S06.E08: Maddie is Back

[OnceSane]

Maddie returns from shooting her movie, but Abby does not seem to be happy to see her; the mothers wonder if Abby is jealous of Maddie's fame; Ashlee hopes that Abby will spend more time grooming Brynn to be the next big star.

[Chewy101]

I love how Jill used to resent Maddie because Kendall suffered by comparison, and now she is Maddie's number one fan. Kendall's new threat is Brynn, and it's making Jill want Maddie back. Jill smirking at Abby's comments to Brynn's mom about her mouth was a lot to bear. Jill was the pushiest monster for two seasons, trying to get Kendall wedged into the group.These moms are all such self-righteous hypocrites. Every thing they resent another mom doing, they do themselves. Is there ANY way these girls are not completely screwed up??

And now that Maddie is not being babied by Abby, all the moms are ticked off and indignant. Where did the annoyed eye-rolling against favoritism go? The moms are just thrilled to find a way to turn a Lemming Melissa into their new ally against Abby. The kids are just pawns in all these games. Despicable parenting. I am grateful that the kids get such a good and friendly edit most of the time. Only the parents deserve to be shamed here.

 

Any mom willing to push their adolescent kids head first into social media is already a terrible parent, but these moms surpass most for being clueless on how to help a child thrive. They need lives of their own. I miss the days when Holly had a job and was the sane one. Now she is out of her mind, shoving her kid into celebrity rather than actual success, because she literally has nothing else to do but live through her kid.... All of these moms need a time-out.

 

And when the moms say Abby needs her head examined.... They have been putting up with her psycho for a season and a half (the worse than usual),because they want to be on TV,.. Talk about needing your head examined. Are they still paying her??

Edited February 24, 2016 by Chewy101

[RalyWilmy]

So much to say about this episode I need to use bullets:

• That coven actually made me feel a little sympathy for Abby.  Yes, she can be an absolute terror but I thought most of their criticisms in this episode were largely BS.  What Abby has going on outside of this show is very serious.  Anyone who has ever been in that kind of situation whether it be legal, financial, health, whatever knows that when you're in the middle of it you can literally not care about, or focus on, anything else.
• Wah, wah, you didn't watch Maddie on the "Ellen" show!  You're sooo jealous of her.  And the other moms piling on?!  WTH?  As the poster above me so accurately asked, what happened to the indignation at the blatant favoritism?
• This is not the first time a dance has been recycled so I don't know why all of a sudden it was an issue with the group dance, other than to fit the "Abby is crazy and doesn't give a sh$t" narrative.  I thought the group dance was fantastic.
• Maybe I'm missing something but I really don't understand how the solos were any more "phoned in" than every other solo ever done on this show.  And I thought they were all done well.
• If there is a season 7 I hope Jill, Melissa and Jess have taken note of their hair issues.  I'm normally not one to criticize appearance but the god awful frizzies and obvious extensions simply enhance their witch-like character and demeanor.
• All of that said, we know that most of the drama is scripted. Every once in a while the producers let something slip through.  I found it very heart warming when Abby told Nia "I'm always proud of you."  I suspect that one sentence shows us a much truer picture of her relationship with those girls.

[Chewy101]

If there is a season 7 I hope Jill, Melissa and Jess have taken note of their hair issues.  I'm normally not one to criticize appearance but the god awful frizzies and obvious extensions simply enhance their witch-like character and demeanor.

 

 

If you go back to season one, the moms all looked like moms. Normal clothes, hair and make-up. With each season they have turned more and more Kate Gosselin, and it's painful on the eyes.

 

I agree most of it is scripted. And I agree that Abby's matters are serious and a distraction like no other. However, she made a comment a few episodes ago that she made a bad decision and now she might have to live it. I'd call that an admission of being at least partly guilty. I mean, if you want to focus on your work and have a less complicated life, don't piss off the IRS.

 

Thanks to the girls promoting themselves (gag) on social media, they don't even need the show anymore. The little dancing robots have now taken over the show. The moms have to get more and more ridiculous just to remain relevant.

[NextIteration]

Dag nabit, Abby, just for once choreograph something excellent for Nia - that was beyond awful, as was the costume.  Stop trying to force something to music that does not fit.  How was she supposed to get her inner-Liza on to that crap music?  There was not enough Fosse like choreography in it either to be "Liza-like".  Charleston?  Really?  I understand Holly's frustration.

[Clemgo3165]

Felt the same about Mackenzie's solo. What the heck was that? And the hair, let's put her hair in a pony and watch her throw it around, that'll be sure to win points with the judges!!!

[KaveDweller]

I actually thought Mackenzie's solo was less babyish than she usually gets.

The moms always encourage another mom to "stand up" to Abby when they don't think there's enough drama.

I did laugh when Melissa got upset that Abby was yelling at her kids, when Abby yelling at Mac and Maddie is still a hundred times better than when she has yelled at the other kids.

[Chewy101]

Felt the same about Mackenzie's solo. What the heck was that? And the hair, let's put her hair in a pony and watch her throw it around, that'll be sure to win points with the judges!!!

 

 

I can't tell if the kid can dance, because all she ever does is cartwheels and back flips, but I DID like that it wasn't two pigtails with giant bows and some baby doll dress...

[Lemons]

Dag nabit, Abby, just for once choreograph something excellent for Nia - that was beyond awful, as was the costume.  Stop trying to force something to music that does not fit.  How was she supposed to get her inner-Liza on to that crap music?  There was not enough Fosse like choreography in it either to be "Liza-like".  Charleston?  Really?  I understand Holly's frustration.

 The problem is that Holly appears to think that if Nia would get attention and good choreography that she would be this extraordinarily talented dancer.  It's not going to happen.  Nia does the best she can, she's just not a gifted dancer like Maddie or Kalani.  If that dance was so simple then why didn't Nia perform it flawlessly?  She doesn't have the ability.  Abby is being generous when she says Nia could dance on Broadway.

I can't tell if the kid can dance, because all she ever does is cartwheels and back flips, but I DID like that it wasn't two pigtails with giant bows and some baby doll dress...

 

She can dance because she is in the group dances all the time.  She's just not as good as most of them and her skills lie in back flips, etc.  I think they should allow the kids to compete in what they like to do and what they are good at.  Mackenzie is good at being cutsie and gymnastic skills.

[tessa]

OMG - I didn't think much of Jojo's or Mac's dances but Nia's was a joke! WTH - she's much better than that which has been shown many times before. Looking at that dance 0 no she wouldn't be a candidate for Broadway - but I don't see Nia using dance much in her future. She'll either get into singing or acting or when the show ends pursue college.

 

It's kind of sad that Jojo said how the others are treated differently than she and Nia. Use the show as it uses you and in the end - you'll be the better for it.

[RedFire2000]

I wasn't impressed with the solo's. The felt so half-assed and uninspired, thank's to the shitty choreography. I don't know how Mackenzie won first place, just a bunch of pony tail hair whipping and backflips, not enough actual dancing.

 

The moms this season are like NAILS on a chalkboard and what's up with them wearing extensions in their hair - they look ridiculous. They have been nothing but petty, nasty, obnoxious, and down right entitled this season.

[Absolom]

Ratings: 1.323 M viewers and a .51 rating.  Staying steady at that level.

[RCharter]

I'm only 20 minutes in, but I hate every one of these bitches for making my sympathize with Abby.

 

When Abby was going over the sins with the girls I thought that was the sweetest she has been in a while...in the midst of the stress she has been going through.

 

And WTF, every one of these women complain when Maddy gets a solo and their kid doesn't, and now its like "oh Melissa, Abby didn't get Maddie a solo...you should call her on it"  

 

You know what...not everyone gets a solo every week.  Maddie shouldn't always get a solo, and I have no idea why the mothers are behaving like that.  What do they want?  For Abby to pull a solo out of her ass?  She gave Melissa a perfectly valid explanation as to why Maddie didn't have a solo and all Melissa can do is whine.

 

As for not watching the Ellen thing, who even cares?  Goodness, millions of people watched, one person didn't...get over it.

[RCharter]

and one more thing, as much as I rail on Abby, and as much as I hated Nia's solo (I think I was more annoyed at the music)......credit to Abby for not giving her a routine that was just based on her skin color.  

[NextIteration]

 The problem is that Holly appears to think that if Nia would get attention and good choreography that she would be this extraordinarily talented dancer.

 

I'm not sure that Holly believes or expects that.  My impression is that she just wants Nia to have decent, challenging, age appropriate choreography with good music and a nice costume that gives Nia a shot at winning an overall.  It doesn't seem like Broadway is a goal for any of these girls anymore, but most of them have had the skill to perform a Musical Theatre number very well for a long time, even Nia.  The category is much more about performance quality than anything, but the choreography still needs to be very good and fit, as does the music and that music was heinous.

[Clemgo3165]

That's what I see from Holly too. She knows that Nia isn't close to being the best dancer out there, but she'd like for her kid to at least have the choreography to give her a fair shake with a solo. If she loses, well then she's tried and come up short and that's OK.

[RCharter]

That's what I see from Holly too. She knows that Nia isn't close to being the best dancer out there, but she'd like for her kid to at least have the choreography to give her a fair shake with a solo. If she loses, well then she's tried and come up short and that's OK.

And its such a catch 22.  You get a solo, you're all happy, but if you get shit choreography then you can't win.  And then Abby blames you for losing, and then you're told you can never get a solo because you can't win.

 

But again, credit where its due.  Abby gave her a solo and it wasn't solely based on her skin tone, even though it was a shitty solo.

 

On an unrelated note....I wonder if Nia has some sort of water retention issue.  Her legs are getting big, and I can't tell if thats pure muscle from dancing or if the outfits just weren't flattering, or if maybe she and Holly have a shared condition that causes water retention in her legs.  Her legs don't seem proportionate to me, entertainment can be such a fickle and judgmental industry that I hope she can figure it out if she chooses to remain in the industry (especially as a singer).

[Odelia]

Seems like Abby wasn't jealous of Maddie, she was annoyed they're shutting her out now. Is it normal Melissa as the mum couldn't get in to the audience? Anyway, they acted like Abby was so awful to Maddie but it seemed like she just treated her like everyone else..? Abby seemed nice this episode.

 

What's a Charleston and why was that such a bad dance move? It looked ok? And lol at Melissa being mad at Kenzie's critique, Abby was being ok there.

How does such a gross lady (Ashlee) have a daughter who looks like a young Scarlett Johansson!

Kenzie's solo was really messy, Jojo's didn't convey the message very well and Nia's didn't suit her, but was ok. Group dance was really nice.

Lemons, Kenzie said before her favourite is tap dancing and she says she's really good, but we've never gotten to see it.

[NextIteration]

On an unrelated note....I wonder if Nia has some sort of water retention issue.  Her legs are getting big, and I can't tell if thats pure muscle from dancing or if the outfits just weren't flattering

 

Given Nia's natural shape since she was little and through puberty, I'm going with growing muscle mass in her legs from dancing.  It happens.  The only way to work around it is a lot more Pilates and ballet (time at the barre) training to recreate the long sinewy muscle that is inherent in the more preferred ballet body.  But Nia has never had the inherent ballerina body, it's really hard to work against what you were born with.

[Clemgo3165]

I have a shape similar to Nia and Holly. Bigger in the thighs, hips, and bottom - I was also gifted with big feet. I'm built for major work in the fields, not for ballet. Though I danced for 8 years until at 13, when I was dancing 4-5 days a week, I found myself interested in having more time for a life outside of dance. But with the company at that time it was all or nothing. I hated to quit because I loved to dance, but wasn't willing to devote so much time to it when it wasn't really going to be a viable career for me.

 

They were also starting to institute weigh-ins at the time and I could see the writing on the wall. Even though I was trim and my thighs were rock hard with muscle, I wasn't willowy and never would be. So the weigh-ins were going to be a weekly nightmare for me as they attempted to make me into something I wasn't. That's why I'm happy to see so many types of dance flourishing now, and body's like Misty Copeland's rising through the ballet ranks. 

[NextIteration]

Fosse movement borrows from many dance styles, there are some steps that are reminiscent of The Charleston - but it's more about the turned in knees and feet, single en dedans pirouettes and small and quick body isolations than anything.  They are not the same.  And the rather childish part that Abby wanted to grab from The Charleston is something little girls do in tap routines around the age of five.

 

You can see Mack and Maddie tapping here.

Edited February 25, 2016 by NextIteration

[RazzleberryPie]

Nia just isn't ballet willowy. She's muscular and looks like she's more 'bottom heavy'/pear than 'top heavy'/apple or completely even all over. Kalani has a similar build, now that she's filling out as an adult. Both girls are gorgeous, toned and healthy. However, they don't have the willowy build that Chloe and Paige had, and the little girl builds are gone.

Look at both of their moms - Holly and Kira are both rounder through the hips and thighs. Kira balances some with implants, but the girls are built like younger, trimmer versions of their moms.

Nia and Kalani need to move up to teens. They look out of place with the younger, less developed dancers. You can't hide a woman's figure, and especially height for this long, and they shouldn't have to.

[Clemgo3165]

I like the dance but Kenzie spent too much time looking at her feet! She can tap pretty well though and I love Maddie's tapping, she always looks like she's having a blast when she's doing it.

[NextIteration]

Nia also appears to have a longer body, and not the short waist and long legs that are a better aesthetic for any type of dancers - that's why costuming for her solos needs feature empire waists, or the bra-top/booty shorts with skirt type look, to extend her legs.  I'm not sure that she could pull off the Liza halter unitard look, but there were many other options for a costume.

[RCharter]

Nia has RND. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_regional_pain_syndrome

There was an episode that discussed her hospitalizations.

Poor girl, I was thinking it might be something along those lines because it just looked like swelling....which happens to me if I'm sitting for too long but I'm far older than her.