that perhaps it will convince ABC to try and get the ISU competitions back. Disson said that one of the reasons they went with ABC was that they promised them better timeslots, rather than airing them in the middle of a Sunday afternoon the way NBC always did.

 

ETA: I saw on Twitter that someone said their CVS had a note on the door that said the softpacks weren't available yet because apparently a lot of people have been asking. P&G must be thrilled with Meryl and Charlie right now, lol.

Edited June 5, 2014 by WhitneyWhit

[Barbara Manatee]

Puffs should give them a bonus for being able to describe the tragedy of a squished tissue box with straight faces. Maybe that's why they were so giddy otherwise.

 

 

I'm hoping that the buzz around D/W will carry over into some good ratings and that perhaps it will convince ABC to try and get the ISU competitions back.

 

If only! Though I do think the desire for ratings guarantees a lot of cheese. The audience for pure skating is not very big these days.

[WhitneyWhit]

Meryl and Charlie have announced they won't compete this season, although they stopped short of announcing a full retirement. Not really surprised by this news, and I won't be surprised if a full retirement is announced later this year. In another interview, Meryl said they're going to be busier than they thought in the coming months and won't be home a lot.

[Bitsy]

I don't think they'll ever announce their retirement.  There's no need to formally retire unless they want to participate in a pro competition that is not sanctioned by the ISU, which is unlikely because those don't exist anymore.  It's far better for them endorsement-wise to maintain the illusion that they are active skaters who are simply taking a break.

[COESpiral]

Yep. I mean, Michelle Kwan never "officially" retired, she just stopped competing. I figure Meryl and Charlie might go the same route although it might be harder for a pair to do such a thing. I'm hoping they'll stick around for at least 2016 Worlds as they'll be held in Boston.

If anyone wants to talk skating there is a figure skating thread in the sports forum. But it's the off-season so not much is going on.

[tarotx]

I think there is a small chance that they will come back for Boston worlds but this is a team that already has Silver and Gold Olympic medals in ice dancing and then a Team Olympic Bronze medal. They are the USA's first ever Ice dancing world champions. This team doesn't need to do more. I will miss them and hope to see more because I think their partnership is very unique and I will miss that quality and the power and excitement from watching them move across the ice. I think the thing that makes me sad is thinking I'll never see them do twizzles again....

Edited June 8, 2014 by tarotx

[tarotx]

Charlie and Meryl are up for ESPY awards as best male and best female Olympians. I hope their new DWTS fans can help get them each a win. Figure skaters don't usually get much respect in the wider sports world, so it'd be really sweet.

 

Here are the direct links :)

Meryl: http://espn.go.com/espys/2014/vote/?id=11044319

Charlie: http://espn.go.com/espys/2014/vote/?id=11044300

If you have time you can vote on each of your Browsers on the computer and phone ;)

[Aunt Dahlia]

Thanks for posting those links. I already voted on ESPN site but I hope that people will take time to do this.

[COESpiral]

I wasn't sure where else to discuss this and didn't want to start a new thread, so I hope it's okay to put this news here. 

 

Seems people have whined hard enough:  Meryl Davis will be doing the Chmerkovskiy/Dovolani production of Sway on December 17 (two shows that day).  Zendaya will be doing the show on December 20.  From what I'm hearing, due to the fact that Meryl and Charlie, along with Maks and Sharna will be doing the Shall We Dance On Ice production the day before in Illinois, Maks and Meryl won't have time to do much of anything new and will be doing a "greatest hits" version of their DWTS dances.

[Uke]

I hope you don't mind my suggestion COESpiral ...there's both Maks and Meryl threads. They're both currently on page 2 of the list of threads but when you post something, it brings the thread back to the top of page 1.  If you posted updates on either of those threads the news about Sway and Shall We Dance will be all in one place for those interested in attending or tuning in.

[surreysmum]

Meryl has married long-time love Fedor Andreev, according to People:

https://people.com/sports/meryl-davis-marries-fedor-andreev/?fbclid=IwAR20gql6se0PPmvTn1I_AJ0Z8VjMh4Q9S-qQS-CKvKHTzyG0ZghQ8ryB5q0h

[DkNNy79]

On 6/23/2019 at 2:40 PM, surreysmum said:

Meryl has married long-time love Fedor Andreev, according to People:

https://people.com/sports/meryl-davis-marries-fedor-andreev/?fbclid=IwAR20gql6se0PPmvTn1I_AJ0Z8VjMh4Q9S-qQS-CKvKHTzyG0ZghQ8ryB5q0h

Not a fan of her make up.  The neutral tones just wash her out.  I like her wedding dress but on her its not a home run to me.   I think the beige undertones of the dress wash aren't a good fit for her skin tone.

Her engagement ring is gorgeous though.