S20.E04: Most Memorable Week

[kitcloudkicker]

I caught a clip of Emma critiquing Riker and Allison on the live feed, and she was very very critical of Allison's choreography. "Not enough tango, too fast, and so packed with content it didn't let the dance breathe." She also said he was holding his frame too high for Allison, and she should have taught him to bring it down. It was interesting to hear, and perhaps one of those weeks where Allison's background was really working against her. 

 

I know they're the most obvious picks, but still love Nastia and Rumer. Rumer made me cry, I was wondering if she was going to address some of the shit the media put them through growing up, which had to have been awful. Willow and Mark, very entertaining child murder ;). Though maybe a little overscored. But I'm kinda loving Mark lately. 

 

ETA: BUT not loving the Riker-hair Mark is sporting again this week. Is this really the new look, Mark? Because eeeeeh.

 

I had a feeling Michael was going to be the one to go home, which kinda bums me out because I would have rather had him stick around longer than a few others (*cough*Chris&Suzanne*cough*) but not exactly surprised. 

Edited April 7, 2015 by kitcloudkicker

[PBGamer89]

I think it would be a bit ironic if Riker goes next week on Disney night just like how Cody Simpson went on Disney night as both seem to suffer from the same "young fans, but no one else knows him" syndrome.

 

He should be lucky people like Suzanne, Patti, and Chris scored much lower or else he'd go. I still think he'll be a 7th/6th place type of shocker.

[Packerbrewerbadger]

Haven't seen much of the show ( NCAA Badger proud) but did see Derek and Natasia and totally agree with Len, it was the AT, where was the passion?? That is a very emotional dance style. Check out Cheryl and Giles Marini's if you don't know what I mean. She is very talented but has no connection with Derek so I don't understand why people thought Len's comments were off mark--they were right on!

[katha]

And did I hear that right, is the switch cancelled? If so, thank goodness. I thought from the start that this season it would be just a bad idea to do it. You have two contestants who are highly vulnerable: Noah and Willow. Getting them away from partners they're already comfortable with and who know how to cater to their needs would have been a disadvantage relative to the others (more severe in Noah's case, of course). Also Derek's schedule would have been brutal on anyone not named Nastia or Rumer.

[truthaboutluv]

Also in general I'd like to point out that Sadie was made to sweat it out in the B2 very early last season and by no means do I think she was ever in danger.

Obviously I'm not saying anytime a celebrity is in jeopardy it means they're not getting votes. Yes, Sadie was made to sweat for a moment after a low scoring week but she wasn't then grossly over scored. If anything all we heard ad nauseum was Mark's whining about her being underscored.

However, Willow's being in jeopardy coupled with those way too high scores, does make me suspicious. Maybe I'm wrong, totally possible as I have no inside knowledge. And maybe the judges really were that genuinely impressed by the dance - after all they do tend to over score contemporary a lot. But the whole thing just feels fishy to me.

The dance was crowded by other dancers to the point that Willow was lost to me for half of it. I honestly can't remember one spectacular thing she did in it and yet she gets a near perfect score. Yeah I don't buy it. Call it a gut feeling from watching this show since the beginning.

Edited April 7, 2015 by truthaboutluv

[spanana]

Contemporary and jazz are always overscored on this show.  Both are passes to free 10's from the judges.  It's nothing new.  It's why Janel and Bethany got perfect scores in W3 last season for dances that didn't deserve perfect scores.  I think it has more to do with Willow dancing contemporary than anything else.

[bennyblue]

Suzanne's husband is a sensitive little guy...

[Guest]

I'm a fan of both Riker and Robert but I felt neither deserved 9s tonight.  

 

Weirder still, I'm liking Mark this season.  

 

So many tearjerkers, wow.  I guess it happens every season.  

 

Suzanne kind of acted like the show was about a legendary tv couple-- Chrissy and Jack, like they were a 'Sam and Diane' or something.  I suppose she was just honoring her lost colleague and friend but it was odd to me, like Joyce Dewitt wasn't as integral to the cast as those two were.  

[spanana]

Suzanne kind of acted like the show was about a legendary tv couple-- Chrissy and Jack, like they were a 'Sam and Diane' or something.  I suppose she was just honoring her lost colleague and friend but it was odd to me, like Joyce Dewitt wasn't as integral to the cast as those two were.  

 

It boils down to Suzanne and Joyce don't get along.  Hence I think Suzanne's tribute was fairly calculated.  Let's put it this way.  Suzanne was fired from the show in S5, though she herself would probably dispute this.   The show ran for 8 seasons and Joyce was there for the whole thing.  If anything long term fans wanted Jack and Janet to eventually get together.  To hear Suzanne's version you would think it was the Chrissy and Jack show.  As if the show didn't continue to get good ratings after her departure, which was basically because at the end of the day it was a John Ritter vehicle.   There was a ton of drama behind the scenes on that show.  About the only thing anyone can agree on is that John Ritter was a pretty awesome guy.

[Saylii]

I think the switch was probably cancelled, if that's true, because too many partcipants protested it. I can't imagine finding a solution that would work for everybody: Derek's other job, Nastia's school, Noah's disability, Willow's age, Robert's "chemistry" with Kym, Allison's a horrible partner. I'm sure I'm missing some grievances in there as well.

I wasn't surprised Michael left. His true fans were probably pissed he didn't do that well at the combine. He wasn't particularly lighting up the dance floor and Peta seemed pretty checked out of their partnership. It's a shame he lasted past Chris, but I think their placements were interchangeable in the end. Now it'll be a contest for last between Chris and Suzanne for the next elimination.

Count me in the club that didn't really like Willow's dance. I would like to see one clean, traditional dance from Team Markingjay. It would probably highlight her youth way too much though. I think she'll be the "shock" exit of the season, as I don't see Rumor, Nastia, Robert, Noah, and maybe even Miss Patti leaving before Willow.

I think I'm getting sick of the most memorable year week. Mostly it's devolving into what the celebs did to get themselves in the tabloids in the last year that landed them on the show. At least four of the dances (Riker, Chris, Rumor, Michael) were dedicated to 2014 and those are just the ones I bothered to remember.

[Zuleikha]

I loved Willow/Mark's dance as a choreographic work of theatrical dance. It was just brilliance. But as a competition piece, I don't think Willow had to prove herself as a dancer enough. She delivered what she was given well, but what she was given was fairly simple and was carried largely by the staging and the other dancers. She is a better performer than Nastia, but the difficulty of Nastia's choreography and the cleanness with which she executed it was so much higher that I think it's a travesty Willow's ahead of her.

 

But such is the nature of a show like DwtS. Too much comparison of dances that can't really be compared. I feel for Nastia that she's struggling with emoting and she's the one who has to switch between two teachers. 

 

I was completely unmoved by Noah/Sharna. I, too, blame the fact that it was performed to Toby Keith. 

[RemoteControl88]

I was completely unmoved by Noah/Sharna. I, too, blame the fact that it was performed to Toby Keith. 

My tears dried up as soon as I heard Toby Keith's voice. ugh!!  I wanted to love it too.  I just don't think a country song suits a contemporary dance.  I think anyone would be hard pressed to find any country song that would fit with that performance...the combo of the two just didn't work for me.

[Danseur]

I seem to always agree with almost everything you say, truthaboutluv. You said what I was thinking about every dance and every dancer. So, ditto, I guess. I definitely had the same gut feeling about why Willow's scores were so high. She may not be getting the votes due to fan base and possibly because there are many who think she's too young to be on the show.

[RemoteControl88]

Mark might be using up his "creative choreo" card this season.  Willow's worse dance was week 1...her straight up cha cha with no frills was not her best.  Since then we've had a paint ball Gotye Argentine Tango, a fire&ice Paso and now a Hunger Games Contemporary. I think Willow will struggle in any dance where there is no theme and she just has to dance as herself.

 

I felt the same way last season.  Mark's duck dynasty samba was soo good...but by the time we got to the "thriller" paso it just felt like over kill.  Holding my breath that Mark can continue to reign it in.

[anonymiss]

Suzanne's dance and Patti's dance (to a lesser extent) delighted me. They have the emotional warmth that Len points out is lacking in Nastia's and Rumor's technically superior performances.

 

The Hough monopoly leaves such a bad taste in my mouth. Julianne shrieking "What?!" and pouting after not getting her way when Len gave her family member a lower score than she thought he deserved. She may as well just openly campaign for him. Oh wait....

 

I could do without seeing the Bachelor and his fiance ever again. When I heard her speak for the first time in the package, I thought, "Of course she would have a baby voice."

[katha]

 

I felt the same way last season.  Mark's duck dynasty samba was soo good...but by the time we got to the "thriller" paso it just felt like over kill.  Holding my breath that Mark can continue to reign it in.

 

Well, but contemporary and foxtrot came after Zombie paso, and those were definite highlights for Sadie IMO. I think one major liability that comes with Willow's age is that she's not a woman, she's not even close to a woman and she doesn't project like a woman. 14 is a good deal away from 16 and 17 in that regard. With Zendaya, Shawn and even with Sadie to a degree there was at least the possibility of doing mildly romantic themes, of having a hint of "man and woman" in the dances. That's not really in the cards with Willow. The abstract pop art thing in the tango was sophisticated in its own way and a clever way to get the character of the dance without really going into adult relationship dynamics too much, but it was a work-around.  I know Mark's inventive in that way, but it must still be limiting. I suspect also that the judges (especially Len) might be a bit more lenient this season if he comes with lots of concepts as long as the dance style is recognizable and he doesn't drive it off a cliff (always a risk with Mark). Having said that, apart from the concepts, I thought there was a lot of traditional tango and paso content in those dances. And Willow executed and performed it well, so as long as he keeps the balance between having the dance style be recognizable and with good technique (which I thought was the case for tango and paso, to some degree also the cha-cha) and the work-around he feels is necessary, they should be fine.

Edited April 7, 2015 by katha

[RemoteControl88]

 if he comes with lots of concepts as long as the dance style is recognizable and he doesn't drive it off a cliff (always a risk with Mark). 

 

I don't disagree with you at all.  I think the cha cha was not that great b/c it really did look like a little girl dancing with Mark. The themes/concepts help us focus on  whatever dance she is doing and not her age.  Mark has been doing great so far with concept and content.  He was teetering on the cliff edge when he was dressed up like claymation Jack Frost last week...however he reigned it in this week.

 

I think this entire season he'll be using a lot of themes. I am holding my breath that he can go an entire season without jumping off the cliff into creativity overload/free fall.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Well, two couples used their nuclear option tonight.  Suzanne with the Threes Company homage and Noah with the recounting of his wounds of war.  There is no way they are going home next week.  

 

One of the reasons I so detest contempo is that it allows for any choreo whatsoever.  The pros use it to hide weaknesses.  That's what we got all night, except for Willow.  If there are no standards, nothing can be wrong.  Right?

 

Tens are a farce for anyone at this point.  Willow getting them?  Twilight Zone, y'all.  That was a freaking group dance.  Mark's choreo was really good.  Willow's inability to get to her poses on the proper beat and hold them?  Standard for a newbie.  Ugh.

 

Len was never more correct than when he lamented the lack of emotion from Nastia.  It was a heck of a dance.  It just wasn't Argentinian Tango.  Derek decided to overwhelm us with physicality that we all ignore his partner's issues with expression.   Per usual, it worked like a charm.  She deserves to get to the Finals, but I will not be happy if she never opens up.

 

Just what will be left Noah if he can't do lifts?  Ya think CAI would DARE dock him a point?

[Sile]

Chris needing a crew member to hand him a tissue because college girlfriend didn't want to live on a farm probably didn't have the emotional impact he was hoping for, considering it immediately followed Robert talking about losing his mom to cancer and being at her side when she passed.

 

Suzanne:  "Say what?  Joyce Who?"

 

I would have actually picked up the phone and given Ryker a vote if he'd said his most memorable year was the one when he experienced competing in junior ballroom with his sister.

 

(That actually could have been a good way to address his denials, use a little humor to deflect.  "I tried ballroom for a couple months as a kid and just couldn't get it.  I was horrible and didn't think I'd ever attempt it again until now.")

 

Willow and Mark had a great group dance, but this isn't a group dance show, right?  Although sometimes I wonder about that...Patti and Artem.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Sile

[vibeology]

Well, Ryker must not be getting the votes they want. Willow either.

 

I actually don't think this group of "in jeopardy" contestants was about riling up those fanbases as much as it was about lulling others into not voting. I was never big on Michael but Suzanne, Patti and Chris all should have gone home before him. They're doing team dances next week and there are at least three couples who are too weak to be here and will drag their teams down. I'm betting Patti hasn't actually hit the bottom three yet and Chris and Suzanne both pulled in good numbers last week. Those 7s across the board for Suzanne were pretty telling. Its the sort of score you give when you don't like something but don't want to get booed. Add to that showing Tony whining about the judges and not putting her in danger tonight all looks to me like trying to turn down her votes.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I really hate when we have results throughout the show. Performing is challenging enough, but being told you are in the bottom before you perform really sucks. I prefer when they let everyone perform and then they do all the results at the end of the show.

 

Nastia's Argentine tango was beautiful to watch. Derek annoys me but he did a good job taking advantage of her long legs and flexibility to create some great shapes. It kind of reminded me of the tango that he did with Jennifer Grey, not necessarily in content but in the way he used their strength and athleticism really well. I agree with Julianne that Nastia took her critique about being too open because of her flexibility and made an effort to correct it.

 

I liked that Nastia was sure to mention that winning at the Olympics was special for her parents. Not only were they gymnasts but her father is her coach, which can be a really stressful situation, especially for a teenager. Part of me really liked her memorable moment choice because it wasn't a sob story. It's a nice change of pace to have a positive story because I feel like the sob stories often get scored based on the story itself, not the dancing. I was not a gymnast but I was a dancer so I understand (on a totally different level, mind you) what it's like to hear a song you rehearsed to hundreds of times many years later and have it bring back memories.

 

One thing I disliked about Michael's critique from Bruno was when he said something about standing up for what you believe in. I get what he was trying to say but the way he phrased it still bothered me. I know almost nothing about the rumba but I agree that he showed a lot of emotional vulnerability while dancing.

 

It cracks me up when the show has such young contestants that their most memorable year was...last year. I mean, I get where Riker is coming from because most bands work their asses off playing crappy no name venues for years before becoming successful so even though it seems like overnight success to the masses, it's actually been years in the making for the band.

 

On a shallow note, that black and white checkerboard background was so distracting, and it was made even more distracting by the way it angled into a corner. On another shallow note, I admit that sometimes I get a little matchy matchy but I was cracking up at his red shoes. But bravo to Alison for keeping his hair in check on performance nights. It's amazing how much more likeable I find him when his hair isn't in his face. The contrast between his talking heads/rehearsal footage and his performances is like night and day because of his hair! Alison seemed to rein in some of her over the top dancing so that she and Riker seemed a bit more matched. One thing I really liked about this routine is that there was a lot of dance content (as opposed to Noah and Chris basically standing still last week).

 

Losing a parent is always difficult so the human part of me feels for Robert (my dad died last year so I get it). But then I got annoyed with his arrogance thinking that being rich meant he assumed he could save her. Yes, only poor people die from cancer and other diseases. I won't deny that having truckloads of money definitely gives you more treatment options than if you are flat broke but it sounded like he thought he could just throw piles of money at cancer and it would go away.

 

For some reason, I really noticed Robet's feet this week (maybe it was the white shoes?). A lot of times it looked like he was shuffling his feet along the floor instead of picking them up and stepping. I also noticed that when he was supposed to go up on the balls of his feet, it looked like he was barely lifting his heels off the ground. I agree that I like seeing fresh takes but I also appreciate a waltz like this.

 

Like I said earlier, I don't know a lot about rumba but it looked like Michael's routine had a lot more content. Chris mostly stood there while Witney danced around him. I realize that is more a criticism of Witney's choreograhy but what little dancing he did was not great (which is not surprising because he has not been a good dancer from the beginning). Totally awkward that Erin kept asking Chris about his chemistry with Witney while the cameras cut to Whitney the fiancée.

 

It totally cracks me up that Patti continues to wear these silk going to a church fundraiser buffet dinner outfits to rehearsal. It drives me crazy that the judges can't even be bothered to give actual critiques to her though. I couldn't even tell what style of dance that was supposed to be, despite the full on production with all the backup dancers.

 

Haha, even though Bruno annoys me 99% of the time, I love when he does a useful demonstration of what he's talking about. ITA with what he said about how Rumer sometimes flings her leg instead of working through the developpé and then she doesn't point her toes. I really noticed during her turning arabesque that her foot was just kind of flopping there. Based on my comments tonight, I feel like I'm coming off as a foot fetishist and I swear I'm not. I hate that Len is doing that Nigel Lythgoe thing where he practically begs for the audience to boo him and then he complains about it and defends it by saying he's just being honest. I don't disagree with him about the choreography looking more like a contemporary than a waltz, but it's just the way he presents his comments and then acts offended that the audience is booing. Ugh.

 

I was impressed by the Three's Company set. Suzanne did better this week but she is still one of the weaker dancers. She's better than Chris and Noah, but I don't think she will (or should) make it to the finals.

 

Oh, Willow, please lose that lame hipster hat! I love that she has nice thick eyebrows that haven't been plucked into pencil thin lines. I feel like having a Hunger Games theme for a contemporary was kind of a waste, like they could have used the Hunger Games theme for a different dance style. I know that's not her or Mark's fault since they were assigned contemporary during most memorable year week. I loved the shot of Mark's "WTF?" face during Carrie Ann's critique. I can't stand Mark but I am with you there, Mark.

 

I knew Noah would get the pimp slot this week. How could the producers not, right? But once again he was little more than a forklift when Sharna wasn't dancing around him. One smart choice was Sharna using the contemporary style to have some movements with flexed feet.

 

Now that they've broken the seal on the 10s, I guess I can look forward to the judges going 10 crazy for the rest of the season.

 

Michael was definitely not the weakest dancer left, but it was nice to see him exit in such a classy way.

[OakGoblinFly]

Show of hands - who believes that Willow and Riker were really "in danger?"  Yeah, I'm not buying it either - at least not at this point in the competition.

 

I hate the "memorable year" theme - it feels highly manipulative with a dash of pandering thrown in for good measure.  I was glad that Riker, Willow, Nastia, and Patti all chose "memorable" years that were positive.

 

I rolled my eyes at Chris - like he had any choice but to select the year he appeared on an ABC show and became engaged.

 

I must have a heart made of stone because I wasn't moved by Noah's "dance" - I felt annoyed by it.  I have no problem with Noah's selection of the year he lost his limbs - it's everything else that bothered me.  The song selection reminds me of when contestants on American Idol would sing God Bless The USA so as not to be eliminated.

 

For all the harping on Patti for NOT doing dance steps, where is the criticism for Noah's lack of movement and content?

 

I dislike what passes for contemporary on this show, however I really did like Mark's routine for Willow and I thought she danced it beautifully.  It was my favorite performance of the night (and the season thus far).

 

My second favorite was the Argentine Tango by Nastia and Derek; some of those lines and lifts were gorgeous.

 

I wanted to like Rumer's dance more than I did.  I appreciated that she is a strong dancer and I like that she was humanized a bit this week.  The problem with the partnership is Val's choreography; I don't like the staccato feel he incorporates in all of his dances, especially the smooth.  The dance felt more Tango than Waltz.  Just once, I want to see Val create a smooth, elegant, flowy dance for his partner; Rumer is more than up to the task.

 

Speaking of flowy, I adored Robert and Kym's waltz; it felt elegant, graceful, and romantic - everything you think of when you hear "Waltz" (or at least what I think of).

 

Riker looked too frantic during the Tango; I think he took a step backwards.  I found Allison's shoes incredibly distracting.

 

I wonder if the reason Chris sometimes looks round shouldered is because of the height difference between he and Witney; I notice last night that sometimes he would shrink himself down to reach her.  That being said, I thought their Rumba was lovely; there  certainly was a content and Chris held some wonderful lines.  I thought there was a sweetness to that dance and there was plenty of connection between Chris and Witney.

 

Patti and Suzanne were fun (as always) and Michael danced.

Nastia, Rumer and Riker bored me.  Rumer had an obvious slip that the judges seemed to ignore.  

 

 

So did Riker and he didn't cover so well as Rumer did.

[smiley13]

So did I mis-hear or did Rumer claim to have not had plastic surgery to make herself feel better?  I thought it had been well documented by the tabloids that she has had multiple things done.  I think her chin is the most obvious.  No one's chin shrinks in size on its own.

 

I guess the girl has had nothing really memorable in her life that she had to conjure something up.  She does not have much of a career and her parents are still alive, so what did she have to claim was memorable?  I guess her whole point was gaining confidence?  It was a little hard to follow.

[Quickbeam]

I am not a fan of the sob stories and the tear fests. It's like the old 'Queen for a Day' show, whose story is the most piteous. I find it very off putting. That said, I did feel like Robert was the most genuine. I really did not like the Suzanne bit as I found it creepy seeing her made up like her younger self. It seemed way too "What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?" to me. Ick. 

[anony mouse]

So did I mis-hear or did Rumer claim to have not had plastic surgery to make herself feel better?  I thought it had been well documented by the tabloids that she has had multiple things done.  I think her chin is the most obvious.  No one's chin shrinks in size on its own.

 

I guess the girl has had nothing really memorable in her life that she had to conjure something up.  She does not have much of a career and her parents are still alive, so what did she have to claim was memorable?  I guess her whole point was gaining confidence?  It was a little hard to follow.

 

When I listened to her, it sounded more like she said something about wanting plastic surgery so bad, thinking it would fix things, but it didn't. Not that she didn't have it.

[howmanywords]

A quick Google search shows how different Rumer looks now so if she claims that she didn't have plastic surgery I don't buy. I didnt pay attention to her talking head so i didnt hear what she said.Her whole jaw area was much more square and wide and her chin was longer.

I could easily believe either Ryker or Willow really was in the bottom, not both but one? Yeah I could believe it or at the least believe they aren't getting more votes than maybe Suzanne and Patti. I think Willow is only really known for the Hunger Games movies so if you never saw those, I don't think she has much of a fan base outside of that. I know Ryker has a lot of fans but the same applies to him that applied to Bethany and Cody..even if they are watching are they voting?

Edited April 7, 2015 by howmanywords

[shok]

 

Show of hands - who believes that Willow and Riker were really "in danger?"  Yeah, I'm not buying it either - at least not at this point in the competition.

 

Me!!! Or at least that Willow was. After I saw the marks they gave her for a group dance where she was mostly hidden, I was sure it was a ridiculous goodbye gift for her. There was no way that dance was worth three 10s.

[BeatrixK]

OK - I'm old for busting out with this, so get off my lawn.

 

I call so much unbelievable bullshit on Suzanne's 'tribute':  Bitch...your costars, including your 'beloved' John, hated you so much for your salary and 'diva' demands to continue the show that they wouldn't even share a set with you!!!!!  Are you kidding me?!?!?  That's why her final few episodes on the show were done with her on a phone from another part of the studio:  It was mutual dislike on all parts. 

 

Glenn Close - that was....random.

 

I just love Robert - can't help myself.

[janerazor]

 

On a shallow note, that black and white checkerboard background was so distracting, and it was made even more distracting by the way it angled into a corner.

 

I found the checkerboard background super distracting too. And I just don't think Allison is a great ballroom dancer/choreographer. In watching them last night, I don't think Allison looked any better than Riker did during their routine. It was a case of "Who is the star and who is the pro?" but in a bad way.

 

I thought Mark and Willow's routine looked great and had wonderful drama...but I didn't think that particular dance was appropriate for this show. Willow didn't stand out at all. It looked like she was just another member of a troupe doing a cool Hunger Games-based routine. I continue to appreciate Mark's creativity, but I don't want to see it take center stage over his partner.

 

 

I really did not like the Suzanne bit as I found it creepy seeing her made up like her younger self. It seemed way too "What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?" to me. Ick.

 

Lol, it really did come off like that! I thought her hair especially looked kind of nutso because the long layers couldn't make the full pigtails effect. Her pigtails looked crazy stumpy. And I thought it was kind of lousy that she made it sound as if she were the big star of Three's Company, more important than Joyce DeWitt or on par with John Ritter. That all said, I did find the dance to be pretty charming.

[kayma]

A quick Google search shows how different Rumer looks now so if she claims that she didn't have plastic surgery I don't buy. I didnt pay attention to her talking head so i didnt hear what she said.Her whole jaw area was much more square and wide and her chin was longer.

I thought she definitely implied she'd had surgery but realized it wasn't the fix she wanted. I think the whole situation with what those girls have had to deal with is sad.  I'm glad they seem to have come out of it ok now. Even though they've certainly had more privilege that most people, it just shows how we're all kind of the same and that strangers' words can really hurt.

 

I think Willow and Mark were the best performance of the night. It was a great production number. I thought Willow got a little lost in the shuffle with the other dances, but I'm ok with giving her a big score. It was performed well and had quite the impact. I do think she's not pulling in the votes they expected, though. Between being in danger and trying to change her narrative now, I think TPTB are trying to increase her votes.

 

I completely agree with Len about Nastia. It was a beautiful dance, and she hit some gorgeous lines. That one lift they did where she swung around in the air was amazing. But, there's just nothing there when she dances. I loved Nastia in the Olympics and was so glad she won the AA. I thought she showed her personality well in the package but then loses that spark when she starts dancing. I'm sorry to hear switch up week is cancelled because I was really looking forward to seeing her with another pro. I was actually hoping they'd let her work with Henry for the full week and give Derek the week off, switching up the rest of the partners among themselves since Derek's schedule is not fair to any of the stars. I just can't tell if the problem is because she's splitting time between two partners, she's uncomfortable with Derek, or she just can't emote yet. I thought there was a conscious effort for her and Derek during judging to be more touchy, but she still seemed so uncomfortable that it makes me uncomfortable.

 

I really liked Rumer's dance. I thought there was a lot of emotion and passion. I do love a traditional waltz, though, and wish it was more flowy, but the music didn't really suit that feel. I'm still loving Rumer and still really surprised at that. I thought her package was actually a really nice message and very genuine.

 

I really don't get Suzanne at all. She seems abrasive to me, and the costume and styling is just awful. I'm not sure what she did that the wardrobe department (that is usually so on point with everyone else) seems to hate her so much.

 

I love Patti. I don't care if she only half dances. I don't care that every dance has the entire troupe in it. I want her to stay until just before the finals. I want her to just keep doing her thing.

 

Sorry to see Michael leave so early. I would have liked him to stick around a little longer since he just seemed to love being there even if the judges were oddly cruel last week.

 

I was really surprised by Riker's scores. I don't know the technicalities, but I could tell his frame was messed up. The entire dance seemed like Riker and Allison were fighting each other. The frame was too high for her but he kept lifting up or something. I haven't had issues with scoring this season really but when Julianne said Robert was better technically and then gave him a lower score than Riker, it seemed odd. I'm sure there's a reason for it with something technical but don't say someone's better and then score lower. That just asks for the conspiracy theories to start up again.

 

Oh, Noah. I hate that song. I thought they did some really nice lifts. I'm amazed by what he's able to do and liked his video package about overcoming. I don't mind him sticking around longer than others.

[Guest]

When I listened to her, it sounded more like she said something about wanting plastic surgery so bad, thinking it would fix things, but it didn't. Not that she didn't have it.

She told ET she didn't.  

http://www.etonline.com/fashion/153085_rumer_willis_talks_plastic_surgery/

 

I think she was referring to getting thin didn't make her feel totally better about herself.  

 

She does look a lot better.  Maybe she's just learned how to style herself to minimize her problem areas more?  Or grown into her face.  

[seacliffsal]

I was a bit dumbfounded by Suzanne and her revisionist history of Three's Company.  Her 'Jack and Chrissy never had their dance' spiel really bothered me as she's the one whose demands and threats to leave resulted in her leaving the show.  And, her complete dismissal of Joyce Dewitt was really blatant.  At least mention her.  So, the dance was her saying good-bye to John Ritter and Chrissy saying good-bye to Jack?  Hmmm, maybe if she had stayed with the show she could have done both.  Actually, I've pretty much like Suzanne throughout her career (She's the Sheriff, Step by Step, etc.), but she went overboard in the wrong direction last night.

[anony mouse]

She told ET she didn't.  

http://www.etonline.com/fashion/153085_rumer_willis_talks_plastic_surgery/

 

I think she was referring to getting thin didn't make her feel totally better about herself.  

 

She does look a lot better.  Maybe she's just learned how to style herself to minimize her problem areas more?  Or grown into her face.  

 

Her nose looks different, but I think that's just because she discovered contouring.

 

When they showed the high school picture of her with the curly hair, I thought she looked really cute. Whether its plastic surgery or just makeup, I personally prefer her more natural look she had when she was younger. I understand why she feels so pressured to change her appearance though - the tabloids were and are horrible to her and her sisters. For her mental health, I want to tell her to get out of showbiz, because it's only going to make things worse.

[Pj3422]

So Noah's sister is Amy Sedaris?

[obxgirl]

I absolutely loved Robert and Kym's dance! Beautiful choreography (and dress!) on Kym's end, and great dancing on Robert's end. Like Carrie Ann said, it felt like they were from another era.

 

Rumer's segment got me choked up. Okay, most of the segments got me a bit misty, but I liked her angle and think this show is really helping her come out of her shell. I think she's one of the best dancers this season and she seems like a genuinely cool person.

 

I like Riker as well and think he's also one of the better dancers, but ugh, that dance! The background made my head spin, and I was starting to think that his costume was velcroed to Allison's because they were thisclose practically the entire dance. Coupled with the fast music, the whole dance just felt off to me.

 

Call me a curmudgeon, but Chris's segment made me roll my eyes. Like, we get it - you're The Bachelor and your whole shtick is falling in love with Whitney, but their little love story is just grating on my nerves at this point. I think they've brought it up every week so far and I'm just over hearing about it. Skill-wise, I think he'll be the next elimination.  

[truthaboutluv]

She is a better performer than Nastia, but the difficulty of Nastia's choreography and the cleanness with which she executed it was so much higher that I think it's a travesty Willow's ahead of her.

 

 

This is one of the reasons I always shake my head whenever I see comments about fairness with this show because DWTS has never been and never will be "fair". And one of those things is the fact that the judges do sometimes score based on a celebrity's ability versus scoring them against each other. Carrie Ann especially has been open about that for years. And there's also the fact that sometimes they will score on performance and production versus actual technique. Again, nothing new. 

 

And so fair or not with Nastia, the reality is she will be nitpicked the whole time because she is that good. And so unfortunately for her, because she is so good, the actual effort and ability and hard work she's putting forth will almost be dismissed to focus on the "you're not emotional enough."  And again I don't disagree that Nastia is lacking in the emotional connection part which really should be a surprise to no one considering her history as an athlete.

 

It would be like if Steffi Graff (former #1 tennis player) did this show. I would expect her to be stoic even while nailing the technique because that's who she was particularly in competitor mode which is probably where Nastia goes when she's performing. Rather than feeling the performance and dance, she probably sees it as a competitive number she has to nail. And so I get the criticisms in that sense but it does feel like the rest of the stuff is almost dismissed because of this one flaw.

 

In fairness not by all the judges because Carrie Ann, Bruno and Julianne have all been fairly complimentary. It's mostly Len who is just not fond of her you can tell and more the comments on discussion boards like this. It's all about what she's not doing right versus all the things she's doing really, really well and she's doing a lot really well. And I also agree about the choreography. Derek has been giving her some really challenging stuff but again, she's so good, she nails it and it seems easier than it actually is. 

 

I seem to always agree with almost everything you say, truthaboutluv. You said what I was thinking about every dance and every dancer. So, ditto, I guess.

 

 

Thanks!!

 

I have to agree with others about Noah and the use of a Toby Keith song. Not only did the song just not work for the feel of a contemporary, Toby Keith is an obnoxious tool whose music I avoid at all costs. So while his story was amazing, the dance just didn't have the emotional impact for me that Amy's contemporary to Human, did. 

 

With regards to Chris and Witney, I wouldn't say I found lack of chemistry to be the problem but more that he didn't really do much. It really was like just watching Witney dance around a pole. He tried a few times but it was like he was just flinging his hand here and there, not gracefully at all and those hips weren't going at all. And as another poster mentioned, I too cracked up when the producer handed him a tissue, supposedly to wipe away tears I never actually saw. 

 

Tony and Suzanne are both incredibly annoying. I forgot to mention how much their passive aggressive manic laughing bugged me after they got their scores where it was clear they thought they should have gotten higher. I guess it is the judges' fault for being so complimentary knowing technically the dance was not great so I guess in their minds the scores didn't match with the comments. But admitting they were surprised by it or even a little disappointed would be fine but it was the exaggerated laughing while both clearly seething that bugged me.

 

Finally, going back to the whole Riker and Willow thing, as I said last night, I don't think both were in danger of going home. I'd say maybe Riker wasn't. He was probably middle of the pack after votes but not in danger. However I do think Willow was. And that said, the ridiculous overscoring for Willow aside, the other thing that made me suspicious was the judges and Erin going on and on about them being in jeopardy, Riker more so than Willow and them screaming about people needing to vote and it being a travesty. That's what makes me think it wasn't just a throw them in jeopardy but they're not in any danger at all. I do think Riker is probably not getting as many votes that could hurt him mid-season if it doesn't change and I do think Willow may be in serious jeopardy. 

Edited April 7, 2015 by truthaboutluv

[Andiethewestie]

For her mental health, I want to tell her to get out of showbiz, because it's only going to make things worse.

 

I think last night's show went a long way in helping her find her beauty, as she said the whole process of the show has made her feel wonderful and beautiful. I hope she doesn't get out of showbusiness, if she acts with the emotion that she puts into her dancing, she'd be one to watch.

[Guest]

Maybe I'm cold but what kind of cracked me up about Chris' tears was he said something like, "That was the toughest month" (when his girlfriend broke up with him).  I guess because I've had tough break-ups that I didn't get over in a month.  

 

I didn't watch The Bachelor but I read an article in People about him.  Didn't he get to the end 'in love' with 2 or 3 of them, and Whitney wasn't his first choice, just the first one who agreed to him?  I know that's often how it works in real life but it's kind of silly to refer to 2014 as "when I found my true love", under those circumstances.  The Bach thing is almost like an arranged marriage.  

[Andiethewestie]

I kind of miss the idea of the Switch Up but logistics I guess. I would have been interested to see what Derek would do with Rumer and what Val would do with Nastia.   

[Primetimer]

The celebrities have to choose a song to represent their most memorable year. Some of them have really short memories.

Read the story

[OakGoblinFly]

Suzanne's husband is a sensitive little guy...

 

 

Did he say something?

[Guest]

I was curious about the Three's Company story mentioned here so read her Wikipedia page.  There's a lot of really distasteful stuff in there.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanne_Somers

[fishcakes]

I hate Most Memorable Year week. HATE. It's either tragic year, ordinary year that they try to spin as tragic, or I'm super young, so I guess it's the year I got my driver's license. Robert, Noah, and Michael had the first kind of story, and while their stories were affecting, I don't know that DANCING about it is a normal response.

 

Rumer and Suzanne both fall into the second category, I think. Rumer's story was weird: my sister went to rehab and people used to say we were ugly so I was bullied anyway here's my waltz. Besides, I don't really get all the criticism of the daughters being ugly compared to their mom. I've always thought that Demi was just ordinary looking. Suzanne's whole thing was ... ai yi yi. Yes, to the person upthread who said, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. And her story was really manipulative, as if the dance were a tribute to John Ritter, who, as I understand it, wouldn't even speak to her for something like 20 years after she got fired from Three's Company. It was funny, though, that she kept saying she was "the" star of the show; that attitude is pretty much what got her fired in the first place. At least she's consistent. However, I did love the recreated apartment set and Tony's pratfall at the end

Edited April 7, 2015 by fishcakes

[howmanywords]

 

I call so much unbelievable bullshit on Suzanne's 'tribute':  Bitch...your costars, including your 'beloved' John, hated you so much for your salary and 'diva' demands to continue the show that they wouldn't even share a set with you!!!!!  Are you kidding me?!?!?  That's why her final few episodes on the show were done with her on a phone from another part of the studio:  It was mutual dislike on all parts. 

 

ITA.  Maybe Suzanne paying homage to Threes Company and her tears for John Ritter tugged at the heartstrings of those who simply watched the show and didnt follow any off camera drama, but for the rest of us? Trust me there was a lot of eye-rolling and it just may backfire on her. I can remember watching the Threes Company Unauthorized Story and the True Hollywood Story, add in the various interviews over the years John and Joyce gave and I remember thinking one thing - that Suzanne was quite the demanding, diva bitch. Hell even recently I saw Suzanne on TV whining about how getting fired from the show ruined her career and she was trying to blame everyone but herself. Just the fact that she had the nerve to say SHE landed the starring role was a slap in the face to Joyce DeWitt and John's memory.  When Three's Company first started there was no 'starring" role, the roles were equal.

[saber5055]

I didn't watch The Bachelor but I read an article in People about him.  Didn't he get to the end 'in love' with 2 or 3 of them, and Whitney wasn't his first choice, just the first one who agreed to him?  The Bach thing is almost like an arranged marriage.

 

 

There are always three "finalists" on The Bachelor, then one gets sent home after the overnight dates and two are left on "engagement day." One gets all dresses up and expects a proposal but is sent home by The Bach, then his choice arrives and they get engaged. As for the arranged marriage thing, marriage seldom happens after that show ends. But Whitney was always Chris's first choice as far as any of TB viewer know.

 

 

I can't judge Willow's dance since she was too hard to pick out of the crowd that was all over the floor covering her up. And how does one judge contemporary dance anyway, when there is basically no structure to it, it's anything goes? Has any contemporary ever scored a 6 or 7 on this show?

 

Noah made me go "WOW!" to the tv when he lifted Sharna with one hand. Yikes. I actually liked his dance. But I missed part of his opening segment ... he has kids? No wife? What's his story there? I thought we saw his girlfriend a couple of weeks ago.

 

 

I didn't think Chris was as bad or worse than a couple of others but it seems judges think his time is up.

 

I thought the Three's Company dance was a lot of fun. Liked it. Patti also was fun, although I can't say either danced better than Chris. They just had better sets and backup dancers. Maybe that's what Witney needs to add, about 15 more dancers on the floor so Chris can't be seen. She could borrow them from Mark and Willow.

 

 

I kept staring at Rumer's lips when she was talking during her promo and for some reason kept thinking botox. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

 

I can't see criticizing Nastia for "lack of connection" or emotion when that tango was gorgeous. That's suppose to be a serious dance and that's how I saw it.

[Guest]

The Three's Company 'I never had brains' joke was painfully bad, but the whole show probably was, though I remember liking the show, mostly for John Ritter.  And I was 12.  

[GracieK]

It boils down to Suzanne and Joyce don't get along.  Hence I think Suzanne's tribute was fairly calculated.  Let's put it this way.  Suzanne was fired from the show in S5, though she herself would probably dispute this.   The show ran for 8 seasons and Joyce was there for the whole thing.  If anything long term fans wanted Jack and Janet to eventually get together.  To hear Suzanne's version you would think it was the Chrissy and Jack show.  As if the show didn't continue to get good ratings after her departure, which was basically because at the end of the day it was a John Ritter vehicle.   There was a ton of drama behind the scenes on that show.  About the only thing anyone can agree on is that John Ritter was a pretty awesome guy.

 

And she didn't speak to John Ritter for years after she was cut loose (for going on strike after demanding more money). Although they reconciled, her tribute felt disingenuous to me.  She has always bugged me.  She's still wrapped up in and trying to cash in on her fame from that show and it seems desperate to me.  It's reminds me of how Barry Williams entire identity is still wrapped up in being Greg Brady.  Move on!

[crowceilidh]

I really don't like most aspects of Tony, although I feel for him about the number of whack a doodle women he has been given to partner.  I don't like Suzanne Somers either.  And I don't think Suzanne did all that great a job in the dance last night, but I did think that Tony did an excellent job of mimicking John Ritter in both his spoken lines and his choreo.  Especially for someone who looks so entirely UNLIKE John Ritter.  I don't know if the judges acknowledged that because I can't watch them at all anymore.

 

I'm sorry that the switch-up is cancelled this season - I hope that isn't a permanent decision.

 

I thought that Alison was hiding Riker's feet again at the beginning of that dance - the black and white and red seemed to be well-lit at the top and conspiciously not lit on their legs. 

 

Still rooting for Rumer.  

[sinkwriter]

 

Call me a curmudgeon, but Chris's segment made me roll my eyes.

 

The only thing I found interesting about his segment was how they talked about his town only having about 400 people total, so most young people move away because there's really no opportunities to date or branch out beyond farming. I imagine there must be pros and cons to growing up in a town that small. Good for community because everyone knows everyone and (one hopes) will be there for you if you need help with something. But wow, that's got to be a tough place for gaining any sort of perspective of other cultures or having options to choose from for school and for life in general, or so many other things.

[judemorrigan]

For some reason, I really noticed Robet's feet this week (maybe it was the white shoes?). A lot of times it looked like he was shuffling his feet along the floor instead of picking them up and stepping. I also noticed that when he was supposed to go up on the balls of his feet, it looked like he was barely lifting his heels off the ground. I agree that I like seeing fresh takes but I also appreciate a waltz like this.

For what it's worth, you're not supposed to pick your feet up in the waltz. Granted, it should be more of a glide than a shuffle, and there were definitely a few times he bobbled a bit (likely due to balance issues). I also had no particular issues with his foot rise. YMMV.

On a wholly unrelated note, I see this is the episode I get to break out my "smooth is a thing" rant in response to Len's critique of one of Val's dances. Seriously, there was plenty of waltz content in his and Rumer's dance. No whisks, sure. *Because it was American Smooth.*