53 replies to this topic

[miliosr]

Last Two:

Chuck/Julianne and Melissa/Tony with Chuck and Julianne leaving.

I've disliked this team all season (her in particular) so no tears from me regarding this elimination.

Since the # of contestants expanded in Season Two, I don't they I've ever liked a Final Five (Shawn, Lil' Kim, Gilles, Ty and Melissa) the way I like this Final Five.  The elimination order will be difficult to watch from here on in.  My guess is Ty will go next, followed by Lil' Kim; leaving Shawn, Gilles and Melissa in the Final Three.  The enigma to me is Shawn.  She came in with a strong fan base but I don't get the sense she's been adding to it the way, say, Gilles or Ty has.  I guess I'll find out soon enough!

[miliosr]

Judges Scores from Week Nine:

Ballroom Round

01  29pts  Gilles/Cheryl (foxtrot)
02  27pts  Melissa/Tony (waltz)
02  27pts  Shawn/Mark (quickstep)
04  25pts  Lil' Kim/Derek (waltz)
04  25pts  Ty/Chelsie (Argentine tango)


Latin Round

01  30pts  Melissa/Tony (samba)
02  29pts  Shawn/Mark (paso doble)
03  27pts  Gilles/Cheryl (rumba)
03  27pts  Lil' Kim/Derek (salsa)
05  21pts  Ty/Chelsie (rumba)


Totals

01  57pts  Melissa/Tony
02  56pts  Gilles/Cheryl
02  56pts  Shawn/Mark
04  52pts  Lil' Kim/Derek
05  46pts  Ty/Chelsie

[miliosr]

Bottom Two:

Lil' Kim/Derek and Ty/Chelsie with Lil' Kim and Derek leaving.

Ty should have gone over Lil' Kim based on the merits.  BUT, I never thought Lil' Kim was registering all that well with the audience and this week proved it.  The judges have been able to sustain her for a while but we're now at that point in the season where the pendulum swings toward the audience and, sure enough, the audience sent Lil' Kim packing.

Even though Lil' Kim didn't make it to the Final Four, she should be happy with how things went for her on the show.  She came in w/ a very negative reputation due to her legal problems and she's going out having burnished her reputation considerably.

Ty is my favorite kind of contestant on this show -- no natural talent but embraces the concept and strives to improve -- but he needs to go next unless he really pulls off some stellar dancing next week.  It would be a travesty if hangs on (in the manner of Marie Osmond in Season 5) at the expense of one of the other three semi-finalists -- Gilles, Melissa and Shawn.

[miliosr]

Judges Scores from Week Ten:

Round 1

01  30pts  Gilles/ Cheryl (waltz)
01  30pts  Shawn/Mark (Argentine tango)
03  28pts  Melissa/Tony (quickstep)
04  25pts  Ty/Chelsie (Viennese waltz)


Round 2

01  30pts  Gilles/Cheryl (salsa)
02  27pts  Melissa/Tony (cha cha cha)
03  26pts  Shawn/Mark (lindy hop)
04  23pts  Ty/Chelsie (samba)


Totals

01  60pts  Gilles/Cheryl
02  56pts  Shawn/Mark
03  55pts  Melissa/Tony
04  48pts  Ty/Chelsie

[dirac]

Thanks for these updates, miliosr.  I haven't been able to keep up with the show this season, so it's nice to be able to come to BT to find out what's going on.

[miliosr]

You're welcome dirac!  It's nice to know someone is reading these updates.

As it turns out, I've gone from almost skipping this season to really enjoying it.  After the disappointment of Mel. B losing to Helio in Season 5 and then back-to-back disappointing seasons (the Kristi Yamaguchi and Brooke Burke seasons), I was almost done with the show.  But this season has been a real return to form for me.

[dirac]

The last couple of seasons were kind of blah for me, too, which is why the series fell away from my to-watch list.  I'll have to have another look.

sidwich, have you been watching?

[miliosr]

The Not Necessarily Bottom Two Bottom Two:

Ty/Chelsie and Melissa/Tony w/ Ty and Chelsie leaving.

It was Ty's time to go but his departure was bittersweet.  I would rank him as one of the all-time great contestants on Dancing with the Stars because, despite limited natural ability, he worked hard to improve, accepted criticism w/ grace and humor and enjoyed the experience.  Like Lil' Kim, he won't go home with a shiny disco ball trophy.  But, like her, he does go home w/ a huge bank of good will from the many fans he made over the course of the season.

The remaining Final Three -- Gilles, Melissa and Shawn -- are the correct Final Three and arguably the best Final Three this show has ever seen.  The question mark for me remains Shawn.  How is she polling w/ the audience?  Has she been running away with this since Week One??  Dial Idol says "no" but I have to wonder.

Special congratulations to Tony Dovalani who has made his first Final Three since Season Two!

See you next week for the Finals . . .

[perky]

It's been an exciting season for me as well. Perfectly cast and played out. Stars you never heard of (Gilles, Melissa) who wow you with their dancing.  A genius (the Woz) and an endearing cowboy (Ty), and people with iffy public personas (Lil Kim, Steve O.) who win you over with their sweetness and enthusiasm.

It seems like much more pro dancing this season (Yeah!) and I love the pro dancer competition. Go Anna D. and please bring back Anna T. next season!

I'm expecting Gilles or Melissa FTW next week.

[sidwich]

Quote

sidwich, have you been watching?

Yes, I've been watching, but it's been such a nice, relatively controversy-free season that I haven't really felt any need to comment.  I don't think any of the celebs have been really outright awful, even the ones that exited early.  

Other than that, the celebs have generally been where you'd expect considering the circumstances.  Melissa's feet and frame are very week (very characteristic of Tony), Gilles' Ballroom side is underdeveloped (typical for Cheryl), and Ty really had problems moving his body (I understand he'd had both hips and a shoulder replaced because of injuries-yipes!).

Shawn's technique is very good probably due to a combination of her gymnastics training and Mark's teaching (which tends to be pretty well-rounded).  I just wish he could bring out the dance diva within.

Considering the short shift that Ballroom gets on the show, I was pleasantly surprised that the finalists for the guaranteed pro spot for next year are both Ballroom specialists.  I almost cried when I saw Anna demonstrating the true closed hold position.  Kym and Chelsie are fine Ballroom dancers, but it's no comparison, and Cheryl, Karina and Lacey (although think they're excellent in their specialties) make me cry for other reasons.

Other than that the judges, as usual, mark very little sense from any real adjudication perspective.  Oh, and I've really enjoyed them bringing back Louis for some of the choreography and performances.  To me, that's what is most worth the price of admission.

[dirac]

Thanks for reporting, sidwich.

[miliosr]

Judges Scores from Week Eleven:

Paso Doble Face-Off:

01  30pts  Gilles/Cheryl
02  29pts  Melissa/Tony
03  28pts  Shawn/Mark

Freestyle:

01  30pts  Shawn/Mark
02  28pts  Gilles/Cheryl
03  27pts  Melissa/Tony

Totals:

01  58pts  Gilles/Cheryl
01  58pts  Shawn/Mark
03  56pts  Melissa/Tony

If Shawn wins tomorrow night, then she will have done so on the back of her freestyle tonight.  Gilles' freestyle was underwhelming and Melissa's freestyle was only marginally better than the one Tony choreographed back for Stacy in Season 2 (which is not a compliment.)

Lots of former contestants in the audience tonight -- I spotted Tia, Emmitt, Monique, Marissa and Jane!  (And, apparently, I missed Leeza and Vivica.)

[Barbara]

I think Melissa and Gilles were done a disservice by their pro partners/choreographers. They tried to throw in too many tricks and not enough dancing. In contrast Mark gave Shawn a dance that was a perfect showcase for her talent and personality. That said, I would be happy with any of them as trophy winners.

[perky]

Best Paso Doble-Gilles and Cheryl
Best Free-style- Shawn and Mark

I'm not a fan of the Free-style. It becomes all about lifts and tricks with little actual dancing in between.

Can we put a moratorium on hip hop in Free-style? Although I don't think Tony and Melissa's was as terrible as everyone seems to think, he should have played up her ballet background with something more lyrical and elegant.

I didn't get the bedazzled masks at the beginning of Shawn and Mark's routine. Kinda creeped me out.

I'm an eighties girl so I loved the song choice from Flashdance for Cheryl and Gilles, however the choreography seriously underwhelmed.

Gilles should win based on his body of work in ballroom dances throughout the season. If Shawn wins it will be only because of an entertaining, well executed Free-style which would undermine all the ballroom dancing that this show is supposed to be showcasing.

[cubanmiamiboy]

I love Lil' Kim...!!! yeeeah!! (I just saw her brief appearance... )
And I want Shawn to win, BTW...