S20.E12: Week 9 Results

[LotusFlower]

I am still steamed about the surprise proposal.  I think it was majorly unfair to the other contestants.  Did I hear correctly that only Sharna and Riker knew this was going to happen?  I wonder if the producer would have let this go through--but knowing this show, all publicity is good and this set Twitter afire.  I just think it threw Nastia, Rumer, and Riker under the bus.

Are you kidding? Did the producers know? I'm sure they orchestrated the whole thing.

[ramble]

I find this whole thing funny, but then again this show is about the best dancer as much as AI is the best singer. It's a vote from the public & while I may not always agree I get that it's never going to be fair. Rumer & Nastia leave me feeling apathetic & Riker just bugs me, so if I voted, which I don't, that leaves Noah. I don't care too much who wins, but I'm fine with Noah. I can't quit laughing at the "shocked elimination" faces. I seem to have a mean streak.

ETA: I loved the shot of a couple of women plugging their ears during the screams after the Almay dance of poorly done covers.

Edited May 13, 2015 by ramble

[crowceilidh]

I've heard this one-note comment about Rumer and I don't completely disagree - however, she is not as one-note as the pro Allison and the range of her note has been pretty wide.  Yes, she has an intensity about her, but it is not a one-note intensity - it's just on overlay on her various emotional projections.  Whereas, I find Allison to have only one note.  

 

I'm sorry that Nastia has gone, because I will barf if Riker or Noah win, whereas if Nastia were to win, I wouldn't be "super pleased" but there would be no bile in my throat.

[KLovestoShop]

As a disabled person, I just don't care for this show putting on a token physically challenged person every season. It's obvious it's a ratings ploy, and the person gets by on sympathy votes. While Noah is a war hero, there's no way he belongs in the finals. Every one of his dances were very short in duration, and it's obvious he was never really dancing---just doing steps and lifting his partner. I'm all for equal opportunity for the disabled, but I don't think it's fair for any of us to advance on the basis of sympathy or little tricks like proposing. I've been disabled since I was 2, and everything I've acvomplished has been due to hard work and not sympathy.

[MerBearHou]

I'm going to be in the minority here, but I think Derek is great for the show. Just like I thought Maks was. Derek's choreography never fails to blow me away with creativity and challenge. I love how he dances and I feel like his attitude is steady and positive. I disagreed with his schedule this year with NYC commitments and flying back and forth -- if he was committed to the NY show, he should've skipped this DWTS season.

I'm bummed for Nastia -- just an awful outcome.

I get a huge kick out of Riker and feel like he really holds his own with Allison's frenenetic choreography. He's tall and gangly and yet keeps his timing super well. I had no idea who he was before this season, but I really, really like him.

I would love for Rumer to win the Mirror Ball. Val and she deserve the win IMO. Her beautiful dancing with Val's tough choreography have won me over. I don't care about Demi and Bruce one way or the other, but have grown to really like Rumer (wish she had a different name).

Noah is impressive with what he's overcome, but no, he should not be on the show's finals over Riker, Rumer or Nastia. I wish him the best (in his 3rd marriage) but I am CERTAIN that the proposal boosted him as well as the military/wounded warrior voting.

Last, I feel bad for Erin being bashed for supposedly rolling her eyes during Noah's proposal.

[Rancide]

America voted--Noah didn't put himself there.

 

If Noah had gotten the 4s-7s that his dancing deserved all season long and he still made the final, I'd shrug and say "America voted."  If the judges are going to completely abdicate their responsibility to provide some objective balance to the popularity contest aspects of the show, why not switch to straight-up voting, American Idol style?

 

This did not surprise me.  Noah will be in F2 and possibly win.  On the bright side, that may be the end of casing the physically challenged.  sigh

 

Oh, no.  It will only embolden the casting department.  The call to Stephen Hawking is probably already in.  

 

In all seriousness though, I don't want them to stop casting the physically challenged.  Or overweight.  Or old.  Or clumsy.  I like the diversity and range, and I also like that the show gives respect to people who face challenges.  And obviously, Noah (and other physically challenged people) can dance.  They just can't dance like Nastia, Riker, and Rumer.  And that's okay!  A 5 isn't a personal insult!  Give the man the respect of scoring him fairly.  That's all I ask. 

[tessaforever]

Ross Lynch... really, Show?

There are absolutely no other, non Hough, disney / slash/ABC people you could trot out?

 

 

Im given to think that Ross Lynch must surely be in possession of racy images of TPTB compromising a goat.

There were rumors online last year that Ross was being asked to do DWTS. Either he felt he was too good for the show, or his schedule didn't allow for it, but Riker really came out the winner here. Riker will at least be in the top 3, and Ross had to do an execrable, forgettable dance routine while Riker has burned up the dance floor with some really great dancing. I feel bad for Ross, as he seems to (otherwise) be a cute and talented kid. 

[sandyskyblue]

 And Val remains one of my favorites. I enjoy Derek's choreography, but I really felt it was a selfish choice to take Nastia, someone who had all it took to win, and shortchange her by being, literally, pulled in two directions every week. (Plus, I would guess the injury was related to the workload and lack of concentration or other explanation for unusually careless behavior). Nastia was a lovely dancer and would have done well with Sasha all season (and he got shortchanged, too, since injured Derek kind of treated him like a stand in, not a peer, someone executing/ teaching Derek's choreo and standing around while Derek and Nastia talked to Tom and Erin. I found him somewhat unappreciated, considering the difficulty Sasha had to contend with in rehearsal all season, and even moreso at the end.

 

So much THIS!!!  I have been complaining about Derek to anyone who will listen: how he said last season that he will be out this season, then for whatever reason (Nastia!) decides to come back to the show this season at pretty much the last possible minute, then both of them have other major things happening (Broadway show for Derek, school for Nastia) so that they can barely rehearse together, bringing Sasha (collateral damage) in to rehearse with Nastia when Derek can't, making it difficult and so not fair for both Sasha and Nastia.....no wonder Nastia was so pi$$ed in her package 2 weeks ago....

Edited May 13, 2015 by radishcake
format issues

[Serendi]

Welp. Do NOT want Noah to win, okay with Riker, prefer Rumer (someone wanted a better name for her - she seems to be called Rue mostly). But I really wanted Willow to win.

 

ETA: I don't ever recall hearing Derek had another celeb lined up. What I heard was when they finally got permission for him to do both the Radio City gig and this season's DWTS, they had to quickly find a New York-based celeb. Is there something I missed?

Edited May 13, 2015 by Serendi

[superdeluxe]

I found more detail of what was said:  Folks can judge for themselves what Val said. Not a big deal to me in the context of the segment:

__________

Q: Hey could u post the video segment where Val allegedly said something bad about Nastia. I didn't watch the show and know that they are blowing this way out of proportion.

 

A: I haven’t seen a video posted of it yet. But I’ve transcribed what was said about Nastia

Val says, he thinks “She (Nastia) is the whole package. She’s flawless really but I think being so perfect makes them (her & Derek) a bit uninteresting.”

 

Sharna ALSO says “We need a human moment from her (Nastia)”

 

It wasn’t really a big deal to me, quite fair critique which is what ALL four of the pros were doing in the segment pointing out strengths & weaknesses of the other celebs.

 

Well, it was said that Allison called Nastia a robot before it was edited.  Turns out it was Sharna.  Not shocked at that, really.  She's Fam'd up and also desperate for a win.  So, she gets no pass from me.  And seeing the whole quote still makes no difference for me --- Val is an ass.

 

I'm 5'4! I volunteer!

 

You don't even have to be a star to be on this show anymore.  So, go ahead.  Do your thing.  I'll root for you.

 

 

Give other pros a chance.

 

    

How is Derek's presence not giving another Pro a chance? People bring up Henry and Sasha, well if the producers wanted to make either of those a Pro, they would have. Both had a season and instead of making them a Pro again, they chose to bring in others like Artem and Keo. And speaking of those two, they are a perfect example of if the producers want to bring someone back they do. Keo hardly impressed his first season since he had a dud and was out the first week and they still gave him another shot. Derek's presence is not what guarantees some other Pro a chance or not because by that same token you can say the same for Tony who has been on the show practically since the beginning or Mark who has been as long as Derek, etc.

 

Thank.  You.  How is Derek's presence not giving another pro a chance?  That just makes no sense to me.

[tessaforever]

You don't even have to be a star to be on this show anymore.  So, go ahead.  Do your thing.  I'll root for you.

Great! This 43-year-old homeschooling mom FTW!

 

Derek has done such a great job of getting celebrities to the finish line that I'm sure many people thought that at this point, he could phone it in. Now he's proven that he can't. Perhaps he does realize that competing this season wasn't a great idea?

 

Clearly Noah had no(ah) problem proposing on-camera since he's proposed so many times before. Needed to spice up the third one, hey!

[kitcloudkicker]

The thing that bothers me about Noah, is that if he had not ever been injured, I feel like we'd see him dancing at the level that Chris was at. "Put my arm here. Move myself over here. Step step step turn. Pick up girl." I don't get the sense from him that he's feeling the music, or moving to it, or performing in a real way. If we have to compare the "disabled" contestants, I loved Amy's dances, because girl was a natural. She moved with the music. She was absolutely in the top of that season for me. That's where it feels like pandering to Noah for me. Sure, his limitations are greater because he doesn't have the knee, and the leading arm. But I haven't gotten the feel from him that he's connected at all with the musicality of it, and that makes all his performances fall extra flat. And why I compare him more to Candace from that season. 

Edited May 13, 2015 by kitcloudkicker

[Glaadrial]

Thanks to everyone here who posted their thoughts on this episode. As I'm on the West Coast, I decided to spoil myself so that I could skip it if Rumer was eliminated (which I thought was a real probability based on her getting the Charlie White edit...i.e. the redemption (Val's) episode coming a week too soon...coupled with the "honest" score from Len/Jullianne). The reactions here allowed me to appreciate the show in a different way than I would have if I'd gone in unspoiled.

 

Had she not been eliminated, I think that Val's comment could have been interpreted as honestly constructive and would have served Nastia very well going into the Finals; ditto for Sharna's. I'm sad to see her go, and once again she didn't disappoint in making canned media training sound sincere and meaningful. I don't need to see her tears of disappointment; I am a fan of her grace and her poise under pressure. She is a remarkable champion.

[Avidviewer]

I don't think Val's comment was bad, Bruno sort of said something last night (he didn't mention Nastia's name but after Val and Rumor danced, he said, "you convey so many emotions and that's why dancing is what it is, if it was just movement, it would be gymnastics"). I felt like that line was a bit of shade.

The fans always find something to fight about every season.  Its easier to call out Val than to go after Bruno or to agree that a portion of the general audience bought into the TPTB's narrative for Nastia.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dco9qHLVE8s

Bruno comment starts @ 3:19

Edited May 13, 2015 by Avidviewer

[Guest]

Ross Lynch... really, Show?

There are absolutely no other, non Hough, disney / slash/ABC people you could trot out?

Why would they not hawk their own shows?  

 

I just read somewhere that this will be Noah's third marriage - WTF?

 

Oh. That actually explains a lot.  I've seen that look of 1000% devotion in other guys who fall in and out of love severely and frequently.  

Well, it was said that Allison called Nastia a robot before it was edited.  Turns out it was Sharna.  Not shocked at that, really.  

I agree with Sharna that Nastia is robotic.  I don't dislike her, I just feel like I know her about as well as I know say some troupe dancer who I never see speak.  I know, Nastia speaks.  But I think between her being quiet, calm, monotone and slightly nasal, and occasionally showing RBF, and the third partner thing, I wasn't at all surprised to see her go tonight.  And I didn't really care.  I think it should've been Noah but I didn't care either way.  

 

I think it's funny that when Derek advances or goes home, it's the same battle cry:  It's fixed!!  

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Two things really popped for me as I watched the elimination moment.  1)  There was none of the usual shock and disgust expressions from any of the jidges.  They ALL knew they allowed this to happen by not limiting Noah to 8s.  This was a true Hound of the Baskervilles moment!  (They didn't "bark.")  2)  Nastia was entirely DRY EYED the entire time.  It wasn't just a lack of tears, her eyes were dry and dulled.  This just confirms that she has a significantly low affect.  Doesn't make her bad.  However, this lack of displayed emotion did kill her on this show.

 

All reality talent shows have an inherent pro-male bias.*  This was just the latest, and perhaps worstest, example.  

 

No, there was no "40s" sequence in that century of dance package.  

 

I really liked that Val wants this so bad that he fell to his knees when Anastasia's name was announced.

 

I have zero problem believing we saw the actual order of voting.  Per usual, nothing was specifically announced.  

 

*The lone female was booted on American Idol and missed out on the Final tonight, as well.

Edited May 13, 2015 by Lonesome Rhodes

[Padma]

How does the finale go? Is it "eliminate F3 and then two compete for the win?" Because if it was like that, how awkward would it be for F2 to go against Noah. Damned if you do (win) and damned if you don't.  Because he's such a poor dancer (ita he has little natural musicality or rhythm) that would you really be proud to beat him? Plus, of course, the physical challenges that has created so many more fans for him who will be unhappy with the outcome.

 

Doesn't seem like a "fair fight". And if, say, Rumer and Val -lose- to Noah, will that really feel like a legitimate loss? Or more like a "we were robbed" kind of thing that you could never, ever say?

 

He shouldn't have advanced this far. It really spoils the show, imo, to have him still "dancing" as F3.

[Kerri Johnson]

I was happy Noah got through, only because I thought Rumer was going home. Sadly, she will win. She's a great dancer, but just sick of all the Val pimping. The judges all but declared her the winner Week One. 

[katha]

Well, this sucks. Didn't expect it to be Nastia, but we knew that Noah wasn't going home and it was going to be one of the better dancers. I did think the narrative they created for her wasn't great, and even though she was a muted performer and didn't ever really open up (not with Sasha either IMO), the way they skated towards implying something was wrong with her as a person (at least that's the impression I had), it did rub me the wrong way. The set-up with first Derek's two jobs, then the two-partner arrangement probably hurt her as well. She did great, though, given the rather difficult circumstances she had to deal with. And I thought it was cool that she told the producers to shove it when they were pushing for "emotional reactions".

 

And I agree that the judges contributed to the situation with Noah. I know it's difficult to score him, but the way he's getting basically the same scores as three much, much better dancers contributed to this. Yes, he has the votes. But would it have killed them to stay with 7s and 8s? They've made themselves totally obsolete with the way they have been scoring him. Bristol Palin didn't get super scores, she progressed on votes. They acknowledged that she did improve and even that some of her dances were reasonably watchable and that she wasn't the trainwreck everyone thought she would be (thanks, Mark!), but they didn't pretend that she was a great dancer or as good as the other contestants.

 

As for the male pros: At this point I think perhaps it would be a good idea to get a rotation in? Have Val, Tony, Derek, Mark sit out one season. Or split it: Derek and Tony sit out one season, Mark and Val the next. They have all been around forever. They are all fantastic at their jobs and I don't begrudge them their spots with the show and I can see why the producers bring them back again and again (even if rivaling fanbases don't see it that way...), but perhaps in that way there would be more breathing room. Or if not, at least shake up the partner assignments a bit. Give Val a total beginner, something he hasn't had since his first season, I think? I think it would be super interesting to see him teach someone from scratch. Please no one conservative and/or super young for Mark. And so on. But of course that won't happen.

[MakeMeLaugh]

I have never voted for anyone but as long as the show has the viewer vote component, it's going to be a skewed vote. How many people voting really know what the heck they are voting for in terms of dance ability? Someone is always robbed if they don't have a fanbase, but why shouldn't Noah or anyone else deemed a star have a giant fanbase voting for him? It's really just an entertainment show--the judges' voting every week are just part of the entertainment, imo. I can't take it very seriously so I don't mind if Noah wins, or Rumer, or Riker.

I think the show should be glad Derek's star was voted off. I know, I know, it's all above board, but if Julianna's first season as a judge ended with her brother being crowned the winning pro, it would have been icky. Now she will seem more impartial.

[NikSac]

Wow, not happy with these results at all. I finally made myself figure out how to vote and threw all my votes to Rumer figuring she was in the most jeopardy and might need the votes. I thought Nastia was safe for sure. I'm really sad not to see her dance in the finale. Not like my few votes would've mattered that much, but now I wish I'd given them to Nastia.

[Glaadrial]

Well, this sucks. Didn't expect it to be Nastia, but we knew that Noah wasn't going home and it was going to be one of the better dancers. I did think the narrative they created for her wasn't great, and even though she was a muted performer and didn't ever really open up (not with Sasha either IMO), the way they skated towards implying something was wrong with her as a person (at least that's the impression I had), it did rub me the wrong way. The set-up with first Derek's two jobs, then the two-partner arrangement probably hurt her as well. She did great, though, given the rather difficult circumstances she had to deal with. And I thought it was cool that she told the producers to shove it when they were pushing for "emotional reactions".

There's a certain amount of irony at play here, I think. Not so obvious, of course, because I think that each of the couples did well with what ended up happening pairing-wise. I've said before in another thread that I thought that Nastia/Val would have been a better fit and now I'll add that I think that, in hindsight, perhaps Rumer/Derek could have gone all the way (or at least to the final). Nastia/Val have the whole Eastern European connection that I think could have worked in their favor. Also, I think that Val's emphasis on connection could have really brought Nastia to life for the audience. Also, Nastia's athleticism could have given him the opportunity to raise the ante choreographically. I think they made it a point during one of the packages to highlight that Rumer, as fit as she looks, is not really athletic; this says to me that her smoking physique is probably more the result of diet and not so much exercise. Core strength and endurance are key especially in these last weeks of the competition.

 

Conversely, Derek is a master of producing the precision and intricacies in his choreography mostly through repetition. As an actress, Rumer would have been able to supply the emotional aspects that would have really sold his choreography without needing as much coaching from Derek (especially given his limited schedule). 

 

I sincerely do not know if I could have warmed up to Rumer if she were partnered with Derek, but I'd like to think that I would given, his track record for brilliance...I mean Psycho Tango was a masterpiece for so many reasons and it was created with Rikki Lake as his partner. Disclaimer: I'm by no means TeamDerek, but neither will I deny brilliance when I see it. I find it hard to imagine that Nastia/Val vs. Rumer/Derek in the Finals would not have happened, because I think that these two pairings are far more complementary than what we got this season. Moreover, I think that the package narratives would have been far more interesting as well.

 

From what other have said, though, those pairings were never on the table because of how things shook out regarding the casting this season. If Nastia was a last minute replacement or was chosen to give Derek someone based in NYC who could adjust to the limitations based on Derek's other commitments, then the way it played out was the only way to pair them. Still, the thought of two evenly matched ringers each paired with a pro that suited her temperament and talent could have made for a really exciting finale.

[MsTree]

As a disabled person, I just don't care for this show putting on a token physically challenged person every season. It's obvious it's a ratings ploy, and the person gets by on sympathy votes. While Noah is a war hero, there's no way he belongs in the finals. Every one of his dances were very short in duration, and it's obvious he was never really dancing---just doing steps and lifting his partner. I'm all for equal opportunity for the disabled, but I don't think it's fair for any of us to advance on the basis of sympathy or little tricks like proposing. I've been disabled since I was 2, and everything I've acvomplished has been due to hard work and not sympathy.

 

Fellow disabled person here. And yes I agree with this 100%. I feel for Noah, given his limitations but I've worked hard for my achievements, I hate it when people try to pity me, it's not something I like. If Noah does win, I wonder how he will feel about it. I never felt like the judges comments were about the dancing but were about him as a person- never mind their scores- and I just wonder how he will feel about it

 

Bravo to both of you who have worked hard for all your achievements without looking for pity (and sympathy votes). Other than the manipulative/pre-planned proposal by Noah, I blame Carrie Ann for all the bullshit. Between her tongue bathing and crocodile tears for every "dance" she has turned this once enjoyable and entertaining show into a joke. I can't stand her...and now it appears that Julianne is jumping on her bandwagon. UGH!

[A.Ham]

I think Noah will have Sharna choreograph his Freestyle as his wedding dance; his girlfriend participate in one or two 8-counts of it, 'murica will go batshit crazy and he will win that tacky mirrorball trophy. Hey, this show redefines "anything is possible".

[shoregirl]

Or Noah and his fiance could just actually get married on air as Proud to be an American plays. That should garner a few votes.

Edited May 13, 2015 by shoregirl

[anonymiss]

I just read somewhere that this will be Noah's third marriage - WTF?

 

Oh. That actually explains a lot.  I've seen that look of 1000% devotion in other guys who fall in and out of love severely and frequently.  

 

Me too, but considering he's the type of guy who throws a tantrum and thinks it made the other person "look bad," I suspect he's not the one doing the leaving.

 

I laughed at the gall of Allison who says things like, "The reason Riker deserves to be in the finals is because of MEEEE! This is only my second season so it could be MY only chance--to get a Hough-y ringer like this again!" That's the "It" factor Val didn't want to call out when he said, "Riker has 'It.' I don't know what 'It' is, but he has 'It'!" 

[Wings]

I think Noah will have Sharna choreograph his Freestyle as his wedding dance; his girlfriend participate in one or two 8-counts of it, 'murica will go batshit crazy and he will win that tacky mirrorball trophy. Hey, this show redefines "anything is possible".

 

 

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!  Yes it does.  

[mbutterfly]

I can't say I was super surprised that Noah got through - after all, he sewed that up with the calculated proposal - but I really didn't think Nastia would be going home. However I did learn something back in the days on those other boards (uh, previous to these), which is that fan bases do not really decide the outcomes of these shows. Numbers-wise, fan bases pale in comparison to the good ole hefty weight of the masses, who vote for whichever dance/song/etc they like the most on any given night.

 

Rumer, while given the death slot of going first last night with her judges' choice, was absolutely the most memorable. I have seen many pasos, many tangos, and many waltzes, but I have never seen Swan Lake on this show and Bruno (that sly fox) knew that and frankly, he bested the other judges with showmanship.

That's a great point about Swan Lake. I loved it, but I hadn't thought how smart it was. Bruno was a sly fox because -- for the first time -- I gave Rumer all my votes because Swan Lake blew me away. 

[BW Manilowe]

I'm going to be in the minority here, but I think Derek is great for the show. Just like I thought Maks was. Derek's choreography never fails to blow me away with creativity and challenge. I love how he dances and I feel like his attitude is steady and positive. I disagreed with his schedule this year with NYC commitments and flying back and forth -- if he was committed to the NY show, he should've skipped this DWTS season.

I'm bummed for Nastia -- just an awful outcome.

I get a huge kick out of Riker and feel like he really holds his own with Allison's frenenetic choreography. He's tall and gangly and yet keeps his timing super well. I had no idea who he was before this season, but I really, really like him.

I would love for Rumer to win the Mirror Ball. Val and she deserve the win IMO. Her beautiful dancing with Val's tough choreography have won me over. I don't care about Demi and Bruce one way or the other, but have grown to really like Rumer (wish she had a different name).

Noah is impressive with what he's overcome, but no, he should not be on the show's finals over Riker, Rumer or Nastia. I wish him the best (in his 3rd marriage) but I am CERTAIN that the proposal boosted him as well as the military/wounded warrior voting.

Last, I feel bad for Erin being bashed for supposedly rolling her eyes during Noah's proposal.

Rumer & her 2 sisters from Bruce & Demi's marriage all have "unusual" names--Rumer is named for the poet Rumer Godden (her middle name is Glenn, for Bruce's Moonlighting Executive Producer who I think he was, if not still is, good friends with, Glenn Gordon Caron); her middle sister, Scout LaRue, was named for the To Kill a Mockingbird character; her youngest sister is Tallulah Belle, named for actress Tallulah Bankhead.

In contrast, Rumer's baby half-sisters, from her Dad's marriage to model/actress Emma Heming Willis, have more "conventional" names--Mabel Ray (age 3, born April, 2012) & Evelyn Penn (age 1, born May, 2014).

[LadyMustang65]

I think Noah will have Sharna choreograph his Freestyle as his wedding dance; his girlfriend participate in one or two 8-counts of it, 'murica will go batshit crazy and he will win that tacky mirrorball trophy. Hey, this show redefines "anything is possible".

 

Oh dear God, I had never even considered this possibility, but as you say "anything is possible."  That might well be the first time a tv show has made me vomit.  No.  Just no.  <lol>

[alexa]

Ugh.  Having to see the stupid proposal again annoyed me to no end.  I hated it the first time, and could only roll my eyes at all of the over the top exclamations that occurred on elimination night.  I, like many others here, hate when people on reality shows, etc, propose on TV as if they are so dang unique.  No, you are just looking for attention, and it obviously has nothing to do with the other person as they would much rather have a private, intimate moment to enjoy it--rather than being ambushed in front of millions of people.  Seriously, she couldn't even share that moment with him, as she had to go back to the audience, and he had to go dance.  And you have to kiss in front of everyone.  Now that I hear it is his 3rd marriage I am even more annoyed.

 

Moving on, I am so disappointed he is in the final.  I agree with many assessments that there are others that are unable to dance fully for many reasons, age, physical limitations, lack of rhythm, etc, and they don't get special treatment with their scores.  I hated how they raved about all of his routines, as it was clear he didn't have to do much.  I so wanted a good freestyle, and now we will have a chance for only 2, and unfortunately Riker/Allyson will probably be over the top.

 

That said, I really wanted Rumer to go through as I think she has the heart and spirit I want from a contestant on this show.  I hope they do really well.

 

I was pleasantly surprised it was Nastia to go.  Nothing against her as she had a good night Monday, but I think it is good to see that Derek isn't dominating and that voters are willing to go other directions (though in this case the direction toward Noah wasn't exactly what I was looking for!)

Edited May 13, 2015 by alexa

[Buggin]

I don't disagree with Val's comment, either. Up until the last couple weeks, I hadn't felt anything watching Nastia's dance. I thought they were very good, but I was never moved to watch them a second time. I enjoyed the Charleston, the Quickstep, and even the Jive trio because she looked like she was having more fun. Like she finally was able to relax, or maybe in part because Sasha himself exudes happiness when he's dancing, but they actually stuck with me. I just wasn't invested enough to actually vote for her (I didn't vote for anyone, though).  I felt the same with Bethany last season. She was good and had a good personality, but I was never moved enough by her partnership with Derek to vote for her, not when we had Witfonso and even Sadie and Mark who, IMO, were just more entertaining partnerships even if their dancing wasn't necessarily better (Sadie's, not Alfonso's...he was obviously top tier).

 

There's been a number of people on my FB commenting on Noah who I don't think are normal DWTS viewers. I know a couple are guys who did Tough Mudder or some other race with him. Dunno if they're actually voting but I'm not surprised his voting block is big.

 

I hope Val doesn't blow the freestyle. I think Allison is capable of choreographing a really fun one. I like Rumer and would be happy she won but I'd definitely vote for them if I thought a Val win would mean Keo, Artem, Sasha, Henry, etc etc, would get his usual ringer next season (though knowing how this show works, he'll get someone even better if he wins).

[BW Manilowe]

According to Google, Noah has only been married once before; this will be his second marriage, not third. He does, however, have three children from his previous marriage.

[OakGoblinFly]

I also did not appreciate Val's comment (critique) about Derek and Nastia that they were so perfect it made them uninteresting.  I thought that was harsh and not really a critique of her dancing. 

 

 

Val, the pot is calling you black.

 

I thought Sasha was a great pro when he danced with Snooki.  I am surprised he hasn't been selected more often.

 

 

Sasha is tiny - he would need a very small celebrity partner.  I was impressed with his partnership with Snooki - they worked well together and I enjoyed his partnership with BOTH Nastia and Derek .... would like to see more of Sasha.

[NextIteration]

Welp, I'm happy that Riker is through, I really wanted to see what Allison would do with a freestyle, and I couldn't be happier for her redemption arc.  Chuckles, if I see the word "frenetic" applied to her choreography one more time I'll become more nauseous than Noah in the finals makes me.

 

Speaking of one note... Rumer is as much a nothingburger one note of intensity for me as many accuse Allison and Nastia of being, though I love Val (but I love Derek too!)

 

I know, horribly unpopular opinion. ;)

Edited May 13, 2015 by NextIteration

[kayma]

I'm not surprised Noah's still there. I am surprised it was at Nastia's expense instead of Riker's. I thought the 3-person jeopardy was odd. Why not just do results at the end and call them safe one at a time.

 

I really, really, really don't understand the hate Val is getting for saying what people have been saying about Nastia's dancing all season. Especially when the pros were all talking pros and cons of the dancers. Her dancing was flawless but uninteresting with the exception of her last three dances. Just like Riker needs to tone down the energy and Rumer needs to remember to have fun. I wish more fans would remember to have fun with this show, too.

 

It amazes me how such a cheesy show with a likeable cast can manage to attract such hatred for anyone.

 

I liked the interview with the 4 pros. Sometimes, the praise heaped on Allison can bug me when I think she still has a lot to improve on for next season, but I always come back around to liking her when they let her talk. If Noah wins, Sharna will have certainly earned it.

 

Artem and Witney were quite the stunning dance couple in that awful Americana number.

 

though I love Val (but I love Derek too!)

 

I know, horribly unpopular opinion. ;)

I first watched for Meryl and Charlie but came back for Season 19 because of Val. I've also come to really like Derek this season. Of course, I like all the pros so I don't know where that puts me on the unpopular opinion scale.

 

I know the All Stars idea was apparently better in concept than execution, but I'd love to see Nastia redo her season when she wasn't splitting time. I could see the change from splitting time to having Derek's full focus. I wish we could see what she'd accomplish with that.

[OakGoblinFly]

And Val remains one of my favorites. I enjoy Derek's choreography, but I really felt it was a selfish choice to take Nastia, someone who had all it took to win, and shortchange her by being, literally, pulled in two directions every week. (Plus, I would guess the injury was related to the workload and lack of concentration or other explanation for unusually careless behavior). Nastia was a lovely dancer and would have done well with Sasha all season (and he got shortchanged, too, since injured Derek kind of treated him like a stand in, not a peer, someone executing/ teaching Derek's choreo and standing around while Derek and Nastia talked to Tom and Erin. I found him somewhat unappreciated, considering the difficulty Sasha had to contend with in rehearsal all season, and even moreso at the end.

 

Noah's going to win, isn't he? Bleh.  (And I have a feeling that to Derek this season will always be "the one I would have won if I didn't get injured." No way to prove it, of course, but I did see the ego this season that others have mentioned before. He should have thought of his partner and just been part of the show as a guest, when convenient.)

 

 

I thought I read that Nastia would only be on the show if Derek was her partner - not that she demanded Derek - it was due to her attending school in New York.  I wouldn't classify Derek's behavior as "selfish" as the other pros have side jobs during the season too.

 

I have never been so glad that my cable was acting up and I couldn't watch live ...... reading about the show here, looks like I might have saved myself a migraine.

 

Bleck, Noah in the finals.  The judges really are going to coddle/special case him to the winner's circle, aren't they?

[Primetimer]

There's a lot of fooferaw and ballyhoo before we finally get down to the final elimination and find out which three couples are headed for the finals.

Read the story

[HowdyTV]

I learned early on (during first or beginning of second year the show was on) about the producer manipulation when my TV Guide subscription spilled the beans on the ousted dancer before voting was officially closed (you had more time to vote back then). They fixed it the next week so that never happened again.

 

That's why I don't blame the judges. They are not independent arbiters of scores. Every once and a while, you see them bend over backwards when a couple dances who make a mistake which the judges had to somehow account for but was not in the original narrative (may have danced it fine in rehearsal).

 

So it is a popularity contest, yes, but also a ratings concern, and I believe ABC tries to build the most buzz/best show they can and events such as these, a better dancer eliminated, garners more attention. So they cater to audience blocks as they see it fit the ratings need. Their definitions of 'stars' furthers this point. So America is in love with the amputee soldier. I give him credit for being a positive example of facing challenges to see what a person could do. But when you all don't have to do the same dances, that removes the even playing field.

 

I rarely vote, and since I read you can't vote online this year, that leaves me out anyway. So I watch with eyebrow raised most of the time, and sometimes I am pleasantly entertained, other times, not so much. But my blood pressure is no longer involved. :)

[NextIteration]

What is strange to me about Nastia is that I assumed that she was through with finals which was why she could be in LA focusing on dance with injuredDerek and Sasha but finals at NYU aren't until next week.  Maybe she was allowed to take them early or given an extension for her classes this semester, and perhaps they worked that all out (NYU and Nastia) when she decided to take this on.

 

Gotta admire her work ethic.

[katha]

I learned early on (during first or beginning of second year the show was on) about the producer manipulation when my TV Guide subscription spilled the beans on the ousted dancer before voting was officially closed (you had more time to vote back then). They fixed it the next week so that never happened again.

I think everyone knows this on some level, but when it's like this season where IMO the machinations are more obvious, I understand that people get more frustrated with it. I'm on record saying that I don't believe they throw out votes, but if they did, no one could stop them. It's not a dance competition, it's a reality show, they aren't bound by any rules and regulations. If they think kicking out a dancer brings more ratings and creates a better storyline, they can do that without repercussions. They can and do manipulate and storyboard the outcomes they want. And well...it's business for them, they do what they think is in the show's and ABC's best interests. It's not about treating the contestants fairly or being just.

[alexa]

I am relieved to see on many various websites viewer comments at the end of the articles are totally frustrated with Noah going through, and using language such as pity votes, and using the proposal to get more votes, etc.  It made me feel a little better to see the frustration more widespread.  

[Trixie Belden]

I just watched Nastia and Derek on Kelly and Michael, and still no chemistry there.  She smiled more, but I think it was probably because the stress is over.  Derek was doing his usual "look at meeeee" face and over dancing around her.  They never once looked at each other while dancing.

 

If Rumor went home, we were taking DWTS off the DVR.  She's a nearly flawless dancer, she and Val have great chemistry (not Robert and Kym level, but they're wonderful together) and her Swan Lake contemporary was one of the most stunning dances I've ever seen on the show.  When you consider that neither she nor Val had any ballet background, it was pretty daring to put that much ballet content in the routine-and they nailed it. 

 

I don't like Riker. I think he's a little obnoxious.  I just can't get on board with the Disney star thing, but then again, I'm old and cranky.  Also, Allison isn't a great dancer or choreographer.  (Full disclaimer:  I'm totally not a dancer.  I probably couldn't even waltz.   I'm probably just jealous.)

 

I normally haaaaaaaaaaaate the wounded warrior storyline.  I like Noah though and I've been impressed with his physical strength in his routines.  That being said, he shouldn't be in the finals.  I don't think his proposal was staged or less than genuine, I think he thought his girlfriend would be thrilled to have a big public proposal, so he did it.  Tom B said that the producers knew, but that they kept it from him and everyone else.  I see Noah going back to his real life after the show and being happy he did it and that's the last we'll hear of him.  I don't think he's a fame whore.

[HowdyTV]

I agree, Katha, that they don't throw out votes. The part they can manipulate is judging, choice of dances, and how votes count (although they can't change that once a season starts I believe). Otherwise, they let the votes fall where they may. 

[Rrrhumba]

Sasha is tiny - he would need a very small celebrity partner.  I was impressed with his partnership with Snooki - they worked well together and I enjoyed his partnership with BOTH Nastia and Derek .... would like to see more of Sasha.

Okay, I am starting the campaign for Sasha and Sasha - Cohen, the Olympic figure skater. She's pretty tiny. She'd be up there in terms of ringerdom but she is exquisite and I'd love to see a ringer with someone other than Val or Derek.

[galax-arena]

I agree, Katha, that they don't throw out votes.

I'm pretty sure they copped to it at least once during Zendaya's season. IIRC they tossed out all of the online votes during finale week. Don't remember why, I think it was because the voting site didn't work for one region so TPTB decided to toss 'em out for all regions? Didn't strike me as particularly fair back then because it meant that the people who were able to vote online had no way to get their votes in another way because they weren't told until after the fact. At least the ones in the region where the site crashed were able to vote via text and phone. People went crazy on the grassy knoll when that happened, and for good reason. 

Edited May 13, 2015 by galax-arena

[Trixie Belden]

I know people have made a huge deal about Erin Andrews rolling her eyes during Noah's proposal, but I didn't catch that the first time.  I did see this though - she realllllly doesn't seem to like him and girl has no poker face.

 

https://youtu.be/r6zP2gk49bk?t=4m11s

 

(sorry, I can't figure out how to embed the video)

Edited May 13, 2015 by Trixie Belden

[CatLady]

I will begin by saying DWTS producers have a job and that is to get viewers.  That is understandable.  Shows are ratings driven but...it has been painfully obvious over several past seasons that those producers will do anything to find a "hook".  The recent trend for using handicapped "stars" to that end has been very unsettling to me.  Of course viewers have sympathy and admiration for those of us who are so challenged physically and for whom many things that we take for granted are so much more difficult.  But to my way of thinking if this is truly a dancing competition, one must be able to keep up as the dances get harder and more refined.

 

The judges are totally to blame for the predicament the show was in last night.  If they had only judged Noah more fairly instead of pimping and blowing smoke about his "amazing" dances, there is no way Willow or Nastia would have been sacrificed.  Yes, Noah got lots of votes but part of that is in play because of what people heard on the show.  No one wants to demean a man whose life was torn apart serving his country but patronizing him with outright lies is just as embarrassing.

 

Willow was a spunky and good dancer.  She is little more than a child yet she took all the challenges and did a fine job.

 

Nastia was technically and artistically wonderful but she never connected the audience.  I do think that hurt her.

 

Rumer was a good dancer from the start.  I felt the judges scored her lower more than once in the waning weeks. 

 

It seem obvious to me there was a push to insure Noah stuck around regardless of whatever better dancer was bounced.  It stinks and has really put a pall over what used to be a fun show to watch.  The concept has never been perfect but the Noah Debacle of 2015 is the worst.  I feel the shark has given the show a geivous blow.

[HowdyTV]

I should clarify that they don't throw out votes to shape results. Sure, the event you cite could have been manufactured, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on that one, and let them have their say as that was the best way to handle it.

[LadyMustang65]

I thought I read that Nastia would only be on the show if Derek was her partner - not that she demanded Derek - it was due to her attending school in New York.  

 

According to the show, they had a different partner lined up for Derek, but she fell through at the last minute.  So they looked for a partner who was based in New York so they would be able to work with Derek during the week.  That's how Nastia ended up on the show.  She didn't ask for Derek - she got Derek because she was in New York during the week and willing to take on the show.