S20.E12: Week 9 Results

[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.

[LadyMustang65]

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

 

I didn't see that at all as Erin not liking him.  She was doing that face and fanning herself because she was (supposedly) trying not to cry.  Her next words were something to the effect that the show should be sponsored by Kleenex tonight.  I think people are just looking for something to complain about.  I didn't see her rolling her eyes during Noah's proposal at all, but I did see her looking like she was trying not to cry (similar to this clip).  Erin can sometimes make me cringe, but overall I really like her and think she makes a great co-host.

[Fliz]

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.

 

What an interesting idea! As much as I disliked the partner switch in past seasons, I would have loved to have seen those pairings for a week.

[skittl3862]

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.

 

Val's exact quote re: Nastia was "I think she's the whole package. She's flawless really, but the fact that they're so perfect makes them a bit uninteresting."

 

Now, if your takeaway from this is "Val is an ass and I will ignore the 3 compliments he gave to focus only on the negative, because it confirms my pre-existing opinion of him", then I can't help you.

 

I will admit to being off about Sharna- she said "We need a human moment from her", I thought she said human emotion. Same thing, really. But again, if people are going to write-off any constructive criticism Sharna gives simply because they have some sort of vaguely xenophobic bias and believe everyone who is friendly with Maks, Val, or Tony is part of some Cold War-esque Eastern European Mafia and can't be trusted, that's their prerogative.

 

I did find it was interesting that Derek wasn't shown giving any criticisms. I sincerely doubt it was because he didn't give any. In retrospect, maybe since the producers knew he was going home, they wanted to ramp up the competitive spirit between the final 3.

 

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.

 

Someone else mentioned those dances and it made me wonder if the upbeat dance styles made it easier to look like she's having fun. It's easier to come across as happy to happy, upbeat dance than to the Argentine Tango or rumba. The fact that Sasha danced those dances with her may make their "chemistry" more of coincidence than an actual connection. She maybe would have come across the same with Derek. It's hard to have a stone-faced, serious frown on your face during a quickstep.

Edited May 13, 2015 by skittl3862

[smiley13]

I was not able to watch last night.  As someone who loathes Golden Boy, I would have rather seen Nastia get through than Rumer or Riker.  Both them grate on my nerves.  Rumer is smug and gives off a mean girl vibe to me.  All of her whining about people being mean to her buys her no sympathy from me.  And I find her dancing to be boring and one-note.  Riker is a liar and is related to the Hough's so he was done for me before he ever started.  Plus he is paired with the worst pro they have ever had, so that was another strike against him.

 

On the other hand, there is Noah, who I will support even though he is with trashy Sharna.  At least he seems like a nice guy and he has done something for our country, which is America by the way, not any of the other odd ways I have seen people attempt to say it.  

 

And I do not know where this "shade" word has come from, but hope it goes away soon.

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)

I think that Erin is not a very nice person and am glad that she is catching grief for her behavior.

[fishcakes]

Man, where is Vote For The Worst when you really need them?

 

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

 

Those covers! Argh. Angsty guitarist must really hate Bryan Adams.

[Wings]

Rumers short haircut does not lend itself to dance easily, I get that.  But neither do the long hair pieces.  

[ari333]

Originally posted by ari333

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?  

 

Sorry. My post was yet again unclear. Iow, sure they can be expected to hawk their own shows, but how about with non Hough people ? I meant that of all the Disney/ABC people out there in the universe, surely some are available -  could they not find anyone ABC-Disney  who is not related to a Hough?

Edited May 13, 2015 by ari333

[peachmangosteen]

I put this travesty squarely on the judges for consistantly overscoring Noah...they did not have the balls to score him fairly.

 

This. I'm not gonna blame 'America' for voting for someone like Noah, but the judges should be better than this. They're professionals whose job it is to accurately judge the dancing. America can vote for whomever they want, there's no criteria for them. There is for the judges.

 

I actually like Noah though. His judge's choice dance from Monday was really the only dance that night that I truly enjoyed. 

 

I hope Riker wins though. Overall I've enjoyed his dances the most. I despise Allison though. Rumer/Val kinda bore me honestly and I normally love Val and I like Rumer.

 

I just love to see Derek get eliminated! I feel bad for Nastia though since I really like her. If her partner had been Sasha I probably would've voted for her.

[smiley13]

So with two 4th place finishes in a row for Golden Boy and both with partners who brought their own fan bases, does this mean that his legion of fans is not as big as people have always claimed?  If Nastia had been paired with another pro, I would have been much more interested in her.  Being paired with him was the Kiss of Death for any support from me.

[Guest]

Sorry. My post was yet again unclear. Iow, sure they can be expected to hawk their own shows, but how about with non Hough people ? I meant that of all the Disney/ABC people out there in the universe, surely some are available -  could they not find anyone ABC-Disney  who is not related to a Hough?

Ah, I see.  I think it would've been odd of them to promote Teen Beach 2 which stars Ross Lynch without Ross Lynch.  

 

A second cousin is a child of your parent's cousin.  I can't even a name a cousin of either of my parents, much less one of their children.  I just don't think it's any big deal.  Mileage varies, of course.  

[jackjill89]

Riker might be related to the Houghs, but are they close? I wouldn't know my second cousin if he smacked right into me. I haven't seen him in years. What's all this about "the Fam?" DWTS is sure filled with conspiracy theories!

[Runningwild]

Unpopular opinion here - I like Noah. No he's not the best dancer but this is Dancing With The STARS. He gave an arm and a leg fighting for our country, what will it hurt anyone if he gets a crappy mirror ball trophy. Erin says to vote for your favorite, not the best dancer. At the end of the day, Riker will still be famous with the Tweens/teens, Nastia will still have her Olympic medal and Rumer will still have famous parents. And Noah will still have one arm and one leg. I find watching him dance to be compelling and entertaining.

[smiley13]

Unpopular opinion here - I like Noah. No he's not the best dancer but this is Dancing With The STARS. He gave an arm and a leg fighting for our country, what will it hurt anyone if he gets a crappy mirror ball trophy. Erin says to vote for your favorite, not the best dancer. At the end of the day, Riker will still be famous with the Tweens/teens, Nastia will still have her Olympic medal and Rumer will still have famous parents. And Noah will still have one arm and one leg. I find watching him dance to be compelling and entertaining.

Bravo and ITA!  :)

[katha]

None of the pros can single-handedly carry a partner all the way IMO. If the celeb doesn't start pulling their own weight vote-wise with their own fanbase and the general audience, at some point it will give out. Also not a fan of blaming the pros if things don't work out. Personally, I think it's rarely if ever the pros' fault in the sense that they totally screw over a celeb out of their chances. I can't remember instances of that on the show. What happens, because they are human, is that sometimes they misjudge things or a dance doesn't work out like it should or a partnership for some reason is not a good fit. It's very difficult and taxing to get everything 100% right all the time in a stressful DWTS season. Yes, Derek may have overextended himself, but he obviously wanted to be part of the anniversary season at all costs and then unfortunately he got injured on top of it all. It didn't work out like he wanted perhaps, but it's easy to be all "I told you so" in hindsight. He's a workaholic, he thought he could do it and tried his best.

Edited May 13, 2015 by katha

[VioletMarx]

 

if people are going to write-off any constructive criticism Sharna gives simply because they have some sort of vaguely xenophobic bias and believe everyone who is friendly with Maks, Val, or Tony is part of some Cold War-esque Eastern European Mafia and can't be trusted, that's their prerogative.

 

Thank you for saying this. 

[tessaforever]

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.

 

This is copied and pasted from Noah's own website:

 

Marital Status: In long-term relationship with Jamie Boyd                       

Twice Divorced

 

When you Google him, only one ex-spouse comes up (the mother of his kids) but there's another one out there too.

 

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. :)

 

Do you mean vote at the DWTS website? I did that on Monday night.

 

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.  

 

Yes, actually, while I do think Erin was making ugly-cry faces (not scornful), I was glad to see the headlines about her everywhere after the proposal because it kept it from being only about Noah.

[superdeluxe]

Val's exact quote re: Nastia was "I think she's the whole package. She's flawless really, but the fact that they're so perfect makes them a bit uninteresting."

 

Now, if your takeaway from this is "Val is an ass and I will ignore the 3 compliments he gave to focus only on the negative, because it confirms my pre-existing opinion of him", then I can't help you.

 

I will admit to being off about Sharna- she said "We need a human moment from her", I thought she said human emotion. Same thing, really. But again, if people are going to write-off any constructive criticism Sharna gives simply because they have some sort of vaguely xenophobic bias and believe everyone who is friendly with Maks, Val, or Tony is part of some Cold War-esque Eastern European Mafia and can't be trusted, that's their prerogative.

 

I did find it was interesting that Derek wasn't shown giving any criticisms. I sincerely doubt it was because he didn't give any. In retrospect, maybe since the producers knew he was going home, they wanted to ramp up the competitive spirit between the final 3.

 

Just like how someone can hate Derek just for breathing -- that's their prerogative.  But Val is an ass.  That's why I don't like him.  Calling someone "uninteresting" is not the first instance of him being an ass.

 

And Sharna is walking around like she is owed this.  I saw a bit from her blog and I rolled my eyes.  I have never liked her and the people she associates with is not helping that situation.

 

If the producers didn't show Derek giving any criticisms because they knew he was getting the boot or whatever, then that's the first piece of decent editing they gave him all season.  But there could be a chance that Derek really didn't have any criticisms to give.  Is that so hard to believe?

[galax-arena]

Doesn't mean she had a right to leave him. Or did she not vow 'in sickness and in health'? Sounds like she didn't help him at all.

Taking this to Noah's thread. 

[renzii]

'Scuse me, poster comin' through here at 4'11"!

 

I was mentioning to my Mom last night that I've wanted to see Nadia Comaneci on this show for quite some time (even before Shawn Johnson was on) and I wouldn't mind seeing her with Sasha at all.  

 

I would say that Bart Conner and Nadia would be a good choice if they wanted to try another Ty Murray/Jewel thing, but I would want for the votes to get split.  I do think that's why Charlie left earlier than he probably woud have otherwise.

What about former ice skater Sasha Cohen with Sasha Farber... she's tiny, cute and talented with great musicality and a really fun personality.

[ari333]

Double WOW! I thought the Civil War was over!

Ah, I see. I think it would've been odd of them to promote Teen Beach 2 which stars Ross Lynch without Ross Lynch.

A second cousin is a child of your parent's cousin. I can't even a name a cousin of either of my parents, much less one of their children. I just don't think it's any big deal. Mileage varies, of course.

Sorry the quotes went all wonky and I cant fix it on this tablet. Apologies.

It is a little too much for me. Hough judge, Hough pro, Hough related (according to the show) "star" and related guest entertainer. Is teen beach the only show to promote? Are there no others without Hough relatives?

I'm sorry to see Len go. He is grumpy at times, but I will miss him.

Edited May 14, 2015 by radishcake
formatting

[realdancemom]

I'm disappointed in the results because I do believe that it should be Nastia, Riker, and Rumer.  I want to see good freestyles. 

 

However, I'm also resigned to the fact that Noah might win.  Out of the three left, I would prefer that it was Rumer.  But Noah has a strong voting block that want to support him because of the sacrifice he made for our country. 

 

I could blame the judges.  They definitely can't give him 7's and 8's now when they gave him 9's and 10's on Monday.  During the finals, they tend to give the same scores anyway and let the voting take over.  If they gave Noah low scores during the finals, his fans will vote even harder.  I will say that if he wins, Sharna does deserve it for her choreography.

 

I also don't think any less of Val or Sharna for their critiques of Nastia.  The segment was for the pros to give positive and negatives of each star.  They've done this before and Derek has previously given negative comments.  I don't think any less of Derek either.  I will say that I agreed with the negative comments of each of the four stars.  They're basically the same comments that you read on this form.  They could have been meaner about Noah if we were talking about dance ability but of course, they're not going to do that.  They basically said that he needs to show more emotion (don't remember which pro said it).  There was nothing said about his actual dancing which they could have criticized easily.

Edited May 13, 2015 by realdancemom

[renzii]

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.

Just wondering why Rumer is classified as a ringer? She acts, sings and performs very minimal choreography [poorly conceived and executed] in her cabaret show tribute to Baz Luhrmann, but has as far as I am aware no real dance training, especially in ballroom.

Edited May 17, 2015 by renzii

[Padma]

Unpopular opinion here - I like Noah. No he's not the best dancer but this is Dancing With The STARS. He gave an arm and a leg fighting for our country, what will it hurt anyone if he gets a crappy mirror ball trophy....

Well, then I hope they never have more than one disabled vet on at the same time, especially also with a blind teen who was abused by her parents and also a former police officer who was once shot during a burglary and now is in his 80s. It would be so hard to know who should win.

 

Sorry for the extra snark. But to me it's supposed to be about dancing, with a little bit of human interest thrown in. When someone who can't dance, and isn't even very musical (e.g. I don't see him winning this--or even getting this far if he were competing Uninjured) is eliminating people who are putting in long days and nights to master the steps and movements of an actual dance...that just seems unfair and for me anyway, takes away from the show--and from everyone else's -genuine- efforts to complete the real dances.

 

The timing of that proposal didn't make me like Noah any better either. It seemed dishonorable in knowingly giving himself an advantage over the others (and maybe if he really cared, he would have had Sharna ask Allison when the best time for it would be.) Eh, I find him handsome, but not particularly likeable. That's probably part of it, too. 

Edited May 13, 2015 by Padma

[escape]

Based on skills and ability, Noah does not deserve to be in the Top 3.  Nastia

 

 

Unpopular opinion here - I like Noah. No he's not the best dancer but this is Dancing With The STARS. He gave an arm and a leg fighting for our country, what will it hurt anyone if he gets a crappy mirror ball trophy. Erin says to vote for your favorite, not the best dancer. At the end of the day, Riker will still be famous with the Tweens/teens, Nastia will still have her Olympic medal and Rumer will still have famous parents. And Noah will still have one arm and one leg. I find watching him dance to be compelling and entertaining.

I don't anyone is discounting the sacrifices Noah have made to his country.  In fact, he can never be acknowledge or thank enough for that.  But this is DWTS.  And it's not fair to the other contestants - not only the ones who are remaining, but those who have been eliminated.  I would have put Noah more in the category with Chris and Robert.

[HowdyTV]

I suspect Noah will win because he apparently has a large fan base and everyone else will split between Rumer and Riker. And in the finals, the judges usually score them the same to let America pick. I'm prepared to be underwhelmed. 

[just prin]

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'!" 

OMG. ROTFL--a lot!!! Amid all this sniping, I needing your post.

[Stitsch]

A second cousin is a child of your parent's cousin.  I can't even a name a cousin of either of my parents, much less one of their children.  I just don't think it's any big deal.  Mileage varies, of course.  

 

The show still promotes Riker as Julianne and Derek's cousin. I've lost count of how many times Tom, Erin, Riker, Derek, and Julianne have mentioned the fact. Mileages vary, I agree -- I can only imagine that many wouldn't have a problem with Riker's presence on the show if his status as a Descendent of the Corn wasn't as heavily advertised.

 

I'm not entirely sure that Noah is going to take the Mirrorball. The show, while having long ago jumped Katy Perry's left shark, has some... er, credibility. Maybe. Don't give me that face. Regardless of the breadth of Noah's voting block, I'm sure someone behind the scenes understands what a farce they'll make of the entire premise of the show if Noah wins, especially with the completely warranted backlash he's receiving on the internet re: his seemingly duplicitous proposal. My money is on Riker coming in third, Noah second, and Rumer taking the trophy, rightfully so. 

 

Also not seeing how Val is an ass for complimenting Nastia umpteenth times (including calling her flawless), visibly shaking his head when she was announced in jeopardy, and then saying something that is very very true: that perfection is uninteresting. He was prompted by the producers to offer criticism, as was Sharna and Allison, and Derek wasn't as kind to Brandy and Kyle as Val was to Nastia. But again, YMMV. 

Edited May 13, 2015 by Stitsch

[OnceSane]

Please take the discussion about Noah's personal life to his thread. Thank you.

[MakeMeLaugh]

I wonder how he will feel also. Or how he feels already at this point. He has to realize that he is not dancing. He is walking around. He must see how much more the others are doing while he stands still and maybe moves his arm in the air. He can't possible think that's equal. Although he did say last week or the week before "I could win this" so I guess he's delusional.

The judges have said that well he can't do everything so we are looking at what he CAN do. Okay so why isn't everyone judged that way? Everyone obviously has a limit as to what their bodies can do. Robert for example was losing points when he messed up his feet or whatever. Well where was the "hey we know you can't move your feet perfectly to the steps so we are only looking at the steps you did do!!!"? If everyone is just being scored on their own personal ability/limitations then why have a show?

I think if Noah wins he will be proud that he showed a disabled vet can do anything he or she wants to. DH is a dancer (and a vet), and thinks Noah deserves to be in the finals because of his dancing. DH thinks the way Noah and his partner adapted dance has created a new version of the artistry and it is indeed dance. I say this only to explain how people might actually be voting for him more on his dancing and not on his courage in facing the challenges he has from defending so-called "'Murica".

I also think the judges always look at what every star CAN do--otherwise Nastia would have had 40s every week.

PS: DH and I never vote so don't blame us....

Edited May 13, 2015 by MakeMeLaugh

[skittl3862]

Well, then I hope they never have more than one disabled vet on at the same time, especially also with a blind teen who was abused by her parents and also a former police officer who was once shot during a burglary and now is in his 80s. It would be so hard to know who should win.

 

George Zimmerman, Season 21!

 

(sorry, sorry, but the way things are going, I wouldn't put it past the producers)

[poopchute]

I think if Noah wins he will be proud that he showed a disabled vet can do anything he or she wants to...

I guess this is true. If he wins, he does prove that you really can do anything you want to, including winning a dancing competition without ever actually dancing.

[fishcakes]

The judges have said that well he can't do everything so we are looking at what he CAN do. Okay so why isn't everyone judged that way? Everyone obviously has a limit as to what their bodies can do. Robert for example was losing points when he messed up his feet or whatever. Well where was the "hey we know you can't move your feet perfectly to the steps so we are only looking at the steps you did do!!!"? If everyone is just being scored on their own personal ability/limitations then why have a show?

 

I agree. It bothers me that the judges have a sliding scale for some contestants and not others, based on what they think the audience backlash will be. They had one for Valerie Harper because at the time she appeared, her own doctors were telling her she only had a few months to live, and understandably they didn't want to be seen as being mean to a dying woman. They have one for Noah because if they don't, people will accuse them of being unpatriotic and hating America. But then you look at contestants like Cloris Leachman, who couldn't move that well because of her age, or Chaz Bono, who was hindered partly by his size and partly by just being so shy, and they're downright mean because they know the audience isn't necessarily going to root for an elderly or transgendered person and therefore won't get up in arms about it. When I see the judges praising Noah as if he invented dance, I think about Carrie Ann nastily saying to Cloris after she danced something like, "I can't believe we lost Toni Braxton for THAT."

 

I don't know what the solution to this is. I suppose they could try to cast it as more of a level playing field by, on the one hand, not casting people with a dance background and, on the other, not casting people in their 80s (or in their teens for that matter) or who are missing limbs. Then, if someone turns out to be talented, it's a nice surprise, and if someone turns out to be not very good, they can score them fairly (and I would hope still be kind in their comments) without worrying about getting called out for it by people who want to assume there's some hidden agenda. Of course, if their goal is to stir up as much controversy and angry conversation as possible, well, they should just carry on then.

[tessaforever]

I suspect Noah will win because he apparently has a large fan base and everyone else will split between Rumer and Riker. And in the finals, the judges usually score them the same to let America pick. I'm prepared to be underwhelmed.

 

I've only been watching this show for 5 seasons, but it seems like there have been several times where, going into the finals, there were at least 2 out of the 3 that could conceivably win (Zendaya and Kellie, for example). In that case it all comes down to the freestyle - who wows it, and who whiffs it? Val whiffed it with Zendaya, and Derek wowed with Kellie, and there you have it. That may be the case here; if Noah takes first (perish the thought), Riker or Rumer will win or lose based on their freestyle, not necessarily their fan base or even their track record.

[galax-arena]

Well, then I hope they never have more than one disabled vet on at the same time, especially also with a blind teen who was abused by her parents and also a former police officer who was once shot during a burglary and now is in his 80s. It would be so hard to know who should win.

I just feel like the whole thing borders on exploitative inspiration porn. Reminds me of how uncomfortable I got at some of the judges' attitudes toward Marlee Matlin. She's a fucking Oscar winner, she doesn't need your condescension and platitudes, tyvm. And with war vets like Noah, you toss in OTT patriotism porn and it becomes doubly annoying.

 

I mean, I can't say that I think it's ~unfair should Noah win because this has never been solely a dancing contest. But goddamn I'm sick of inspiration/patriotism porn.

George Zimmerman, Season 21!

Don't you dare put that out into the universe.

[AuntieDiane6]

 

I don't know what the solution to this is. I suppose they could try to cast it as more of a level playing field by, on the one hand, not casting people with a dance background and, on the other, not casting people in their 80s (or in their teens for that matter) or who are missing limbs.

 

Why not have an American Heroes season? Then you could put on military vets, 9/11 firefighters, that mom who lost her legs and hands to some kind of MRSA (she was on Oprah), police officers, some teen who was injured rescuing somebody, a cancer survivor … 

 

 

I mean, I can't say that I think it's ~unfair should Noah win because this has never been solely a dancing contest. But goddamn I'm sick of inspiration/patriotism porn.

 

Me too.  Especially since it's so cynical.  

 

And yes, I hope Nastia can return in an All-Stars Season.  

[Wings]

 

I just feel like the whole thing borders on exploitative inspiration porn.

 

 

Oh, I like this.  Very much.  Thanks galax!

[NextIteration]

Of course, if their goal is to stir up as much controversy and angry conversation as possible, well, they should just carry on then.

 

I'm thinking that controversy equals higher ratings so I doubt we'll see a resolution.  (As does Pro fan feuds apparently.)

[Guest]

The show still promotes Riker as Julianne and Derek's cousin. I've lost count of how many times Tom, Erin, Riker, Derek, and Julianne have mentioned the fact. Mileages vary, I agree -- I can only imagine that many wouldn't have a problem with Riker's presence on the show if his status as a Descendent of the Corn wasn't as heavily advertised.

 

I think the show mentions it because the show is proud of it.  The show loves its Houghs.  Most viewers love the Houghs.  The show knows that.  The Houghs and all the SYTYCD alumni are behind its survival.  How many times do we hear 'choreographed by Mandy Moore' a night?  

 

I think some people here hate the Riker connection because they hate the Houghs and hate that the show loves the Houghs.  And if the show didn't harp on the cousin thing, the Hough-haters would hate it even more because then it'd be a hidden conspiracy, like Riker's dance experience allegedly is.  

[jhlipton]

I know lots are saying the fix is in for a Val win but I may be alone on the grassy knoll thinking that if there's any "fix" (and that's a big IF), it's more because Derek isn't quite healed enough to go all out for the finale/freestyle, and so it was better to eliminate them than have him not be able to dance in the finals.

 

This is why, when Derek was injured, he should have said "I'm not going to be healed enough to help my partner all the way.  It's Dancing With The Stars, not Dancing With The Pros.  So Sasha is taking over and I'll watch and cheer them on."  He couldn't help making it All About Derek (as seen in the Charleston) and that's what screwed Nastia.

[smiley13]

I think the show mentions it because the show is proud of it.  The show loves its Houghs.  Most viewers love the Houghs.  The show knows that.  The Houghs and all the SYTYCD alumni are behind its survival.  How many times do we hear 'choreographed by Mandy Moore' a night?  

 

I think some people here hate the Riker connection because they hate the Houghs and hate that the show loves the Houghs.  And if the show didn't harp on the cousin thing, the Hough-haters would hate it even more because then it'd be a hidden conspiracy, like Riker's dance experience allegedly is.  

I am not sure I would agree that "most viewers love the Houghs."    I see a whole lot of people who can not stand Derek and the way the show panders to him, and also a lot of people who feel that Julianne should not be there judging her brother.  If Derek was really all that and a bag of chips, then why has he come in 4th the last two seasons while having partners who brought their own large fan bases?  Partners who are young and could dance, not someone like a Gladys Knight or a Patti La Belle.

[sinkwriter]

 

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'!"

 

I don't think being a Hough is the only reason Riker made it to the finals. If I were one who votes, I would have voted for him because I think he's been doing a terrific job. When he dances I can't take my eyes off him; I don't even pay attention to Allison. He does have a spark, an "it" sort of quality or energy that to me means good presence; he throws himself into all his dances and has great energy and attitude. Alfonso had "it," Amber had "it," together Meryl & Maks had "it," Emmett Smith had "it," and yes, I do think Riker has it. 

 

Riker and Rumer are my favorites. I'd be happy if either of them win. (Though honestly I'm rooting more for Rumer.)

[Andiethewestie]

I think the show mentions it because the show is proud of it.  The show loves its Houghs.  Most viewers love the Houghs.  The show knows that.  The Houghs and all the SYTYCD alumni are behind its survival.  How many times do we hear 'choreographed by Mandy Moore' a night?  

 

I think some people here hate the Riker connection because they hate the Houghs and hate that the show loves the Houghs.  And if the show didn't harp on the cousin thing, the Hough-haters would hate it even more because then it'd be a hidden conspiracy, like Riker's dance experience allegedly is.  

For the record I dont hate the Houghs. I voted for Julianne and Apolo, Julianne and Helio, Derek with Brooke, Nicole and Jennifer. I even tried to weather the shit storm that happend with Shannon Elizabeth, because the guy was honest about what he saw, even though it was totally the wrong thing to say. I voted for  them in seasons past and I was thrilled when they won . I just think that Riker needs to be honest and he isnt. Rumer has a little dance experience, and by little I read the LA times review on For The Record, and it said that dance fans would be disappointed in how little dancing there is.   I dont vote for dishonesty.  

[Guest]

I am not sure I would agree that "most viewers love the Houghs."    I see a whole lot of people who can not stand Derek and the way the show panders to him, and also a lot of people who feel that Julianne should not be there judging her brother.  

The people you see here are a tiny, tiny subset of the millions of viewers, and a lot of the people here like the Houghs just fine.

 

I'm pretty sure ABC has good data on what/whom the viewers like and don't (as in from predictive sample survey and focus groups, not some insular forums), and that they made Julianne a judge and Derek practically head of choreography because they're popular.  

 

Julianne is playing Sandy in Grease in some Fox live event.  Open a People magazine from any week in the last few years.  You don't see Edyta or Peta, you see Julianne.  I really think she's actually just popular.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

George Zimmerman, Season 21!

 

(sorry, sorry, but the way things are going, I wouldn't put it past the producers)

No, just NO!

[Stitsch]

When I see the judges praising Noah as if he invented dance, I think about Carrie Ann nastily saying to Cloris after she danced something like, "I can't believe we lost Toni Braxton for THAT."

 

I didn't watch that season, but how in the world do you say that to an elderly woman who is out there trying to dance anyway? God bless Cloris Leachman. I'd rather see her in the finals than Noah. 

[jennifer6973]

I think Cloris, if she and Corky had just decided to dance seriously and not comedically would have done so much better.

[Andiethewestie]

I agree. I just think Corky didn't have any faith in Cloris. 

[smiley13]

The people you see here are a tiny, tiny subset of the millions of viewers, and a lot of the people here like the Houghs just fine.

 

I'm pretty sure ABC has good data on what/whom the viewers like and don't (as in from predictive sample survey and focus groups, not some insular forums), and that they made Julianne a judge and Derek practically head of choreography because they're popular.  

 

Julianne is playing Sandy in Grease in some Fox live event.  Open a People magazine from any week in the last few years.  You don't see Edyta or Peta, you see Julianne.  I really think she's actually just popular.

I see a lot of Facebook posts too on the DWTS page of people who can't stand Derek.    Julianne bought her way into a lot of press by "dating" Ryan Seacrest.

 

I used to like Julianne and avidly voted for her and Helio, but she just does not seem like the same nice young lady that she used to be.  And then there was that whole black face "costume" incident.

[Palomar]

In that case it all comes down to the freestyle - who wows it, and who whiffs it?

 

 

That might have been true in the past but the scoring in the finals (including the freestyle) will most likely be either all 10's or 9's  (at least based on what we have seen the last couple of years) and it will still come down to popularity. 

 

If Noah wins, so be it, but it just seems unfair to the other contestants that it almost seems to come down to a matter of patriotism instead of dancing.  It is kind of hard to compete with that.