S13.E15: Week 13: The Final

[ceebee]

Saturday 19th December, the Strictly Final will start at 6.35pm. The Final Results will also be on Saturday at 9pm. (GMT)

The format in recent years has been:

all four couples perform the judges pick. A dance they believe can be improved upon.

The vote lines open after all four have danced.

All four perform their showdance to complete part one.

At the beginning of the results show the voting will close (or possibly a little earlier) and the fourth placed couple is eliminated.

The vote lines reopen for the remaining three couples and online voting is reset (so three further votes). Votes from the first part are carried forward.

The judges scores are for guidance only and do not contribute to the result.

Voting closes fairly soon after all three have danced their favorite dance from the series.

The winner is announced (no second/third place announcements).

The music for the showdances:

Georgia and Giovanni will be performing their Showdance to ‘Fix You’ by Coldplay.

Jay and Aliona will be performing their Showdance to ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ by The Weekend

Katie and Anton will be performing their Showdance to ‘O Fortuna’ by Carl Orff.

Kellie and Kevin will be performing their Showdance to ‘Ding-Dong Daddy of the D-Car Line’ by Cherry Poppin’ Daddies.

So far, we know:

Jay will NOT be reprising his jive and will be performing the Quickstep as judges choice.

Georgia will be dancing her Charleston (as couples choice, I think)

Edited December 16, 2015 by ceebee

[legaleagle53]

Katie and Anton will be performing their Showdance to ‘O Fortuna’ by Carl Orff.

 

Oh, PLEASE tell me they're not going to attempt a Paso Doble-based Showdance.  Step away from the Latin, Anton!

[ceebee]

Oh, PLEASE tell me they're not going to attempt a Paso Doble-based Showdance.  Step away from the Latin, Anton!

Hee, Hee! It sounds like a terrible idea to me.

I expect the judges will choose Latin for her improver dance. (They have a lot to choose from!!) If they were being kind, they might go for the jive which was pretty decent.

As their own pick, the tango would be my preference, as she did that really well, but perhaps a tango is too similar to a paso... ?

The Orff piece is so overblown that I just can't imagine what Anton has planned. It doesn't seem up his alley at all and Katie just isn't an overblown, out-there kind of chick! My mind is boggling.

[legaleagle53]

As their own pick, the tango would be my preference, as she did that really well, but perhaps a tango is too similar to a paso... ?

 

I'd prefer either their Viennese Waltz or their American Smooth.  Those were their two best dances, in my opinion, and both were very well received by the viewers and the judges.

The Orff piece is so overblown that I just can't imagine what Anton has planned. It doesn't seem up his alley at all and Katie just isn't an overblown, out-there kind of chick! My mind is boggling.

 

You'd think he'd have learned from his professional partner Erin's disaster of a Showdance (Puppetgate, anyone?).  Even after all these years, my mind can't unsee that nightmare-inducing routine!

[ceebee]

Showdances in Training

https://amp.twimg.com/v/08cb2cb5-a750-4fdc-b3cc-d69e53cce45e

[legaleagle53]

It looks interesting, although it's really hard to tell what some of them are going for.  And yes, it looks as though Katie and Anton are going for a dramatic Showdance that appears to be a cross between the Paso Doble and the Tango (then again, O Fortuna doesn't exactly give them a wide range of choices!).  Le sigh.

[Morrigan]

Oh I didn't realize you guys had picked up over here for this season - or series as they call it. I mostly think the final is a done deal with Jay as winner but some are saying Kellie has a chance, especially doing a Star Wars number the weekend after the film's release.

 

I want Anton to win ;)   I think it's possible if Katie can just stay calm and collected - not make too many noticeable mistakes - and the judges EXULT over her performance (and Tess/Claudia play up the fact Anton's never been in the final before after over 11 years on the show).

 

I'm glad Anita went out last week - I didn't think her dancing was very good - just gimmicky. But I imagine Gleb (and Giovanni and Oti) will be back so the newbies had a good run. Well Oti didn't but surely they must give her another chance because they handicapped her so much with Anthony with the bad shoulder. Like Tristan didn't have a chance last year with Jennifer.

 

I'm not sure we'll see Tristan back in '16 - or that he even wants to be back. He's not on the tour like last time, though I guess that makes logistical sense because the other women lasted longer (other than Frankie from last season who was signed up many weeks back.)  But there hasn't been much promotion - I don't think Tristan had a single pro pas de deux while Gleb had two (one with Kristina and one with Natalie) - Giovanni had one with Joanne - Kevin and Karen choreographed their own - even Brendan and Anton had their turns.

 

Oh well, it is what it is. I'd have a hard time getting through another poppy season anyway, and it must be brutal for him!

Edited December 17, 2015 by Morrigan

[ceebee]

Update on the dances:

Jay: QS/showdance/Paso

Georgia: ??/showdance/Charleston

Kellie: ??/showdance/Charleston

Katie: no info on the judges pick or their own choice

[legaleagle53]

I want Anton to win ;)   I think it's possible if Katie can just stay calm and collected - not make too many noticeable mistakes - and the judges EXULT over her performance (and Tess/Claudia play up the fact Anton's never been in the final before after over 11 years on the show).

 

People who got tired of the way he phoned it in for several series until he got Katie may vote for them to win in the hopes that he'll pull a Maks and leave once he finally gets his mirror-ball trophy.  After all, he'll be 50 in 2016 -- that's WAY over-the-hill by the standards of this franchise -- and I can't see him being made a judge next year, unless Len or Bruno opts out of doing Strictly to avoid the weekly commute between London and Hollywood.

Edited December 18, 2015 by legaleagle53

[Morrigan]

Good points, legal! We know we're watching Ola's last show - so maybe it's Anton's as well (and Tristan?) Every year some seem to go. I'm still sad about Trent and Iveta last time :(

[ceebee]

I'd have a hard time getting through another poppy season anyway, and it must be brutal for him!

What makes you think Tristan won't be back, Morrigan? Not sure what you mean in the bit I've quoted either.

I wonder if Kristina will call it a day after this series. She hasn't looked terribly happy a lot of the time...

I'm glad they had Ola on ITT to give her a proper good-bye, although I was a little surprised given some of the things she's alleged to have said. I've like her very much in the past, but it was an untenable situation, so I'm glad she's gone.

Katie will be revisiting her Viennese waltz as couple's fave.

Apparently they weren't allowed to pick anything from the last three weeks.

Hoping for a Jay victory tomorrow, but feel it's pretty open.

Edited December 18, 2015 by ceebee

[Occasional Hope]

Good choice for Katie, I think that was her best dance.

 

I don't really mind who wins this year.  I feel it's Jay's to lose, though.

[ceebee]

Behind the scenes video

https://amp.twimg.com/v/6aa9aa98-7c5e-4b9a-9ec6-ba0d97f86c9c

[Occasional Hope]

Round 1:

Jay dances well, but I just don't feel much enthusiasm.  Maybe because he never really looks as if he's enjoying himself either.

 

I loved G/G's hot rumba.

 

Hated K&K's smirky and ridiculously overmarked tango.

 

Anton and Katie: oh dear.  Out of time and the props were not Katie's friends.

 

My ranking: 1. Georgia.  2. Jay.  3. Kellie.  4. Katie.  I hope they all improve in the showdance.

[Occasional Hope]

Showdances:

 

Jay and Aliona: boring.  Surprisingly dull.

 

Georgia and Giovanni: Now that was a showdance.  Super.

 

Kellie and Kevin: Very entertaining crowdpleaser which played to Kellie's strengths. This one deserved the full marks.

 

Katie and Anton: I think I liked the choreography, but the execution wasn't quite there.

 

My ranking: 1. Georgia.  2. Kellie (very close behind).  3. Katie.  4. Jay.

[Occasional Hope]

Not surprised Katie finished fourth.

 

The Last Dance:  

 

Jay's was his best of the night, possibly his best ever.  That had some feeling and emotion for once.

G/G: perfect.

K&K: fun, and very good, but it was very similar to their showdance.  Georgia showed much more variety and versatlity in tonight's dances.

[Dots And Stripes]

I'm a little surprised at Aliona and Geovanni's choices for showdances. I think Jay and Georgia could have outdone Kellie in fast, fun dances. Kevin choreographed a fun number, and one that relied less on side by side work than I would expect from him, but Kellie kind of looked like she was being thrown around at times. I think Kevin did the best of the pros. 

 

I wish Anton would have gone full old school glamour for his number. 

[Llywela]

Aww. I really liked all three final finalists and would have been happy whichever of them won, but I'm really pleased for Jay and Aliona. Jay has been so sweet and Aliona so gracious. Thoroughly enjoyed the final.

[ceebee]

I'm very, very happy with the result. Not sure my favorites were the best on the night - although their paso was magnificent - but they've given me thrills and spills over three months, so were the best 'overall' for my money (and I spent a fair bit of it voting... ). Congrats to them both and well done all the finalists.

[Morrigan]

What makes you think Tristan won't be back, Morrigan? Not sure what you mean in the bit I've quoted either.

I wonder if Kristina will call it a day after this series. She hasn't looked terribly happy a lot of the time...

I'm glad they had Ola on ITT to give her a proper good-bye, although I was a little surprised given some of the things she's alleged to have said. I've like her very much in the past, but it was an untenable situation, so I'm glad she's gone.

 

 

Oh I probably shouldn't have brought it up, ceebee, but the British have a tradition that everyone wear red poppies on their tops, like where you'd wear a brooch, around Remembrance Day, for several weeks.  Every single other pro and celebrity on Strictly wore one this series (and last), including Jamelia (who had a run in with the public last year for not wearing one on her talk show, Loose Women.)  But she wore one this series - but Tristan didn't.  He was attacked, at least somewhat, on Twitter about it - people telling him to respect Britain's traditions or get out - comments like that.

 

There are a lot of Irish people who feel it's disloyal to the Irish who died at the hands of British soldiers in 1916 and during the Troubles, etc., to wear the poppy and I can't imagine what other reason he'd have for not wearing it. Even his grandmother said she wished he would. What I wish is that this "tradition" hadn't become so firmly entrenched that even though the BBC says they never require anyone to wear it, or perhaps even ask them to, it's one of their few "official charities" (veteran care I guess that selling poppies pays for.) It really is like an unspoken "rule" and many Brits feel disrespected if this rule is not followed.

 

The other reason I don't feel at all hopeful about Tristan next year is that of all the pros other than Brendan/Anton/Ola, he had the least featuring in the musical-guest numbers.  The ONLY one he participated in was Kylie Minogue and that was with all the other male pros, even the ones still in the competition, except for Brendan/Anton.  Once again, they featured Gleb this week, his 5th (with Oti), while Tristan hasn't had but 1 (if it even counts).  A tweeter made a list of the features in pro numbers:

 

Aliona 2, Janette 3, Joanne 3, Karen 4, Kristina 2, Natalie 2, Ola 1, Oti 5

Anton 1, Aljaz 4, Gleb 5, Kevin 3, Giovanni 3, Pasha 2, Tristan 1, Brendan 0

 

But I think I remember Brendan doing a lovely standard-ballroom number with several of the women pros - maybe that wasn't counted because it didn't involve a musical guest. Anyway, however you figure it, Tristan was featured the least imo. And I don't think that bodes well at all :(

Edited December 20, 2015 by Morrigan

[Pete Martell]

The last few weeks have reminded me of why I stopped watching the show for years. The judges, especially Len and Craig, have favorites, and get very petulant (especially Len) if they don't get what they want. There was this offputting vibe, not only from the judges but backstage (likely not helped with so many of Kevin's relatives there as pro dancers), that Kevin and Kellie were owed a win because of gurning and gallumping that reminded me of when people on Benny Hill talked and ran around in fast-motion. 

 

If anything all this made it even less likely Kellie was going to win. 

 

This had the potential to be a great group but poor choices in danceoffs and poor quality of dance made it one I won't remember in about a week.

 

Congratulations to Jay and Georgia and Kellie, and good luck to you all. Kellie being stuck on Eastenders with egomaniac musmouth Danny Dyer makes me think she'll need the most luck of all.

[ceebee]

What I wish is that this "tradition" hadn't become so firmly entrenched that even though the BBC says they never require anyone to wear it, or perhaps even ask them to, it's one of their few "official charities" (veteran care I guess that selling poppies pays for.) It really is like an unspoken "rule" and many Brits feel disrespected if this rule is not followed.

Thanks for clarifying, Morrigan. I am British, btw, so was aware of the flak he'd received, I just wanted to check it's what you were meaning. I agree with the part above. The BBC may not have a rule but there is a hardline cultural pressure, throughout the country, to conform around Poppy Day. There's a well respected news anchor on Channel 4 News who refuses to wear one on TV, though he wears one in private, because he sees it as cultural fascism (irony of that not lost!). The Royal British Legion, the veterans' organisation which mounts the poppy campaign each year, is abundantly clear that there should be no pressure to wear one - freedom of choice being paramount of the freedoms the veterans gave their lives for. Unfortunately, Strictly is the biggest entertainment show on TV and it's easy pickings for tabloid journos looking for someone to take potshots at.

All that said, I'd be rather surprised if Tristan wasn't back next year, unless he and his wife have other things they'd rather do. He seemed to enjoy himself this year, especially with Zoë on ITT, and his and Jamelia's exit interview on there was one of the highlights of the series. I know he's open about his frustrations about music choices and producers micro-managing things, but he seems pretty sanguine over all. Anyway, I hope he's back.

Edited December 20, 2015 by ceebee

[Dots And Stripes]

Jay seems like a sweetheart, so I'm happy for him. It is a little weird to see Aliona become the first pro to win twice. She is a lovely dancer though and some of the recent additions (Jannette, Karen) have made me appreciate her more. Getting Jay to cut his hair was a stroke of genius as far as I'm concerned. I also really enjoyed this partnership and I think there is a genuine friendship there. 

 

The finale was a little weird in that Kellie seemed to be crowned by the judges, yet it looks like the public voted her third. Kevin worked his butt off these last two weeks, but I guess I wasn't the only one who couldn't quite warm to Kellie.

 

I still wish Giovanni had picked something else for the freestyle. 

[Grace284]

The last few weeks have reminded me of why I stopped watching the show for years. The judges, especially Len and Craig, have favorites, and get very petulant (especially Len) if they don't get what they want. There was this offputting vibe, not only from the judges but backstage (likely not helped with so many of Kevin's relatives there as pro dancers), that Kevin and Kellie were owed a win because of gurning and gallumping that reminded me of when people on Benny Hill talked and ran around in fast-motion. 

 

If anything all this made it even less likely Kellie was going to win. 

 

Craig was particularly petulant this year, and I've always thought of him as the fairest judge. Both him and Len came to the final with a really bad attitude that dragged the whole mood down. Bruno's a little tough to take at times, but at least he gets in the spirit of things.

 

Kevin tried too hard to win, essentially giving Kellie two charlestons and whatever that "tango" was, when he should have mixed it up a bit like Jay and Georgia. If they'd been a little less in your face, like they were in the semi final, they might have had a chance. In the end they were too manic and showed no range.

[Morrigan]

All that said, I'd be rather surprised if Tristan wasn't back next year, unless he and his wife have other things they'd rather do. He seemed to enjoy himself this year, especially with Zoë on ITT, and his and Jamelia's exit interview on there was one of the highlights of the series. I know he's open about his frustrations about music choices and producers micro-managing things, but he seems pretty sanguine over all. Anyway, I hope he's back.

 

Oh I hope you're right ceebee (assuming it's what Tristan wants.) I just find it hard to be optimistic. They could have given him a pro number during the final, dancing with Oti while Janette/Aljaz danced - and Oti calls Tristan her "bestie" on Twitter. But Gleb danced with Oti, even though he had already had so many pro features and had only just left the competition the week before plus he's going on tour whereas Tristan isn't.

 

It just seems, well, unfair and unpromising as per 2016. And Tristan practically came out and said Neil Jones will join the cast - and they may go back down to 7 male pros (and 8 female ones) so... well, I need to just shut up and wait and see...

 

Aliona just tweeted that this was her last series of Strictly and she won't be back in 2016! Wow. Losing her and Ola -- makes room for Gleb's wife Elena and Neil's wife Katya, if Strictly decided to go that way. Married pros working as a team on choreography has worked out well for the show, so I wouldn't be surprised. But if either new couple comes onboard, it'll be a harsh blow for Trent and Gordana!

Edited December 22, 2015 by Morrigan

[ceebee]

 

Aliona just tweeted that this was her last series of Strictly and she won't be back in 2016! Wow. Losing her and Ola -- makes room for Gleb's wife Elena and Neil's wife Katya, if Strictly decided to go that way. Married pros working as a team on choreography has worked out well for the show, so I wouldn't be surprised. But if either new couple comes onboard, it'll be a harsh blow for Trent and Gordana!

I'm sorry Aliona's leaving, but not surprised. Like Flavia and Camilla she's leaving at a high point and this series seems to have been a happy one for her, so it's a good time to go on her own terms. I wish her the very best. An article I read mentions Kristina leaving too. I've missed this if she's announced it, but it wouldn't be a shock. If Jo Clifton is brought back in, the Clifton Clan will be ever more dominant! Lots of changes ahead....

I wonder if Gordana didn't get a role this year partly because she looks very much like Aliona!

[Morrigan]

I haven't seen the Kristina-leaving rumor but she hasn't seemed very happy this series. Maybe she really had hopes she and Simon would win last year, and when that didn't work out, well, maybe it kind of depressed her or something. And then it was obvious Daniel wasn't going to win. Despite looking a bit disappointed to get him in the launch show (imo), she did seem to become really fond of him and I just saw a picture of her at a one-off concert or some kind of event Daniel held, I think in Dublin? So maybe she could have more opportunities at his events.

 

This may turn out to be one of her better pairings, as far as her future employment goes - but she seems to do really well with Robin Windsor and their stage-shows together - "Puttin' on the Ritz" I think was the latest one, and Trent and Gordana were on that with them, at least some of the time, and once Gordana stood in for Kristina (despite the height issues :)

 

Speaking of which - the wives I'm expecting on Series 14 don't include Gordana. I think we may see Elena Samodanova and Katya Jones, along with their husbands, next year. I guess I think Joanne will have a celeb, but I'm not sure -- I think there was more to it than her partner dropping out -- but I'm bad about trying to guess too much. We'll know soon enough if she's back with a partner.

 

I did read somewhere that Anton said he'd be back on Strictly in 2016. He's quite a survivor, isn't he?

Edited December 23, 2015 by Morrigan

[legaleagle53]

I did read somewhere that Anton said he'd be back on Strictly in 2016. He's quite a survivor, isn't he?

 

Why do you think the pros' thread that I created is named after him?  He's the cockroach of Strictly!  ;-)

[Morrigan]

It's amazing, isn't it? A bit like our Tony on DWTS, though he's about a decade younger. I don't think they'd ever consider keeping a female pro past 40, let alone pushing 50. They wouldn't even put up with an ageing judge in Arlene (I was so upset when she was fired). I have to admit I like Anton, but I was hoping he'd move to a new role - taking over for Len or something.