S19.E07: Week 5: The Switch-Up

[OakGoblinFly]

Tom had some clever one liners that escape me at the moment, but he is always a highlight of the show for me even if the individual eppy is a  bit of a stinker.

 

I did like his advice to Jesse J after she broke out the 6 paddle "have someone else start your car."

I liked the concept of Lea's dance a lot better than Janel's, mostly because the burlesque thing would be so hard to do well. If Lea had just had fun with it and owned the dance, I think it would have been more of a showstopper. If she is worried about competing with someone, it should be Alfonso and he hasn't done a sexy dance at all.

 

 

I also think that the powers-that-be pushed the whole Val-Lea versus Janel-Artem and how can they top "burlesque" angle -- stupid show.

[OakGoblinFly]

So it looks like the switch week paired with shit dances will probably pop up again next season because the ratings actually went up this week. It's interesting to see how Derek teaches his celebrities. According to Mark and Sadie he pretty much just comes up with things on the spot or will have the dance set and then come in the next day and throw something new in. I can't imagine learning in that fashion that would scare me to death. I also don't think that's a great way to teach a beginner because they don't know the basics and it's hard to have to keep teaching a new section of a dance AND fix their posture and other technical issues. I get the idea of thinking on your toes(ie the instant dance which Mark pointed out) but I think this is why he has to do so much with props or covering up of his partners. I also think it's the reason why Bethany isn't comfortable like she was with Mark. 

 

 

Derek teaches that way on this show because - while he does start with a basic concept, he will modify according to how quickly/slowly his partner is mastering the steps.  Also with Amber (and a few of his other partners), she added some suggestions which Derek incorporated into the routine.

 

As far as Bethany appearing "happier" with Mark - I don't think that's necessarily because of how Mark teaches (if it is true at all) as much as it is more likely because Bethany was presented a style she's more familiar with (while she may not dance "hip hop" well (if at all) being a teenager she is certainly exposed to it more so than ballroom, jazz, or whatever else the powers-that-be will throw at her).  Also, this is her fifth week on the show, I think she's become more and more relaxed as the weeks go by - combine that with a familiar dance and you have what appears to be a "happier" Bethany.

 

I think Bethany was just as happy with Mark as she was with Derek (she pretty much said she liked those two pros the best) .... so in one season she was able to dance with her two favorite pros ---- and honestly, wouldn't that make anyone happy?

 

EDIT: Because spelling matters.

Edited October 15, 2014 by OakGoblinFly

[RemoteControl88]

 though Mark's ridiculous little hip hop outfit the other night did make me want to punch him in the face.

The outfit was a bit...........tragic.  The polka dot sweater did NOT help.  It was hip-hop light for sure.  That said...that was the most animated I've seen Bethany and she seemed to really get into the performance part of the dance for the 1st time.  I agree with whoever said it up thread that it really was cha-cha with some hip hopish moves thrown in.  It wasn't my favorite of the night but she did well with it.  I like hip-hop so this performance didn't quite do it for me but I recognize that she executed it well.

 

Lea's "like me...like me" complex reminds me of Elizabeth Berkley....but Lea is slightly less obsessed about it. I hope Lea can let that go and enjoy dancing.  As a viewer I don't care if there is a slight mistake but if you look like your having fun...then I have fun watching you.  That's probably the reason I enjoy watching Alfonso, Sadie and Janel the most.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I understand Lea's insecurity. Not only is she one of the older contestants, but she doesn't have the nostalgia vote that Alfonso has. Sure, people love Back to the Future, and remember it fondly but most of the love is for Michael J. Fox, not her. She does have some youth recognition from being on Switched at Birth but I think she knows that teenagers who watch ABC Family are more likely to vote for Mona from Pretty Little Liars than a mom on any other ABC Family show.

Part of me likes that she understands that doing well in this show is not just about dancing but getting votes. She is at a disadvantage because she doesn't have a huge/vocal/fanatical fan base like most of the other contestants this season.

I think she is one of the better dancers this season though so I hope she makes the finals!

[sunnyheart]

I wonder if some of that is going on behind the scenes and they either haven't said anything to Allison yet or they have and she can't or won't stop. Mark clearly thought he was the star from day one, and no one ever called him out except for Julianne when she was a guest judge a couple of seasons ago. Peta and Sharna in their first couple of seasons were also about themselves, though none of these three to the extent that Allison is. It seems like they've all toned it way down now, so I'm thinking maybe the producers figured that one attention hog among the pros was okay, but if they were all going to be that way, they'd have to tamp down on it. Regardless, I like all of them better now, and though I can't see ever being a Mark or Peta fan, they're at least tolerable, even though Mark's ridiculous little hip hop outfit the other night did make me want to punch him in the face.

I think several of the pros have made it all about them at one time or another, but they quickly clue in that mugging at the camera and hogging the spotlight won't win them fans. The worst are the pros that overdance their routine and jeez louise, Mark is really guilty of that.  For me, what's really bad about Allison is that she's committed the unforgivable sin of making herself very unlikable.  I was a fan, but I must admit I'll be giving her the ol' side-eye in the future.

 

Bless Mark's heart with his spats and circus costumes and giant beards and gorilla suits. There's never been a pro so enthusiastic about embracing the absurd. Now that he's not such a jerk anymore, I kinda feel fond of him and his obsessions. lol

[spanana]

I understand Lea's insecurity. Not only is she one of the older contestants, but she doesn't have the nostalgia vote that Alfonso has. Sure, people love Back to the Future, and remember it fondly but most of the love is for Michael J. Fox, not her. She does have some youth recognition from being on Switched at Birth but I think she knows that teenagers who watch ABC Family are more likely to vote for Mona from Pretty Little Liars than a mom on any other ABC Family show.

Part of me likes that she understands that doing well in this show is not just about dancing but getting votes. She is at a disadvantage because she doesn't have a huge/vocal/fanatical fan base like most of the other contestants this season.

I think she is one of the better dancers this season though so I hope she makes the finals!

 

I also understand to an extent why Lea seems more focused on the females and not Alfonso.   While this is a competition between  everyone, I think Lea is looking at it more in the context that on the female side there is also way steeper competition than on the male side AND all of her main female competition are young enough to be her children.   I don't think Lea is old, but she's probably seeing it as the teens (and 20 something, but most people associate Janel with a show where she plays a teen) versus herself and the fact that in order to even make it to the finals she would need to overcome at least one of their pre-existing fanbases.  Whereas in some ways it's easier for Alfonso to stand out from the pack because he really has zero competition on the male side.  Alfonso doesn't really have to fight to stand out from the pack in the way that I feel like Lea feels like she needs to fight.  She's also probably right about that to some extent.  As of now I expect the finals to be Alfonso and Sadie with Bethany, Lea and Janel duking it out for the other two spots.  

Edited October 16, 2014 by spanana

[sinkwriter]

 

I understand Lea's insecurity. Not only is she one of the older contestants, but she doesn't have the nostalgia vote that Alfonso has. Sure, people love Back to the Future, and remember it fondly but most of the love is for Michael J. Fox, not her. She does have some youth recognition from being on Switched at Birth but I think she knows that teenagers who watch ABC Family are more likely to vote for Mona from Pretty Little Liars than a mom on any other ABC Family show.

 

I'm cheering for Lea for Back to the Future and for her starring role in a TV show called Caroline in the City. I hope she makes it to the end!

[calipiano81]

 

it really was cha-cha with some hip hopish moves thrown in

 

I understand that some people might not have liked Bethany and Mark's hip hop, prefer a different style of hip hop, wished to have seen certain moves, etc...but this statement is not true. There were no cha cha elements in Bethany and Mark's hip hop. Were there any lock steps, cha-cha-cha rhythms, Cuban breaks, New Yorkers, etc.? If so, please point them out.

 

I saw a little bit of jazz (but many hip hop dancers use some jazz and vice versa) thrown in, a couple of rond de jambs (as Carrie Ann pointed out), and there were two spots where Mark did use a little bit of ballroom in order to fill out the slower transitions in the music. However, IMO, those two spots were Argentine-tango inspired, not cha cha.

Edited October 16, 2014 by calipiano81

[realdancemom]

There is a clip where Bethany has stated that she used to be in a competition team.  She did hip-hop and jazz.  So I don't know why she pretended that this was the first time she ever did hip-hop.  She performed better than before but is still timid.

 

Sadie's problem is that she is probably still growing or just had a growth spurt.  She is like Zendaya with heels.  They are not used to their long legs and gangly arms.  Zendaya was a little better covering it up since she mostly just had the problem with heels.  Sadie and Derek had the one awkward lift where she landed wrong and her legs were completely bent.

 

I feel bad for Jonathan.  He seemed so enthusiastic at the beginning of the show.  He wanted to do this for his dad and it's sad that both his parents passed away within the same year.  First, he has to deal with a pro that is not sufficiently trained in ballroom.  Then when he finally gets a different pro, the show gives off the wall dance assignments.  Peta went overboard with the lifts.

[sunnyheart]

I feel bad for Jonathan.  He seemed so enthusiastic at the beginning of the show.  He wanted to do this for his dad and it's sad that both his parents passed away within the same year.  First, he has to deal with a pro that is not sufficiently trained in ballroom.  Then when he finally gets a different pro, the show gives off the wall dance assignments.  Peta went overboard with the lifts.

Every season there's a celebrity that gets an awful pro or a bad edit or assigned the "loser" role no matter how they perform and you can see the excited, happy look fade out of their eyes. Jonathan is that celebrity this season. I just want to give him a big hug and tell him it isn't his fault.

[RemoteControl88]

I understand that some people might not have liked Bethany and Mark's hip hop, prefer a different style of hip hop, wished to have seen certain moves, etc...but this statement is not true. There were no cha cha elements in Bethany and Mark's hip hop. Were there any lock steps, cha-cha-cha rhythms, Cuban breaks, New Yorkers, etc.? If so, please point them out.

 

I saw a little bit of jazz (but many hip hop dancers use some jazz and vice versa) thrown in, a couple of rond de jambs (as Carrie Ann pointed out), and there were two spots where Mark did use a little bit of ballroom in order to fill out the slower transitions in the music. However, IMO, those two spots were Argentine-tango inspired, not cha cha.

Cha Cha...A. Tango...jazz.  My point being that there were a lot of ballroom elements (non-hip hop moves) in that dance.  For me that took away the overall feeling of it being a hip hop routine.  To each their own in what they like in a hip hop routine but for me this was lacking.  In re-watching the dance too I think wearing sneakers actually made her ballroom elements less fluid.  Like her foot was getting stuck on the floor. But overall I think she did well.

Every season there's a celebrity that gets an awful pro or a bad edit or assigned the "loser" role no matter how they perform and you can see the excited, happy look fade out of their eyes. Jonathan is that celebrity this season. I just want to give him a big hug and tell him it isn't his fault.

Reminds me of how Chazz Bono & Ralph Machio were treated.  The judges were soooooo brutal with them.  I just don't understand why they can't critique without being so heartless.

[sinkwriter]

 

Cha Cha...A. Tango...jazz.  My point being that there were a lot of ballroom elements (non-hip hop moves) in that dance.  For me that took away the overall feeling of it being a hip hop routine.

 

I actually liked that Mark added some ballroom/non-hiphop moves to the routine. I thought it made the routine a little more unusual (rather than being straight hip hop) and also connected the routine to the more customary styles they work with on the show. I thought it made for an interesting and fun performance. 

 

(But I can see what you mean about the sneakers being detrimental to smooth ballroom moves.)

[sunnyheart]

Reminds me of how Chazz Bono & Ralph Machio were treated.  The judges were soooooo brutal with them.  I just don't understand why they can't critique without being so heartless.

Ralph Macchio didn't deserve the criticism he received - I have no idea what that was about. Same for Apolo Ono when he was paired with Karina.  There were rumors that Chaz Bono was difficult and unwilling to rehearse and I think the judges knew that. 

Edited October 16, 2014 by sunnyheart

[realdancemom]

Ralph Macchio didn't deserve the criticism he received - I have no idea what that was about. Same for Apolo Ono when he was paired with Karina.  There were rumors that Chaz Bono was difficult and unwilling to rehearse and I think the judges knew that. 

I don't know if rumors about Chaz are true or not.  But nobody is going to tell me that Apolo is not a hard worker and deserved the criticisms that he received when he was paired with Karina. 

 

The show should consider how they criticize these contestants.  They are having a difficult time getting stars to appear.  Maybe, they would have an easier time if the judges gave constructive criticism without the harsh jokes or comments.  Nobody wants to be humiliated on television.

[majormama]

As others have said, it was a bad idea to switch up partners AND do non-standard dances in the same week. Add to that the judges actually judging for once, and it was kind of a blood bath. No one was great, a few were good, but overall it wasn't a very enjoyable episode. 

 

While Antonio isn't a strong dancer, he did seem to be having more fun this week. I thought it was his best performance. Same with Michael. I don't enjoy his creepiness and poor technical ability, and he can leave any time, but the cheesy disco suited him. Neither of them were that good compared to others but were better compared to themselves.

 

I had to hurry my kids to bed the moment I heard Janel was dancing Burlesque, and it's a good thing I did. It was even more raunchy than I feared. 

 

It was great to finally see Alfonso in a more dramatic dance. It was my favorite of the night.

[GreekGeek]

 

Reminds me of how Chazz Bono & Ralph Machio were treated.  The judges were soooooo brutal with them.  I just don't understand why they can't critique without being so heartless.

I agree about Ralph, but IIRC Chaz was treated very gently the first few weeks. He was given lots of praise and encouragement for some pretty wretched performances.Then all of a sudden the judges told him it was time to get serious. I couldn't blame him for looking confused by the whole turnaround. I see the same thing happening with Michael.

 

I feel sympathy for Jonathan, also, but I wish he could just relax. It's only a dance contest; he's not on trial for his life. That bug-eyed look of shock when someone says something critical isn't doing him any favors.

[SnarkyTart]

I feel sympathy for Jonathan, also, but I wish he could just relax. It's only a dance contest; he's not on trial for his life. That bug-eyed look of shock when someone says something critical isn't doing him any favors.

LOL!  Or the bug-eye look of fear, the bug-eyed look of surprise, the bug-eyed look of excitement, and the bug-eyed look of happiness.  Jonathan needs to work with an acting coach so that he can master more than one facial expression. 

[sinkwriter]

 

That bug-eyed look of shock when someone says something critical isn't doing him any favors.

 

I see him more as concentrating really hard on what they're saying. He always seems to be listening to them very intently, like he's trying to absorb every morsel of what they're saying. At least, in previous weeks it seemed that way. Now I'm starting to fear that they're crushing his soul and he's no longer going to be the eager beaver who wants to learn whatever he can.

[realdancemom]

A lot of the contestants and pros looked shocked this week.  I don't blame them.  The judges were giving too high scores at the beginning and now they want to be strict with different pros and non-Ballroom and Latin styles.  Emma was cute when she said, "They're so mean."  This was a terrible week to do that since a lot of the pros felt like they let the star and the star's pro down.

[SnarkyTart]

The show should consider how they criticize these contestants.  They are having a difficult time getting stars to appear.  Maybe, they would have an easier time if the judges gave constructive criticism without the harsh jokes or comments.  Nobody wants to be humiliated on television.

That's such a good point.  If I was a "B" list celebrity (one who doesn't need a show like this to revive a sagging career), there's no way I'd go on this show and subject myself to Bruno or Carrie Ann mocking my physical appearance, or the way I look when I dance.  Some of them are probably already feeling more vulnerable than they're accustomed to in the public eye.  I think you're on to something as to why the show has a hard time getting actual stars to appear.

[RedheadZombie]

I don't know if rumors about Chaz are true or not.  But nobody is going to tell me that Apolo is not a hard worker and deserved the criticisms that he received when he was paired with Karina. 

 

The show should consider how they criticize these contestants.  They are having a difficult time getting stars to appear.  Maybe, they would have an easier time if the judges gave constructive criticism without the harsh jokes or comments.  Nobody wants to be humiliated on television.

 

I've noticed that the judges really target those who are overly eager and/or insecure.  I think that's why they went after both Apolo and Gilles on their second rounds - they didn't have the confidence they showed in their first season.  I think they were really hard on Aaron Carter, as well.  This show is set up to be a popularity contest, and the judges lash out at the stars who advance that they feel are unworthy.   I don't know how they get anyone to willingly put themselves out there after witnessing this type of treatment.  One in particular has stuck with me for years.  I'm drawing a blank on the name, but he was an older obese computer genius.  He was so enthusiastic and they absolutely eviscerated him.  Bruno, in particular, ended his critique by turning his head in disgust, grimacing and mocking him.  It was unbelievable.

[sinkwriter]

 

One in particular has stuck with me for years.  I'm drawing a blank on the name, but he was an older obese computer genius.  He was so enthusiastic and they absolutely eviscerated him.  Bruno, in particular, ended his critique by turning his head in disgust, grimacing and mocking him.  It was unbelievable.

 

Steve Wozniak?

[truthaboutluv]

I never got an over-eager/insecure vibe from Apolo.  I have always been a firm anti-Grassy Knoller but All-Stars was the only season that I side-eyed the judges and producers and questioned a possible agenda. Nothing against Tony and Melissa but it truly felt like there was a fix in place to guarantee a non-winner won that season because frankly I thought both Shawn and Apolo were far better dancers than Melissa. That said, I don't think the judges were mean to Apolo so much as they were dismissive in that their comments were always lukewarm and sometimes nitpicky.

 

Actually I felt like he got treated very much like Charlie last season and the same thing that happened to Charlie happened with Apolo - after weeks of damning praise, they kind of just got lost in the mix. As for Gilles, honestly I'm sorry, as someone who loved Gilles in his original season, I think he did himself in during All-Stars with his over the top attitude about everything. 

 

But all that said, much as I like Jonathan and feel bad for him, I actually don't agree about the comments against the judges. I don't agree that they attack people on their personal appearance or make their comments personal or are these super mean, awful people. And this was something that was addressed on Afterbuzz where Anna, in response to all the comments about how awful the judges were this week, mentioned how the judges for the UK and Australia versions are far more brutal and how they give out 1's to couples.

 

And she mentioned how she remembered in the earlier seasons of the U.S. versions the judges were a bit more stingy with the points at times but some people didn't like that. And I think that in itself is an interesting dichotomy within the fandom. People complain sometimes about the judges overscoring, people go on about scores being too close, too high, etc. yet if the judges sometimes go below a six, other people start declaring them mean and awful. I remember with Master P how angry some people were at Len when he gave Master P a 4 and said it was so awful when frankly Master P deserved the 4. 

Edited October 16, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[luvthepros]

........... nobody is going to tell me that Apolo is not a hard worker and deserved the criticisms that he received when he was paired with Karina. 

 

 

This is getting OT but I just want to say that I never could figure out why Apolo was receiving the harsh critiques from the judges. I was extremely impressed with the performances he and Karina were putting out on that dance floor. I especially LOVED their Jazz and they were raked over the coals for that dance.

[magpye29]

People complain sometimes about the judges overscoring, people go on about scores being too close, too high, etc. yet if the judges sometimes go below a six, other people start declaring them mean and awful. I remember with Master P how angry some people were at Len when he gave Master P a 4 and said it was so awful when frankly Master P deserved the 4.

 

It just seems mean when they score like that because they don't do it to everyone, and they're too quick to bring out 7s, 8s, and 9s.  If the highest score you could hope for in week 1 or week 2 were a 7, you'd be seeing 4s, 5s, and 6s, and the bad dancers wouldn't be so shocked when the judges gave them scores more in line with what they actually deserve.  It's just not fair to hand out 7s and 8s for the first few weeks and then suddenly say, "Well, we've been waiting for you to get better and you haven't, so here's your 5."

Edited October 17, 2014 by magpye29

[LadyMustang65]

I don't think it's fair to say that the US judges aren't mean just because the UK judges are worse.  Honestly, I don't want to watch shows where the judges think they are all Simon Cowell.  You can be fair, honest and objective without being mean-spirited or rude.  And sometimes the judges are downright rude, and they have commented on people's physical appearance.  Bruno compared Chaz to a penguin waddling around.  There's just no need for that.  I never got the sense that Chaz didn't want to practice.  They showed clips of him rehearsing by himself in his house. I do remember that he had very painful knees, and as one who has two bad knees myself, I can honestly say that there are times when no matter how much I may want to do something, it's just not happening because I'm in too much pain.  It's possible that's what was happening with him, and he just didn't want to complain.  It also seemed like he just didn't have the ability to learn choreography.  Anyway, I liked him when he was on, and while he wasn't the best, I didn't think he was as bad as the judges made it seem at the end.  I think whoever it was that said it was right when they said that the judges tend to start picking on those they think have outlasted their time, even though this is set up to be a popularity contest. 

 

On another note, was there really anyone who was upset when Master P got a 4?  Holy cow, I thought that was being generous.  <lol>  For my money, he is hands down the worst contestant that has ever been on the show between attitude, lack of ability and unwillingness to work.  Kate Gosselin is a close second.

 

Anyway, I really hope that next season they reconsider the way things are scored.  Take away anything over a 7 for the first few weeks to give contestants room to improve.  The way it works now . . . well, it just isn't working.  We've already had 3 perfect scores.  There is nowhere left for any of those celebs to go if they give a really outstanding performance.  And let's face it - we're getting some really screwy results as well when you look at the scores at the end of the evening.  Was it Nene who ended up with a higher score than Meryl one week?  That's just wrong on so many levels. 

 

Last thing - I know some people thought Erin was being mean when Jonathan remarked that he was getting good at getting 6s (which I thought was a great attitude, and I hope he's around a few more weeks), and she said she was good at getting 7s.  I thought it was cute and a nice way of commiserating with him.  By this stage of the game, no contestant thinks a 7 is a great score unless they'd been getting 5s up to now. 

[realdancemom]

It just seems mean when they score like that because they don't do it to everyone, and they're too quick to bring out 7s, 8s, and 9s.  If the highest score you could hope for in week 1 or week 2 were a 7, you'd be seeing 4s, 5s, and 6s, and the bad dancers wouldn't be so shocked when the judges gave them scores more in line with what they actually deserve.  It's just not fair to hand out 7s and 8s for the first few weeks and then suddenly say, "Well, we've been waiting for you to get better and you haven't, so here's your 5."

I agree with this.  Start out low in the first few weeks and then let the contestants' scores slowly go up as they improve.  Nobody wants to go from a 7 to a 5.  Michael is creepy but I still thought the way he was judged was unfair.  Disco is supposed to be fun.  Also the perfect scores were too early in the season.

 

I was going to mention that Chaz was was compared to a penguin.  I remember Len said that Wynonna Judd was like Mount Rushmore, beautiful but doesn't move.  He could have used a different example because a woman doesn't want to be compared to something big (in this case huge).  They were mean to DL too but I forgot what was mentioned.  He did get a bad edit so that it seemed like he had a bad attitude.  I don't know if that was true or not.  Maybe, they are trying to be like Simon or trying to get laughs.  It shouldn't be at the expense of contestants.

Edited October 17, 2014 by realdancemom

[magpye29]

Maybe, they are trying to be like Simon or trying to get laughs.  It shouldn't be at the expense of contestants.

 

I think when people go on The Voice or Idol or those other talent-based shows, they have voluntarily put themselves out there because they THINK they have a talent, and we don't mind as much when the judges ridicule them because they're kind of getting what they asked for.

 

With this show and celebrities, however, they're taking a huge risk to be there.  They're going as themselves and putting themselves and their reputations on the line for our entertainment and amusement.  The difference is, this is SUPPOSED to be a show where the celebrities are amateurs, they're supposed to be learning and improving from week to week, and there is a level of respect the judges should be adhering to in their critiques.  The judges really need to be schooled in the difference between criticizing the performance and criticizing the individual.  "That wasn't very graceful" is a whole lot different from "You were lumbering like an elephant out there."  I don't object to the judges being brutal in their critiques as long as they're criticizing what the star did, not who the star is or how they look. 

 

Or turn it into an "I----when----" statement:  "Artem, I was very uncomfortable when you had your hands all over Janel's crotch."  Not the best example, because I think the pros are fair game when it comes to critiquing choreography, and they should be held accountable for lack of ____ content in ____ dance.  It really kind of frosts me when the judges criticize the celebs for a lack of content or correct style in a routine--they're only doing what their pros are teaching them.

[dwtsgueststars]

Celebs on DWTS don't have ambitions to become Ballroom dancers. Unlike those kids on #thevoice or #AI, this will never be their career. Celebs most likely will never dance like this again. They do it because they were probably drunk when they said YES. Judges and producers need to keep this in mind.

Edited October 17, 2014 by dwtsgueststars

[traboule]

I just started watching DWTS this season. I'm a huge SYTYCD fan and still love that show more, but I find DWTS interesting in its own way.

 

I thought this episode was fun even though a lot of the dancing was so-so, especially from Antonio, Michael, Jonathan and Tommy. But I liked most of the behind-the-scenes "drama" because it seemed like all involved were good-natured about it. I enjoyed the Emma/Peta exchange about Tommy for example, Bethany and Sadie swapping notes about Mark and Derek, and Witney's reactions to Michael. And I liked a lot of Tom's quippy one-liners in this episode too.

 

I only know that one song by Jessie J, and otherwise had never heard of her before. I guess I am one of the few who enjoyed Jessie J as a guest judge so I'm going to defend her a bit. Who knows when she found she was going to be a guest judge, and how that came about, so I don't judge her for not having watched the show. She has a new album coming out. I'm sure she's a busy woman. I think she only mentioned that she hadn't seen them dance before to give context for her comments. Sure, she repeated that contextual note several times, but she's a guest judge, so I'll cut her some slack. Anyway, she seemed genuine and funny and likable. I preferred some of her comments over Bruno's OTT judging style. (I sometimes like it from Bruno, but it's hit or miss). Maybe because SYTYCD has had some truly awful awful guest judges, I don't have a high standard for guest judges.

 

Also, though I wouldn't buy her music or anything, I thought Jessie J was one of the better live performers they've had on DWTS this season.

 

And on that note, I also have been liking Julianne Hough's judging this season. I feel like she's not afraid to give tough critiques. I am completely surprised to see others comment that she is parroting Carrie Ann. Julianne's judging comments really seem to be her own thoughts on the dance. Again, new viewer here, so I'm missing all the past season history on all the pros and judges. (The only time I've seen Julianne before was in Safe Haven, which I ended up watching late one night on Netflix. It was not as bad as I thought it would be, but as Tom might say, it happened.)

 

I've been a big fan of Witney's partnering, but there really wasn't a whole bunch she could do with Michael. I think she did the best she could.

 

Really liked Alfonso's flamenco and did show another side to his dancing personality. Thought Charleston was a great match for Sadie's personality and look and I found it a really fun performance from her. Lea's dance was mostly forgettable for me, except for the troupe's contribution. Someone else said it earlier in the thread, but Janel has a real problem with finishing her movements. Sure, she's not the only one with that problem, but it really stood out in this burlesque number for some reason. Bethany did seem to show improvement this week, or at least some versatility. Not a standout hip-hop, but I think the side-by-side work was a good but not too difficult challenge for her.

[tearbender]

I wish Jonathan had gotten Witney (good teacher, knows how to choreograph to her partner's ability) and Peta had gotten Michael, who probably would have enjoyed his pervy demeanor.   

This is gross on multiple levels.

 

I hope the show shifts back into the standard ballroom and Latin dances for the rest of the season. Last season only one finalist had performed the Paso Doble by the time all is said and done.

[ToxicUnicorn]

Who are these people and what are they doing here?  LOL.

 

I used to watch DWtS, so I didn't immediately turn this episode off when it was queued up for me randomly.  The only star I recognized was Lea Thompson, whose face looks tight enough to bounce a coin off of it.  Seeing her made me feel very disoriented, as though 25 years have not gone by since Back to the Future.  Eerie.

 

I also was surprised by the variety of dances.  Honestly, I think the time for these competitive dance shows is nearly over.  It all seems a bit desperate.  Still, I stuck around a little while, and noticed ...

 

1.  I wasn't watching at first and, when the dancers went upstairs to get their scores, heard the female interviewer asked them how they felt about the judges' comments and then, without responding to whatever the star just had said, said, "great, let's see what the judges thought" or something like that.  I thought, well, Brooke hasn't gotten any better at banter or interviewing.  Then, I look up and see Brooke has been replaced by someone else who is exactly as inept!  Why?

 

I had to laugh when she asked Artem's partner what she was thinking about during their burlesque, though.  Mmm.  Tasty foot.

 

2.  Artem is unrecognizable from his SYTYCD days; he's bulked up to about 4x his previous size, from the looks of it.  No surprises about how he danced: he was such a strong partner and was great at putting the spotlight on Janel, who handled the sexiness of the routine well, I thought.  I enjoyed it... but I confess I was more than a little shocked.  If that's any basis to go on, DWtS is no longer the family friendly show whose biggest attempt at outrageousness used to be dressing football players in loud silk shirts.

 

3.  I also watched the Mark B.-Bethany hip hop, because I've heard about a Bethany character on Real Housewives of something or other (I think) and I was curious about what she looked like and how she would do.  Color me surprised when I saw this young girl in great shape!  Mistaken identity, I now know.  I thought they looked pretty synchronized.  If you had told me that both Mark B./Bethany and Artem/Janel had been partners all along, I would have believed it.

 

Once I saw Witney, I turned the tv off.  I found her about as interesting as lukewarm oatmeal, on SYTYCD.  Am sort of surprised to see how well liked she is on this thread.  Good for her.  

 

Finally, I loved the footage from Tony's audition tape.  That was the DWtS I remember - the campy, over the top, do a Ghostbusters song as a cha cha kind of deal.  This episode made it seem like the show was taking itself far too seriously.

Edited October 19, 2014 by ToxicUnicorn

[Morgan of Hed]

Once I saw Witney, I turned the tv off.  I found her about as interesting as lukewarm oatmeal, on SYTYCD.  Am sort of surprised to see how well liked she is on this thread.  Good for her.

Witney has grown considerably since her SYTYCD days.  She's much more likeable now that she is not being propped up over other contestants by pervy Uncle Nigel.

[crowceilidh]

Yeah, I have to reluctantly agree that I no longer can enjoy despising Witney.  She is a good partner on DWTS (unlike her putative behaviour on SYTYCD)